2008 Talking Points:

1. Congress should conduct an oversight hearing to follow up on the 2006 hearing to learn about any progress
   that the Forest Service and Department of Labor have made in tracking working conditions for forest workers,
   and whether working conditions have changed on the ground.
2. Congress should ask the Bureau of Land Management what they have done to improve communications
   with the Department of Labor and increase labor law compliance through their contracting administration
   processes.
3. The Forest Service and the Wage and Hour Division should communicate regularly to the public about labor
   law enforcement and contract administration, and what these efforts have accomplished.
4. The Forest Service should make full use of best value contracting opportunities.
5. The Forest Service should create performance measures that focus on outcomes, such as the quality of
   ecosystem improvements and economic opportunities rather than on “acres treated” and other outputs. This
   will help to reduce the pressure to accept below costs bids and increase incentives to investigate and report
   potential labor-law violations.

Read the detailed 2008 Workforce and Labor talking points.