Tom Harkin: “I very strongly oppose the amendment offered by the Senator from Kansas. Instead of passing this amendment, we should be…”

“I very strongly oppose the amendment offered by the Senator from Kansas. Instead of passing this amendment, we should be saluting the leadership of President Clinton in providing a good degree of protection for workers that Congress failed to protect last year in the striker replacement bill. American workers and companies doing business of over $100,000 with the Federal Government can finally be assured that they will not be permanently replaced if they go out on a strike. While that represents only 10 percent of all contracts, this order will affect 90 percent of Federal contract dollars. Over the past decade, a worker's right to strike has too often been undermined by the destructive practice of hiring permanent replacement workers. Workers deserve better. Workers are not disposable assets that can be thrown away when labor disputes arise. When we were considering the striker replacement bill last year, the Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources heard poignant testimony about the emotional and financial hardships that are caused by the hiring of permanent replacement workers.”