[Nfbnet-members-list] Fwd: Governor Paterson Calls for At Least Minimum Wage for Disabled Workers

[David Andrews]

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>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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>CONTACT:
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>Chris Danielsen
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>Director of Public Relations
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>National Federation of the Blind
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>(410) 659-9314, extension 2330
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>Cell:  (410) 262-1281
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>E-mail:  <mailto:cdanielsen at nfb.org>cdanielsen at nfb.org
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>Governor Paterson Calls for At Least Minimum Wage
>  for Disabled Workers
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>Supports NFB Boycott of Goodwill Industries
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>New York City (June 20, 2012): David A. Paterson, the fifty-fifth 
>governor of the state of New York and a consultant to the 
><http://www.nfb.org/>National Federation of the Blind, today praised 
>bipartisan legislation to repeal a provision of the Fair Labor 
>Standards Act that allows workers with disabilities to be paid less 
>than the federal minimum wage.  In a 
><http://www.nfb.org/media-advisory-david-paterson-address-fair-wages-workers-disabilities>press 
>conference held on the steps of City Hall, the governor praised 
>Congressman Cliff Stearns (R-FL) and Congressman Timothy Bishop 
>(D-NY) for introducing 
><http://www.nfb.org/Images/nfb/SI/Fair%20Wages%20for%20Workers%202012.pdf>the 
>Fair Wages for Workers with Disabilities Act of 2011 (H.R. 
>3086).  The governor, who can be heard daily on WOR Radio 710, also 
>condemned the industry that has grown by paying workers with 
>disabilities less than the federal minimum wage.  Flanked by members 
>and officials of the National Federation of the Blind, including its 
>New York affiliate president, Carl Jacobsen, the governor publicly 
>called for participation in the 
><http://www.nfb.org/national-federation-blind-urges-boycott-goodwill-industries>NFB's 
>boycott of Goodwill Industries International Inc., for Goodwill's 
>payment of wages as low as $0.22 an hour to workers with 
>disabilities.  The Governor was also joined by New York City 
>Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez, who will introduce a resolution calling 
>for <http://www.nfb.org/fair-wages>fair wages for workers with disabilities.
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>In support of fair wages for persons with disabilities, Governor 
>Paterson said, "Entities like the misnamed Goodwill have conned 
>people with disabilities and their families into believing that 
>drudgery for pennies an hour is the best and only work that they can 
>have.  This destroys the souls of these workers while benefitting 
>the executives of these companies to the tune of six-figure 
>salaries.  This system must not be allowed to stand."
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><http://www.nfb.org/marc-maurer-bio>Dr. Marc Maurer, President of 
>the <http://www.twitter.com/nfb_voice>National Federation of the 
>Blind, said: "We appreciate the governor speaking out so publicly 
>and forcefully for the right of workers with disabilities to earn 
>fair wages.  We are pleased and proud that he is a partner in the 
>effort to end this practice."
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>About the National Federation of the Blind
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>With more than 50,000 members, the National Federation of the Blind 
>is the largest and most influential membership organization of blind 
>people in the United States.  The NFB improves blind people's lives 
>through advocacy, education, research, technology, and programs 
>encouraging independence and self-confidence.  It is the leading 
>force in the blindness field today and the voice of the nation's 
>blind.  In January 2004 the NFB opened the National Federation of 
>the Blind Jernigan Institute, the first research and training center 
>in the United States for the blind led by the blind.
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