Happy labor day!

Flext-time, comp-time, all kinds of time.

In this time of change, government must take the side of working families. In a new term, we will change outdated labor laws to offer comp-time and flex-time. Our laws should never stand in the way of a more family-friendly workplace.

Just no mention of overtime.

Mr. Bush explained the proposal this way during a campaign stop in Columbus, Ohio: "I think the government ought to allow employers to say to an employee: 'If you want some time off, and work different hours, you're allowed to do so. If you want to accumulate time to spend with your family, spend with your parents, spend for being re-educated, you're allowed to do so.' "

The problem with this approach, feminists and other liberals say, is that it would require changing a law that guarantees unskilled workers extra pay for overtime work. "It's the abolition of overtime," said Ellen Bravo, national director of 9 to 5, an association of working women. "This is the employer flexibility protection act."

It turns out that both sides have different definitions of flex time - not to mention radically different notions about the 40-hour workweek.

Lost in the "debate" are two aspects of this: first, the people who are demanding -- and can get away with demanding -- flex-time are, by a vast majority, salaried workers who aren't affected by the overtime rules; second...oh why even get into the lack of interest for the concerns of workers who aren't parents? 'Cause, let's face it, this has nothing to do with worker re-education -- it has everything to do with attracting women voters.