Advocacy group asks Senators to allow debate on Paycheck Fairness Act – National Consumers League

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April 9, 2014

Contact: Ben Klein, National Consumers League (202) 835-3323, benk@nclnet.org 

Washington, DC–Today, the Senate minority stopped the Paycheck Fairness Act from moving forward with a vote of 53-44, stymying the effort to get 60 votes. The nation’s pioneering consumer and labor advocacy organization, the National Consumers League (NCL), is asking the Senate minority to join with the Senate majority and allow debate on the Act.

The Paycheck Fairness Act, which updates the Equal Pay Act of 1963, would give workers stronger tools to fight wage discrimination in the workplace. In order to start discussions on the Act, the Senate needed 60 votes. President Obama took Executive action on equal pay during an event at the White House yesterday.

“Today, a woman is the primary breadwinner in 40 percent of American households. When women receive less pay than their male counterparts, it’s a family issue, not only a women’s issue,” said NCL Executive Director Sally Greenberg. “We ask all the Senators to support working women and allow debate on this bill.”

The Paycheck Fairness Act would help to combat the gender wage gap by prohibiting employers from punishing employees for sharing salary information with their coworkers, enhancing employees’ ability to learn about wage disparities and to assess whether they are experiencing discrimination.

“It’s wrong that women, today, on average, make only 77 cents for every dollar earned by a man. For women of color, the wage gap is even wider; African-American women make only 64 cents, and Hispanic women make only 54 cents,” said Michell McIntyre, Outreach Director of Labor & Worker Rights of NCL.  “In these tough economic times, families need to bring home every dollar they’re entitled to.”

Additional provisions of the Paycheck Fairness Act would require the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) to survey available pay data and issue regulations within 18 months requiring employers to submit additional pay data about employees, identified by race, sex, and national origin. These data would enhance the EEOC’s ability to detect violations of law and improve enforcement. 

The Act would also allow employees to receive the same remedies for gender-based pay discrimination that are currently available to those subjected to discrimination based on race and ethnicity.

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About the National Consumers League
The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Its mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

Advocates welcome executive actions on Equal Pay Day – National Consumers League

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April 8, 2014

Contact: NCL Communications, Ben Klein, (202) 835-3323, benk@nclnet.org

Washington, DC– Today, on Equal Pay Day, the nation’s pioneering worker and consumer advocacy organization, the National Consumers League (NCL), is applauding President Obama for signing two historic new executive actions aimed at giving women more tools to help close the wage gap. Equal Pay Day, 98 days into 2014, symbolizes the extra time needed for women to earn the same salaries as their male counterparts in 2013.

Today the President signed an executive order banning retaliation against employees of federal contractors for disclosing or inquiring about their wages. He will also instruct the Department of Labor to establish new regulations requiring federal contractors to submit gender data on employee pay. This information will encourage voluntary compliance with equal pay laws and assist with more focused enforcement where possible discrimination exists.

“President Obama’s bold action will strengthen enforcement of equal pay laws for women,” said Sally Greenberg, Executive Director of NCL. “Pay discrimination is all too prevalent, and millions of women and their families are paying a heavy price for it.” 

The Senate is expected to vote to open debate on the Paycheck Fairness Act as soon as tomorrow. The Paycheck Fairness Act (S. 84/S. 2199) would strengthen the Equal Pay Act of 1963 and bar retaliation against workers who ask about their employers’ pay practices or inquire about their own wages. It would allow women to receive the same remedies for sex-based pay discrimination that are currently available to those subjected to discrimination based on race and ethnicity.

“President Obama is a true champion for women in the workplace, from the first bill he signed into law, the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, to these actions today,” said Michell McIntyre, Outreach Director of Labor and Worker Rights at NCL. “Congress still needs to do its part and pass the Paycheck Fairness Act, but we’re one step closer to achieving pay equity thanks to this White House.”

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About the National Consumers League
The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Its mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

National Consumers League supports OSHAs proposal to protect workers from silica dust by updating ‘badly outdated’ standards – National Consumers League

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April 4, 2014

Contact: Ben Klein, NCL Communications, (202) 835-3323, benk@nclnet.org

Washington, DC – Yesterday at a hearing of the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA), the National Consumers League (NCL), the nation’s pioneering consumer and worker advocacy organization supported OSHAs proposal to better protect workers from the dangers of silica dust.

NCL cited OSHA data that an estimated 2.2 million American workers are exposed to silica dust every year, with about 1.8 million of those working in the construction industry. NCL’s Executive Director Sally Greenberg testified on the League’s history of fighting for worker health and safety – for Women who made luminous watches exposed to toxic radium in the 1920s and workers grinding buttons out of shells and inhaling dust day after day – in the 1913 era. Today’s worked are exposed to silica dust when cutting, drilling, or grinding material. Exposure can lead to silicosis, as well as increased susceptibility to lung cancer, kidney disease, and autoimmune disorders. The current silica standards, adopted more than 40 years ago, are badly outdated, new proposed limits would reduce dust exposure for workers and prevent an estimated 1,600 new cases of silicosis annually.

The following may be attributed to Sally Greenberg, Executive Director of the National Consumers League:

We applaud OSHA for proposing a new standard limiting exposure to silica, a known carcinogen. As demonstrated by the extensive evidence compiled by the agency, the current standard is badly outdated and does not adequately protect workers from exposure. 

We support a requirement for the employer to post a warning sign at each regulated area. This requirement would be consistent with OSHA’s other health standards that address toxic substances.  The warning sign should be in languages appropriate for all workers on the site. When applicable, the sign should note that respiratory protection and protective clothing are required.

We urge OSHA to prohibit the use of silica sand for abrasive blasting. Many countries have banned the use of silica sand in abrasive blasting including Great Britain, Germany, Sweden and Belgium. These industrialized nations have demonstrated that the abrasive blasting process can done effectively without the use of sand. The U.S. Navy, the Air Force, the U.S. Coast Guard, and twenty-three state Departments of Transportation have banned the use of silica in abrasive blasting.  

OSHA should explicitly state in the regulatory text that discriminating against a worker for exercising their rights is prohibited and will be deemed a violation of the standard.

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About the National Consumers League
The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Its mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

Survey: One third of American parents mistakenly link vaccines to autism – National Consumers League

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April 2, 2014

Washington, DC—According to a survey released today by the National Consumers League (NCL), the nation’s pioneering consumer organization, adult Americans lack sufficient information about the safety of vaccines and the risks of failing to vaccinate for highly contagious diseases. Despite scientific studies clarifying that vaccines are not linked to autism in children, 33 percent of parents of children under the age of 18 and 29 percent of all adults continue to believe “vaccinations can cause autism.” According to public health experts, the failure to vaccinate children has recently led to outbreaks of highly contagious, preventable, and sometimes deadly diseases, like whooping cough.

NCL’s survey of 1,756 U.S. adults, conducted online by Harris Poll in August and September, also revealed that 50 percent of parents are aware of the study that linked autism to childhood vaccinations, but only half of these parents are aware that the study has since been discredited and retracted.

“The anti-vaccination movement that has gained so much momentum in recent years is doing real, measurable damage to the health of our communities,” said Sally Greenberg, Executive Director of NCL. “Vaccinations for diseases that had been wiped out until recently are being rejected by a small but significant number of parents, causing some of these virulent diseases to emerge once again. Those who choose not to vaccinate put the rest of us at risk.”

Examples of the re-emergence of diseases caused by failure to vaccinate include the following, according to a recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report:

  • An outbreak of mumps on the Ohio State University campus infected 69 individuals;
  • 27 people were infected with mumps after an outbreak at Fordham University; and
  • New York City recently warned of a measles outbreak that infected16 individuals. According to the CDC report, “The increase in measles cases in the United States in 2013 serves as a reminder that imported measles cases can result in large outbreaks, particularly if introduced into areas with pockets of unvaccinated persons. During 2013, nearly two-thirds of the cases came from three outbreaks. Transmission occurred after introduction of measles into communities with pockets of persons unvaccinated because of philosophical or religious beliefs.”

According to NCL’s survey, while most Americans understand the benefits of vaccination, many still see it as an issue of individual choice. More than 4 in 5 (82 percent) adults agree that vaccinations help reduce health care costs, and 72 percent are concerned about the drop in vaccination rates in the United States. However, 60 percent say they respect the decision of parents when choosing whether or not to vaccinate their children.

Survey findings

Only two in five (39 percent) of parents surveyed describe themselves as being extremely or very knowledgeable about how vaccines work. But, among those, 35 percent also believe that vaccinations can cause autism.

Who parents trust for information about vaccines:

81% health care providers
37% Web-based sources
32% the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
22% family
10% child’s school

Nearly a quarter of parents (23%) trust physicians on TV like Dr. Oz and Dr. Gupta to relay medical information to the public, 11 percent trust morning shows like the ‘Today Show,’ and 7% trust talk show hosts to relay medical information.

Nearly two in five adults (37 percent) who are somewhat or not at all knowledgeable about how vaccines work say they trust the doctors on TV to relay medical information to the public. Less than a third (29%) of adults who are extremely or very knowledgeable feel the same.

On mandatory vaccination policies:

  • A majority of adults (87%) and Parents (81%) support mandatory vaccinations for school-aged children.
  • 76% of parents say that they think parents or guardians should have the final say about whether or not children should be vaccinated (vs. 64% of all adults).

For more information about the survey, contact the National Consumers League.

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About the National Consumers League 
The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Its mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

About the Survey
The national survey was conducted online by Harris Poll on behalf of the National Consumers League among 1,756 U.S. adult Americans (ages 18 and older), of whom 993 are parents of children under 18, in August – September 2013. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables, please contact the National Consumers League.

Federal agency issues long-delayed life-saving standard to require rear visibility for cars and SUVs – National Consumers League

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March 31, 2014

Contact: NCL Executive Director, Sally Greenberg 202-835-3323,  sallyg@nclnet.org

Washington, DC – On the eve of a federal court hearing on the topic, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) issued a long-delayed auto safety standard to improve vehicles’ rear visibility and prevent deaths that occur when drivers back over pedestrians. In a 2008 law named after Cameron Gulbransen, a toddler backed over and killed at age 2, Congress directed DOT to issue a rear visibility standard by 2011. The Obama Administration delayed the deadline numerous times, finally issuing today’s rule after a coalition of safety advocates, including Cameron’s father, sued DOT. The National Consumers League, the nation’s pioneering consumer advocacy organization, is grateful that the agency issued the long overdue new standard. This announcement came one day before a federal appeals court was set to hear arguments on whether to order DOT to issue the rule.

“It’s inexcusable that it took so long, but finally having this rule in place is a huge milestone for auto safety,” said Sally Greenberg, Executive Director of the National Consumers League. Before coming to NCL, Greenberg served as Product Safety Counsel for Consumers Union and worked alongside Janette Fennell of Kids and Cars and with families from across the country to bring this issue to the attention of members of Congress in 2000-2001. “Today is a day to celebrate; children’s lives will be saved by this rule.” 

Each year, according to DOT, more than 200 individuals are killed and 15,000 injured in “back over” crashes. Drivers using all three mirrors cannot see anything in a blind zone 10-40 feet long directly behind their vehicles. Over half of those killed in back over accidents are children under 5 or adults 70 or older, DOT’s analysis shows. The new rule will set a standard for rear visibility that effectively requires rearview cameras in new vehicles under 10,000 pounds (excluding motorcycles) by 2018.

On four separate occasions from 2011 to 2013, the administration told Congress that it was delaying the Cameron Gulbransen Kids Transportation Safety Act. In November 2011, DOT sent a draft final rule to the White House Office of Management and Budget, where it languished for nineteen months before being withdrawn in June 2013. After DOT announced that it intended to complete the rule by January 2015, taking twice as long as Congress had directed, safety advocates and two parents who hit their children because they couldn’t see them in the vehicle’s blind zone sued DOT. The lawsuit asked the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit to order the agency to issue the rule promptly. The federal court was to hear the case on April 1, 2014.

The lawsuit was filed by Public Citizen on behalf of Dr. Greg Gulbransen, Susan Auriemma, Consumers Union of the United States, Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, and Kids And Cars, Inc. Gulbransen, of Syosset, N.Y., backed over his 2-year-old son Cameron in his driveway in 2002; Auriemma, of Manhasset, N.Y., backed over her 3-year-old daughter Kate in her driveway in 2005, injuring her.

 

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About the National Consumers League 

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Its mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

National Consumers League statement on FCC actions promoting media diversity and competition – National Consumers League

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March 31, 2014

Contact: NCL Communications, Ben Klein, (202) 835-3323, benk@nclnet.org

Washington, DC – The National Consumers League today applauded the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for its vote to attribute the Commission’s media ownership rules to Joint Sales Agreements between television stations. NCL also applauded the Commission’s unanimous vote to prohibit certain joint retransmission consent negotiations by broadcasters.

The following statement is attributable to John Breyault, NCL Vice President of Public Policy, Telecommunications and Fraud:

“The promotion of diversity, competition and localism in the media is central to the FCC’s mission. It is therefore imperative that agreements allowing broadcasters to avoid the Commission’s media ownership limits be prohibited, absent a compelling public interest reason that they be waived. The Commission’s action today rightfully supports consumers’ access to a wide variety of voices on the nation’s public airwaves.”

“As NCL has stated in the past, consumers should not be pawns in the seemingly never-ending retransmission fights between billion-dollar cable companies and media conglomerates. The FCC’s action to prohibit certain joint retransmission consent negotiations by broadcasters will help prod all parties at the table to focus on the best interests of their ultimate customers – bill-paying consumers.”

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About the National Consumers League 

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Its mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

Fraud alert: New malware scams making April fools out of victims – National Consumers League

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March 27, 2014

Contact: NCL Communications, Ben Klein, (202) 835-3323, benk@nclnet.org

Washington, DC—Anti-fraud advocates at the National Consumers League are warning consumers this month about a scam being tracked by the Federal Trade Commission, the FBI, and other federal agencies: Cryptolocker malware. Crooks are targeting consumers and businesses with sophisticated technology that, spread through email and difficult-to-detect downloads, encrypts the contents of a hard drive, making it impossible to use one’s files. According to the FTC, after the malware is installed by an unsuspecting computer user, the Cryptolocker crooks send a ransom note demanding hundreds of dollars in payment via Bitcoin or another anonymous payment method before they will unlock the files. Once a consumer pays the ransom, there’s no guarantee that the fraudster will not simply ask for more money.

“Even if you pay the ransom, are you really willing to bet that the criminals running this scam will honor their promises and unlock your computer files?” said John Breyault, director of NCL’s Fraud.org campaign.

Ransomware has been around for a decade, but the frequency and severity of CryptoLocker scams appears to be on the rise. According to Dell SecureWorks, CryptoLocker raked in $5 million dollars in the last four months of 2013 alone.

A study by the University of Kent found that 2 out of every 5 CryptoLocker victims pay the ransom. This malware is especially sneaky, as it can be disguised as JPEG images, as PDF files, as Microsoft Office files, and other innocuous, familiar files. There are even reports that Facebook could be one of the likeliest places to get a CryptoLocker malware. Businesses have also been reported to be victimized by these scams.

Tips for avoiding Cryptolocker and other malware scams

  1. Back up your files frequently on a separate device (which does not remain connected to your main computer) or use free cloud storage systems that are available online.
  2. Be on the lookout for suspicious looking phishing emails and links. Do not click on links or attachments from untrusted senders.
  3. Consider using ad-filtering applications that are free for your web browser to avoid clicking on suspicious links from ad pop-ups either by accident or by compulsion.

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About the National Consumers League 

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Its mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

Advocates call for FTC action to address data insecurity – National Consumers League

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March 25, 2014

Contact: NCL Communications, Ben Klein, (202) 835-3323, benk@nclnet.org

Washington, DC – A coalition of consumer and privacy organizations today called on the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to convene a forum examining the ongoing impact of data insecurity on America’s consumers. In a letter to FTC Chairwoman Edith Ramirez, the groups cited the increased consumer awareness of the threat of data breaches and other cybersecurity risks in the wake of data thefts at Target, Michaels, Snapchat, and other businesses.

“The Target breach should serve as a wake-up call that more must be done to address the looming data insecurity disaster,” noted the groups. “This is no longer an issue that can be limited to discussion among cybersecurity experts. It is now a threat to the entire economy.”

Statistics cited by the organizations included:

  • Since 2005, there have been more than 4,000 disclosed data breaches, a rate of more than one per day for nine straight years, according to the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse.
  • According to Javelin Strategy & Research, 13.1 million consumers suffered identity fraud in 2013, the second highest level on record. Total annual identity fraud losses were $18 billion.
  • Since 2004, more than 1.1 billion consumer records have been exposed to unauthorized parties, according to Verizon.

Past FTC workshops have examined pressing data security challenges surrounding the “Internet of Things,” mobile devices, and tax-related identity theft, among other issues. These forums provide an important opportunity for policymakers to convene experts and discuss ongoing consumer protection issues facing the Commission.

Organizations listed on the letter included Consumer Action, Consumer Federation of America, National Consumers League (NCL) and Privacy Rights Clearinghouse.

“The threat to consumers and the economy from data breaches is very real and growing,” said John Breyault, NCL Vice President of Public Policy, Telecommunications and Fraud. “Given the vast amounts of personal information that consumers are being asked to provide, it is imperative that the data be better protected from hackers and other malicious actors. As the nation’s leading consumer protection agency, the FTC is the right organization to lead a national conversation on this issue.”

Read the groups’ letter here.

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About the National Consumers League 

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Its mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

National Consumers League statement on Murthy nomination for Surgeon General – National Consumers League

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March 19, 2014

Contact: NCL Communications, Ben Klein, (202) 835-3323, benk@nclnet.org

Washington, DC – The following statement is attributable to Sally Greenberg, Executive Director of the National Consumers League.

As the nation’s pioneering consumer organization and one concerned throughout our 115-year history about the health and well-being of Americans, the National Consumers League (NCL) finds it troubling that the current nominee for Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy, is facing criticism for supporting basic measures to improve our nation’s health. Murthy, a great public health champion, is a strong advocate for the Affordable Care Act and, like the majority of Americans, for including reasonable gun policies as part of our nation’s health agenda. If confirmed, he plans to make combating America’s obesity epidemic a top priority. These issues are exactly what a Surgeon General should include in his or her agenda. 

Because of Murthy’s mentioning guns as a health matter, some members of Congress have indicated they would not vote to confirm him. We think this is unfortunate and shortsighted . Gun violence does affect the health of Americans:  on average, eight young people under the age of 20 are killed by guns every day. American children die by guns 11 times as often as children in other high-income countries. On average, 32 Americans are murdered with guns every day, and 140 seek emergency room treatment for gun assaults.

NCL has enjoyed strong relationships with past U.S. Surgeons General. In 2000, NCL honored Surgeon General Dr. David Satcher with its highest honor, the Trumpeter Award. Most recently, the 18th Surgeon General Regina Benjamin, also a Trumpeter Award recipient, worked with the League to support and promote our medication adherence campaign, Script Your Future.

President Obama’s Surgeon General nominee is widely respected as a physician and a public health expert. He has degrees from Harvard and Yale, and is an eminently qualified physician. We think he is moderate and thoughtful in his positions, and brings impeccable credentials to the post.  The National Consumers League calls upon the Senate to confirm Vivek Murthy to the post of Surgeon General of the United States.

 

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About the National Consumers League 

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Its mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

NCL commends President Obama for regs on overtime and updating other labor laws – National Consumers League

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March 14, 2014

Contact: NCL Communications, Ben Klein, (202) 835-3323, benk@nclnet.org

Washington, DC – The National Consumers League (NCL) applauds President Obama for directing the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) to revise and update outdated, Depression-era overtime laws and tighten the loopholes in the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). NCL, the nation’s pioneering worker and consumer advocacy organization, commends the President for using his executive power to call for this positive step forward for millions of American workers.

“President Obama’s directive is a giant step for the millions of Americans who work full time and yet still struggle to make ends meet,” said Sally Greenberg, Executive Director of NCL. “With Congress conflicted on these issues, an executive order will require businesses to pay workers what they earn for any additional hours they work.”

Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s Secretary of Labor Frances Perkins, who had previously served as NCL secretary, crafted the FLSA, which was signed into law in 1938. It was created to give Americans basic workplace rights including a federal minimum wage, overtime protections, bans against child labor, and record-keeping mandates to keep businesses honest about the number of hours employees worked.

When originally constructed, the overtime statute in the FLSA included a pay threshold and three job classification exemptions: executive, professional, and administrative. Today, many employers avoid paying their employees overtime by exploiting the exemptions in the FLSA. By manipulating job titles and descriptions, employers avoid paying many employees who work over a 40-hour workweek one and a half times the normal hourly rate for the extra hours.

Millions of other workers are exempt from overtime rules if they make more than $455 a week or $23,660 a year, which is still below the poverty line for a family of four.

“For decades, Americans’ wages have stagnated, even as worker productivity has soared,” said Michell McIntyre, NCL’s Outreach Director, Labor and Worker Rights. “The changes in the exemptions to overtime pay could make all the difference for families struggling to make ends meet. This is an important step. It is time to give Americans a raise.”

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About the National Consumers League 
The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Its mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.