NHLA Latino Appointments Program

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September 1, 2017

AS LABOR DAY APPROACHES, LATINO LEADERS CALL ON LABOR SECRETARY TO SUPPORT WORKERS BY DEFENDING THEIR RIGHT TO OVERTIME PAY

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The National Hispanic Leadership Agenda, a coalition of 45 of the nation’s preeminent Latino advocacy organizations, issued the following statement decrying the decision by U.S. District Judge Amos Mazzant of Sherman, Texas to strike down the Obama Administration’s overtime rule. Pursuant to this rule, at least four million workers would have been eligible for overtime pay. The rule was set to go into effect on December 1, 2017. NHLA has long advocated for worker rights and stronger worker protections, including overtime pay. Judge Mazzant’s decision places business interests over that of millions of Latino and other workers across the nation.

“Judge Mazzant’s decision on the overtime rule is a major blow to workers who deserve fair pay for an honest day’s work. The Obama administration’s rule updated an antiquated salary limit after much analysis and consideration. It strived to ensure that companies couldn’t use gimmicks to deprive workers of fair compensation for their work. We call on Labor Secretary Acosta to appeal this decision for the well-being Latino workers and our nation’s entire workforce,” said Hector Sanchez Barba, Chair of NHLA and Executive Director of Labor Council for Latin American Advancement.

“The update of the overtime rule would address evasions of basic employment law protections by employers that give employees titles as supervisors but little real executive responsibility. These evasions hurt workers and also harm employers that seek to reward their workers but must compete in the marketplace against businesses that seek an unfair advantage by shaving labor costs. Reform is long overdue,” said Bruce Goldstein, Chair of NHLA’s Economic Empowerment and Labor Committee and President of Farmworker Justice.

“Under the Obama Administration’s overtime pay rule, more than two million Latino workers would be able to take home additional pay if they work more than forty hours a week,” said Eric Rodriguez, Co-Chair of NHLA’s Economic Empowerment and Labor Committee and Vice President of UnidosUS (formerly NCLR). “Instead of protecting working families, U.S. District Judge Amos Mazzant sided with business interest groups by striking down the rule, refusing workers the right to be compensated fairly for a hard day’s work. Attention now turns to the Department of Labor to appeal this decision and Congress to bolster the stagnant wages of hardworking Americans by expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit and increasing the federal minimum wage.”

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FOR MORE INFORMATION:
| Michael Torra | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | (202) 425-0582 |
| Brenda Arredondo | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | (915) 373-1483 |

ABOUT THE NATIONAL HISPANIC LEADERSHIP AGENDA

The National Hispanic Leadership Agenda is composed of 45 of the leading national and regional Latino civil rights and public policy organizations and other elected officials, and prominent Latinos Americans. NHLA coalition members represent the diversity of the Latino community – Mexican Americans, Puerto Ricans, Cubans, and other Latino Americans. NHLA’s mission calls for unity among Latinos around the country to provide the Latino community with greater visibility and a clearer, stronger influence in our country’s affairs. NHLA brings together Latino leaders to establish policy priorities that address, and raise public awareness of, the major issues affecting the Latino community and the nation as a whole. For more information, please visit: www.nationalhispanicleadership.org.

NHLA MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS

Alianza Americas | American G.I. Forum | ASPIRA Association | Avance Inc. | Casa de Esperanza: National Latin@ Network | Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute | Farmworker Justice | GreenLatinos | Hispanic Association of Colleges & Universities | Hispanic Federation | Hispanic National Bar Association | Inter-University Program for Latino Research | Labor Council for Latin American Advancement | LatinoJustice PRLDEF | League of United Latin American Citizens | MANA, A National Latina Organization | Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund | Mi Familia Vota | National Association of Latino Arts and Cultures | National Association of Hispanic Federal Executives | National Association of Hispanic Publications | National Day Laborer Organizing Network | NALEO Educational Fund | National Association of Latino Independent Producers | National Conference of Puerto Rican Women, Inc. | National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators | National Hispanic Council on Aging | National Hispanic Environmental Council | National Hispanic Foundation for the Arts | National Hispanic Media Coalition | National Hispanic Medical Association | National Institute for Latino Policy | National Latina/o Psychological Association | National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health | Presente.org | SER Jobs for Progress National | Southwest Voter Registration Education Project | UnidosUS | United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce | United States Hispanic Leadership Institute | United States-Mexico Chamber of Commerce | U.S.- Mexico Foundation | Voto Latino