Defending Unions
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By -
I've read a couple of letters to the editor lately bashing unions and the Democratic law makers who walked off of their jobs. Let me start with just a few questions to these individuals.
Do you have a 40 hour work week?
Do you receive overtime pay after 40 hours?
Do you receive holiday pay?
Do you receive paid vacations?
Does the company pay for part or all of your health care?
Do you have a pension plan?
Do you have job security because of seniority status?
Do you have a safe working environment?
Do you have a grievance procedure to take care of problems?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, you can thank a union. If most of the items above are on your wish list, you may need a union.
Companies didn't get together and decide to give you these benefits. These benefits were fought and paid for by union members. Many paid for these benefits with lost wages and some even paid with their lives. You see, they walked off of their jobs too. It's called a strike.
These Democratic law makers should be held up as heroes and not treated as villains. They are striking for all of us and trying to protect what American workers have fought for over many decades.
One poorly uninformed individual said local workers should take pay cuts and give up 4 to 6 weeks vacation for two weeks or less. Who's going to guarantee that you receive the two weeks, the company? They also praised Republican law makers for standing their ground on the union busting right to work legislation. But many of them weren't standing their ground while in Indiana. They were on a fact finding trip to India to explore the possibility of outsourcing more Hoosier jobs. This trip was sponsored by the Indiana Chamber of Commerce. Companies are looking to India now because the average Chinese worker now makes almost a dollar per hour. That's way too much so they have to look for cheaper labor elsewhere.
If you disagree with unions, may I suggest the next time you are at work, tell your employer that you no longer want any of these benefits and you are willing to work for a dollar an hour just like the Chinese. Oh, and while you're there, ask if he is willing to work for the wages the Chinese CEO's get. You may as well lead and live by example, but my guess is neither of you will choose to do so.
One last question for you, when labor unions are gone and the news media is controlled by one corporation or individual, who will hear your voice then? You may say that you still have your vote and can vote out individuals with whom you don't agree. I don't think so. Florida taught us that even votes don't count. I strongly suggest you think twice before you continue bashing unions. They have done many things that affect all of workers' rights for many years. You may want to take a little time and read why unions were established in the first place. Gov. Scott Walker from Wisconsin and his friends are prime examples of why unions exist.
Ronald W. Haskins Sr.
North Webster, via e-mail[[In-content Ad]]
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I've read a couple of letters to the editor lately bashing unions and the Democratic law makers who walked off of their jobs. Let me start with just a few questions to these individuals.
Do you have a 40 hour work week?
Do you receive overtime pay after 40 hours?
Do you receive holiday pay?
Do you receive paid vacations?
Does the company pay for part or all of your health care?
Do you have a pension plan?
Do you have job security because of seniority status?
Do you have a safe working environment?
Do you have a grievance procedure to take care of problems?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, you can thank a union. If most of the items above are on your wish list, you may need a union.
Companies didn't get together and decide to give you these benefits. These benefits were fought and paid for by union members. Many paid for these benefits with lost wages and some even paid with their lives. You see, they walked off of their jobs too. It's called a strike.
These Democratic law makers should be held up as heroes and not treated as villains. They are striking for all of us and trying to protect what American workers have fought for over many decades.
One poorly uninformed individual said local workers should take pay cuts and give up 4 to 6 weeks vacation for two weeks or less. Who's going to guarantee that you receive the two weeks, the company? They also praised Republican law makers for standing their ground on the union busting right to work legislation. But many of them weren't standing their ground while in Indiana. They were on a fact finding trip to India to explore the possibility of outsourcing more Hoosier jobs. This trip was sponsored by the Indiana Chamber of Commerce. Companies are looking to India now because the average Chinese worker now makes almost a dollar per hour. That's way too much so they have to look for cheaper labor elsewhere.
If you disagree with unions, may I suggest the next time you are at work, tell your employer that you no longer want any of these benefits and you are willing to work for a dollar an hour just like the Chinese. Oh, and while you're there, ask if he is willing to work for the wages the Chinese CEO's get. You may as well lead and live by example, but my guess is neither of you will choose to do so.
One last question for you, when labor unions are gone and the news media is controlled by one corporation or individual, who will hear your voice then? You may say that you still have your vote and can vote out individuals with whom you don't agree. I don't think so. Florida taught us that even votes don't count. I strongly suggest you think twice before you continue bashing unions. They have done many things that affect all of workers' rights for many years. You may want to take a little time and read why unions were established in the first place. Gov. Scott Walker from Wisconsin and his friends are prime examples of why unions exist.
Ronald W. Haskins Sr.
North Webster, via e-mail[[In-content Ad]]
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