When you are getting married, for the short term you can enjoy the sex, the presents, the booze, the going out, but for a marriage to work you really have to know the other person’s heart. If you err, it costs a big bundle, it financially sets you back a decade, and it affects your life forever…
As any great mom or dad will tell their progeny…. If you don’t want to go through with it, don’t. It is easier to call if off now, then it will be 10 years from now. Plus, all that time isn’t wasted finding your real love.
Alan Levin is looking for a suitor. His bride is the Port of Wilmington. The dowries match up, the agreements between families work ok, but how can he tell if his daughter will be happy with the arranged marriage? He needs to discern the heart of the suitor, find out what lurks within. Is it malice, or self sacrifice. Is it selfish? Or selfless?
Finally we have a glimpse…..
In February
2011, for example, the US Department of Labor sued Kinder Morgan, arguing that the
firm had been underpaying nearly 4,600 workers for overtime for at least two years.
The company contends that its incentive plan shouldn’t be considered part of an employee’s regular hourly pay because whether any bonuses are paid —as well as how much an employee might get — is at the discretion of management and the boards of directors,
The Labor Department, which filed the lawsuit February 2011 in federal court, alleges that the pipeline company did not include the bonuses it paid its employees when it calculated their overtime pay. Federal labor law requires companies to include bonuses when overtime pay is calculated,
The Labor Department brought the lawsuit after its investigation uncovered what it called “systemic violations” of federal overtime laws at 11 Kinder Morgan locations in Arkansas, Colorado, Louisiana, North Dakota and Texas. According to the Labor Department, Kinder Morgan improperly rounded work hours in the company’s favor and failed to pay employees at several locations who attended meetings before their shifts began.
The federal Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 spells out how employers must calculate overtime pay. Many don’t realize they have to include bonuses that are related to meeting or exceeding production, efficiency or attendance goals, according to the Labor Department. Employers put the programs in place as an incentive for employees to work faster or more efficiently. Such bonuses — including quarterly and annual awards – must be included in total compensation and used to calculate the base hourly rate that determines the amount of an overtime premium such as time-and-a-half.
The company agreed to settle the suit, paying out $830,000 in back pay.
In business there are two kinds of people. Those that screw over their employees, and those that don’t. I’m sure over the course of your personal experience you will agree. What is particularly of interest here, it that this mistake could only be made in a non-union organization, and two, the rounding down systemically occurring across the nation, shows that directive comes from the top….
If one is pushing one’s employees to work harder and faster, and then cheating them on pay, one doesn’t have their best interests at heart.
So, we’ve glimpsed the heart. Since the deal over the port of Wilmington mysteriously revolves around the compensation of those current union employees who unload this and every week’s cargo, knowing how Kinder-Morgan will eventually view our employees behind their backs, should play a big part of the decision whether or not we want to allowed them into our family…….
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January 21, 2013 at 12:40 pm
Anonymous
Vote for Senate Bill #3 on Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Jobs, Transparency and our Democracy is at Stake in Delaware
Kavips readers,
I encourage you call your legislature and vote YES for Senate Bill #3 on Wednesday, January 23, 2013. The Port of Wilmington has been a staple of the Delaware community for almost a century and now may be sold to an oil energy giant Kinder Morgan, a spin-off, of Enron. My greatest concern is the lack of transparency, the environment and the impacts on our local economy from privatization.
So many people and family depend on jobs that pay good wages with healthcare benefits that help to boost our local economy through housing, retail, taxes paid back to the state, our schools and much more. We depend on our legislatures to shed clarity and have the ability to oversee the sale, lease or public-private partnership of any state-asset. Without public and legislative knowledge, people in the community are greatly concerned as the desperation of competitive paying jobs with a decent employment benefit package are almost obsolete except the last remaining strong hold-the state and federal government jobs. Clearly, our Democracy is at stake here!
Lastly in regards to privatization. I am not fully knowledgeable about this business model. However, the Parking Meter disaster in Wilmington and Private Prison Healthcare in Delaware make me very concerned! The bottom line are the profits for these companies; not the quality of service and the quality of health care to benefit the common good of Delawarean community. It is also unclear whether the state has bonding capacity and may be able to make some of these capital investments without an investor partnership. I read in the News Paper today by Aaron Nathans about Baltimore’s Public-Private Partnership with Ports America. One thing is clear, the Baltimore Port had a relationship with this company since 1990, Ports America. However, the Port of Wilmington largely handles FRESH FRUIT and is the largest importer of bananas in the world. How many high-paying jobs were created as promised. Port of Wilmington is not the size of Baltimore and is not for profit making entity. Kinder Morgan is an energy company who transports coal and liquefied natural gas and may not have the knowledge or expertise in FRESH FRUIT cargo transport. Does oil and gas mix? Does oil and fresh fruit mix?
I offer you practical ideas and solutions to consider:
1. Independent “Non-Biased” Expert Panel: environmental and public health expert, toxicologist, economist, a state legislature, and an accountant to analyze the Port’s budget for the last 5 years. Not Economic Development Director, Alan Levin or the Diamond State Port Board-Please No!
2. Renewable and Clean Energy Innovation and Partnerships that is less harmful to the environment – hydroelectric, geothermal, solar and wind power. Are there potential “public-public” partnerships with Delaware Tech, Delaware State University and University of Delaware?
Germany has invested millions in renewable energy (solar power) technology and is expected to end their dependence on fossil fuels by 2050.
3. Department of Corrections Partnership: The port’s unions have a wonderful history of hiring people with criminal records which a great asset to the state and community. Could the Department of Corrections partner with the Port to train workers for high level skilled jobs at the port in other sectors locally? Is it better to employee an non-violent offenders for $35,000 or incarcerate them for $35,000/year.
4. Public Hearings and Legislative oversight at the very least for the community to weigh in on this matter since our tax dollars subsidize the port and we have an investment in seeing our local economy grow strong again. Low-wage jobs will not bring back a healthy and strong economy.
Some risks are not worth taking!
Thank you,