Judge Alito shows anti-labor tendencies - 11/02/05

By Jesse Russell

That was Representative Bernie Sanders of Vermont criticizing the nomination of Judge Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court. While many are focused on his stance on abortion - many in organized labor are concerned about what appears to be a anti-labor position. In 1996 Alito was the sole dissenter in a case concerning a female hotel employee who complained of sexual harassment. In his ruling Alito sought to raise the bar for the requirements of filing a sex-discrimination claim. During a 2000 suit in Pennsylvania concerning a state employee who was fired for taking unpaid sick leave, Alito said Congress went to far passing the Family and Medical Leave Act and the state was not required to abide by it.