Assemblyman Philip Ramos (D-Central Islip) said today that President Bush’s plan to eliminate overtime compensation for white collar workers would amount to a pay cut for as many as 438,500 New Yorkers.

“The president’s policies are once again showing a deep disdain for working men and women,” Ramos said. “First we get tax cuts that disproportionately favor the wealthy and drive our country into deficit. Now he wants to take thousands of dollars away from working people. That’s shameless.”

Under current rules, any employee considered to be in “management” is ineligible for overtime pay. The president’s proposal would expand the definition of management and slash the level of education necessary to fall under that heading. According to the Economic Policy Institute, 8 million Americans could lose their overtime pay. Approximately 438,500 New Yorkers could be affected as well, including many health care workers.

“Hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers rely on their overtime pay to make ends meet – especially in a tough economy like this,” Ramos said. “I urge the president in the strongest possible terms to withdraw his proposal.”