Tuesday, November 25, 1986TThe Battalion/Page 3
State and Local
(cr\
w on in-home work sets off conflict
issibility of repeal pits farmers against unions
By Christi Daugherty
Staff Writer
hie possibility that the govern-
nent might drop a 40-year-old fed-
ral regulation is resulting in a con-
ict between farmers and organized
bpr.
| ■he controversial regulation for-
ids the employment of people in
^heir homes for the purpose of mak-
Jngspecified handcrafted items.
V|he prohibited items are wr)men’s
ipparel, gloves, mittens, buckles,
buttons, embroidery, handkerchiefs
indjewelry.
■eith Garrison, director of farm
Hr programs for the Texas Farm
wjeait in Waco, said that the law
Iriginated when the Fair Labor
gaidards Act was written in the
19301.
Ht that time the prohibition
igainst in-home work was created
Huse the new standards could not
lednforced in people’s homes.
Harrison said the Farm Bureau,
Jhith is organizing a write-in cam-
to the labor department, op-
the regulation because it feels
outlived its usefulness, and in
ht of the current recession in the
industry, does more harm than
IfstltHrhe reasons for its existence are
inowlr nm. and people need to be able to
tnrlfi-Hk,” he said. “Also, the Farm Bu-
ITH is pro-free enterprise, and we
Hk there’s no basis for this regula-
MMifijn
“Basically this ban is ig
nored except when the
federal government de
cides to go out and pros
ecute someone. ”
— Dr. Marvin Martin, as
sistant professor in agri-
cultual economics
William Blackburn, director of
policy at the Department of Labor in
Washington, D.C., said that a recent
move by U.S. Labor Secretary Wil
liam Brock to lift the ban on certain
items resulted in a flood of letters re
vealing the different aspects of the
issue.
“The majority of the letters came
from the International Ladies Gar
ment Workers Union and several
other unions,” Blackburn said. “But
many letters came from residents of
rural areas.”
Blackburn said the union letters
were against any move to change the
regulation, while the letters from
farmers generally were in favor of
ending the ban.
The unions fear the intrusion of
homemade articles on the market
and the possibility that their busi
nesses might be harmed, he said.
Dr. Marvin Martin, assistant pro
fessor in the Texas A&M Depart
ment of Agricultural Economics,
said he has noticed that most farm
ers pay little attention to the regula
tion anyway.
“Basically this ban is ignored ex
cept when the federal government
decides to go out and prosecute
someone,” Martin said. “And that al
most never happens.
“I mean, how would you go out
and find these housewives knitting
doilies in their living rooms?”
The main problems rest with peo
ple who contract out to companies,
he said. They’re assigned work to do
at home, and when they finish they
send it in to the factory.
In this way, however, they man
age to side-step safety and fair labor
“There are firms that ex
ploit workers, and then
there are farmers who
need extra income. ”
— William Blackburn, di
rector of policy at the La
bor Department
standards, and even child-employ
ment laws.
Blackburn said that while public
opinion certainly will have some im
pact on the ultimate decision-mak
ing, at the moment it’s adding heat
but not much light to the situation.
“There are good reasons for both
sides,” Blackburn said. “There are
firms that exploit workers, and then
there are farmers who need extra in
come.”
He said that certain employers,
mainly in the garment industry,
make their employees take work
home, often against the employees’
wills.
Since most of the workers are ille
gal aliens, the so-called “sweatshops”
rarely are reported.
The sweatshops exist in every
state, including Texas, he said, and
one recently was shut down in El
Paso.
The government does not want to
legalize this activity, he said.
Garrison said that the Farm Bu
reau is finding itself in an unusual
position, since usually it sides with la
bor.
“If you can only make garments in
a factory then you can unionize easi
ly,” he said. “It’s almost impossible to
organize people in their own
homes.”
Blackburn said that no matter
what the labor department decides
to do, the case probably won’t be set
tled anytime soon.
“Whatever we decide we’re sure to
be challenged in court, so we’ve got
to make sure we do this right and
satisfy all the legal requirements,” he
said.
UT officials, students discuss
action on drinking death
AUSTIN (AP) — University of
Texas officials Monday met with
about a half dozen students to
discuss possible disciplinary ac
tion in connection with the drink
ing death of a fraternity pledge.
The students were summoned
by letter to meet with the dean of
students after an extensive uni
versity investigation into the
death of Mark Seeberger, 18, of
Dallas.
Seeberger was found dead in
his off-campus dormitory room
Sept. 18.
An autopsy showed that he
died of alcohol poisoning.
Authorities have said See
berger died following a fraternity
“ride,” in which he and two other
Phi Kappa Psi pledges allegedly
were handcuffed and forced to
drink.
University officials have not re
leased the identity of the students
facing disciplinary measures.
Action against them could
range from reprimands to expul
sion, officials have said.
UT spokeswoman Joyce Pole
said federal privacy laws pre
vented the school from disclosing
any information about Monday’s
disciplinary proceedings.
The Travis County grand jury
also has been investigating .
Turner’s win confirmed
in Precinct 4 recount
Results of Saturday’s recount con
firmed incumbent Milton Turner’s
win in the Precinct 4 Brazos County
Commissioner’s race, with a two-vote
gain for Turner over the original
Nov. 4 tally, Brazos County Clerk
Frank Boriskie said Monday.
The recount gave Turner 2,162
votes, a 47-vote win over Rodger Le
wis’ 2,115-vote total.
The votes were canvassed Mon
day morning by the Commissioner’s
Court at its regular meeting, making
Turner’s election official for the
next four years, Boriskie said.
Lewis requested the recount be
cause of the closeness of the first
count, a one-percent difference, and
several mechanical problems en
countered in other precincts during
the initial count.
Lewis was required to deposit
$290 with his petition for the re
count. The deposit will be forfeited
since the recount did not change the
winner of the race.
Neither man could be reached for
comment Monday.
tulf States Utilities accelerating payment of $55.1 million in bonds
ns,
BEAUMONT (AP) — Gulf States Utili-
ies Co.’s cash crunch worsened Monday
hen officials announced the firm must ac-
Jerate $55.1 million in bond payments
(would not normally be due for another
!6 years.
lat bilHsU supplies the electricity for College
itySinfRon and recently received a rate increase
' mincffP percent for its wholesale electric cus-
v and ® mers -
^ BSU spokesman Kim McMurray said
|§p must make a bond payment of at least
• a halmuch in late 1987 on pollution-control
c Eng',!
al ore
at o'
,ke ii«
i with
arem-
ain i®
e b'
bonds that were backed by insurance
agreements with American Mutual Bond
Assurance Corp.
“Not only are we looking at being out of
cash in early March, we’re looking at having
a $423 million shortfall next year,” McMur
ray said.
“The main thing we need right now is
cash,” he added. “Our projections show
we’ll owe $65 million in interest payments
and other obligations by March. Unless we
get more cash coming in we’re not going to
be able to make the cash obligations.”
The insurance agreements, which en
abled GSU to obtain a lower interest rate on
the bonds, required certain financial crite
ria that the company now can’t meet, offi
cials said.
Under those agreements, GSU now has
two choices — make a cash reserve deposit
of $55.1 million or have a $110 million
promissory note drawn against the compa
ny’s assets with payment due in about a
year, McMurray said.
Since GSU can’t at the moment pay $55.1
million, a promissory note will be drawn on
Dec. 4 and will be due for payment on Nov.
29, 1987, McMurray said.
Last Tuesday, Gulf States asked the Pub
lic Utility Commission for a $144.1 million
rate hike. The two-part request includes an
emergency $82 million increase that would
take effect late this year and an additional
$62.1 million increase for next year.
The $82 million emergency request is an
(Jo.
effort to pump quick cash into the com
pany.
The $62.1 million extra increase would
allow the company to cover costs of the
River Bend Nuclear- Plant in Louisiana,
which went into commercial operation June
16 and supplies electricity for GSU custom
ers in Texas and Louisiana.
The Louisiana Public Service Commis
sion has been asked to approve a $202 mil
lion GSU-rate hike,-including $100 million
in emergency relief. , ,,
1986 BONFIRE PARKING AND BUS SERVICE
HASSLE FREE PARKING AND TRANSPORTATION
TO AND FROM BONFIRE 6:30 TO 9:30 NOVEMBER 25
jpils I
happ
torials I
nreuf The University Police, the University Shuttle Bus Service and the 1986 Aggie Bon-
i! fire will be offering an opportunity for bus service to transport you to and from bonfire
from 6:30 - 9:30 pm on Tuesday, November 25, 1986.
n't tto
ial Itf
ihf'
lead 1
of> The 1986 Bonfire will be lit at 8:00 pm. In the past, traffic jams and illegal parking on
y and around the campus have created hazardous safety problems on our campus
during the burning of Bonfire. To alleviate these problems, this bus service is being
offered free of charge to all students and visitors to our campus for bonfire.
lartf
nati f:
aift *
;hc» : "
PARK IN PA 63 - OLSEN FIELD (SEE MAP)
BUSES WILL BEGIN RUNNING AT 6:30 PM, RUN ON 10 MINUTE
*f INTERVALS UNTIL 9:30 PM.
JT BUSES WILL PICK UP AT THE OLSEN FIELD BUS STOP AND
4 DROP AT THE JOE ROUTT-THROCKMORTON BUS STOP.
ALL RUNS INTO THE CAMPUS AND BACK OUT TO THE PARK
ING LOT ARE FREE.