No Worker Left Behind

This is a bad time in America for labor. And some would say it's a bad time to speak up for worker's rights. But the truth is, in all of my 42 years of existence, I can't think of a BETTER time to speak for worker's rights. To that end, I propose the following program, which I call "No Worker Left Behind". It's an imperfect proposal, to be sure, and probably contains ideas that both left and right reject, but I'd like to use it as my contribution to start the conversation on how we should address workers' rights in America.

1. Minimum wage should be set regionally, with a base that puts a full time worker's salary at 80% of the poverty line for a family of four. Based on a 40 hour week, this would give a median minimum wage of $9.22/hour ($23,050 x .8 = 18440/2000 = $9.22). This minimum wage would have a regional multiplier based on the area cost of living. Thus, a region where the cost of living is 85% of the national average would have a minimum wage of $7.84; an area with a cost of living of 120% of the national average would have a minimum wage of $11.06.

2. Small businesses and startups that meet certain defined criteria would receive a stipend of up to 50% of their employee's salary if they hired the long term unemployed or employees from disadvantaged demographics, which would include not only minorities, but employees from families with multigenerational poverty.

3. Businesses would be allowed to outsource, but they would pay a tariff equal to two times the percentage of their workers times the tariff charged to the country where their employees are outsourced. For instance, if they outsource 20% of their workforce, they would pay 40% of the tariff they would pay if they did business within that country; if they outsourced 80%, they would pay 160%. Exempt employees would NOT be included in the headcount of employees for this tariff program. Tariffs would be applied to the small business/startup stipend mentioned in point 2, as well as workforce development programs.

4. Workforce development programs would include a relocation grant/resettlement program for the longterm unemployed. This would allow unemployed individuals to be able to afford relocation to seek employment.

5. All employees will be advised of their right to unionize. While they wil not be required to join a union if they work in a "right to work" state, they must be advised of their right, and that the employer does not have rights to terminate them if they join the union.

6. 401k/pension plans will be portable, meaning they don't have to move from one plan to another when they change jobs. While employers will not have to match employee contributions, the employee will be able to move their payroll deductions to allow their old plan to accumulate.

7. Businesses will be allowed to deduct all contributions to employees' salary and benefits.

8. Businesses that cap CEO salaries and payout over 50% of net company profits to their nonexempt workforce on a proportionate scale will receive a 25% tax liability reduction.

9. We will work to provide legal immigration status to any worker who has committed no violent felonies, meets a strict residency requirement, and has worked/attended school continually for at least 90% of their residency.

10. H1B visas shall not be issued until a database of workforce applicants in all 50 states has been searched and eligible candidates interviewed and, if qualified, offered relocation assistance.

I don't think of any of these points as being particularly radical, but am interested in CIVIL discussion on the ideas I have advanced.