1.   Another obstacle is that unions may not be allowed to bargain to raise the wages of workfare recipients because their pay is a welfare check.

2.   Already, Republican lawmakers are considering legislation that would exempt workfare recipients from minimum wage laws.

3.   In contract talks, the mayor had suggested that workfare recipients be used as hall and lunchroom monitors.

4.   Labor leaders have contended for months that workfare recipients were covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act, which requires the minimum wage in most cases.

5.   Leaders of the group organizing the workfare recipients, WEP Workers Together, say they have a couple hundred members.

6.   One welfare advocate who is trying to unionize workfare recipients said the decision goes a long way toward ensuring that workfare workers are treated lke regular workers.

7.   Supporters say the bills would protect workfare recipients from losing benefits over petty disputes, offer a strong mechanism for job training and bring more equity to public markets.