Voters approved sick leave mandate by 58% but lawmakers are caving to lobbying by the state’s chamber of commerce

Voters approved sick leave mandate by 58%, but lawmakers are caving to lobbying by the state’s chamber of commerce

Being sick is a costly business for Bill Thompson, who worked in the fast-food industry in Independence, Missouri, for more than 30 years, and recently worked at Guitar Center until early July, when he was laid off as.

“As an older worker, I have health issues from working on my feet and with my hands for many years with no breaks for eight to 10 hours a day. I have done it for 38 years now, living paycheck to paycheck,” 54-year-old Thompson said, noting in Missouri, workers are not mandated breaks of any kind during work.

So when Republicans in Missouri repealed a paid sick leave mandate that the state’s voters approved by 58% after an aggressive lobbying campaign by the Missouri chamber of commerce and industry and other business industry groups, he said, “It was a literal gut punch.”

    • CrackedLinuxISO@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
      0·
      3 days ago

      It depends on the state. Many states have no means of direct voter legislation. Some do, but the result is a new law, which can be repealed by the legislature as easily as anything else. Some states treat citizen ballot initiatives as more powerful than basic laws (eg, as an amendment to the state constitution) which are generally way harder for politicians to roll back.

      • Azal@pawb.socialEnglish
        0·
        2 days ago

        Missouri is one of those states that does have direct voter legislation. Able to even get things put in to the state constitution.

        Trouble is our chucklefuck idiots will vote for very progressive things in state, but then go full stupid and keep voting for the R next to the name despite overturning our voting for direct legislation for the past decade.

    • Mediocre_Bard@lemmy.world
      0·
      3 days ago

      In the US votes don’t actually matter. The democratic and republican party work for corporate donations. So, if everyone votes for issue A, but corporations lobby against it, sometimes for as little as $10,000, then issue will not happen. What are you going to do? Sue? The judges also work for the corporations.