On Facebook this morning – I posted:
Seems I posted this last year [according to FB] but it's worth a repeat!
This is Labor Day weekend – take some time to think about what the Labor movement brought to all workers! Quaint ideas like living wages, overtime and 40 hour work weeks.
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After reading and responding to some of the comments, I had this thought:
What if this coming Labor Day were to be our last one ever?
It’s not hard to imagine this scenario with all the newly-minted Republican governors trying to eliminate labor benefits – and with many R’s trying to eliminate unions in general.
Caveat: I have mixed feelings about Unions myself. I’ve never belonged to one but my father was a strong union person and I was the Staff Attorney for a major union in Washington, D.C. Working inside is like the adage about watching sausage being made. It left me with more negatives than positives.
But – I have many many friends who are strong labor organizers, members and/or advocates of all things that I also advocate for and so I stand by unions.
Yet we have now come to a time where too many are not only demonizing unions, they are calling for the turning back of all that unions and the labor movement have accomplished over time.
So let’s do the imagining of this as the last Labor Day in the USA.
Minimum wages? Gone! You get paid what your boss or business owner feels like paying you. Don’t like it? Go find another job!
40-hour workweek with time and a half for over time? HA! You work as long as your boss wants you to at your now-less-than-minimum-wages. For all the hours you work.
Vacation time or sick leave? Nope! Get sick? Don’t get paid. Vacation? You lazy bum – you are fired!
Safe conditions at work? You wuss. You’ll do as we say – and stop asking for safety materials or safe conditions. Man up or be fired!
Got hurt at work? Sorry but you just lost your job since you had to take time off.
Insurance? Another wussy idea! Don’t get sick or hurt and you will be fine. Family has medical issues? Work more hours or send your kids out to get a job. We’ve eliminated all child labor laws and changed the laws regarding schooling too. They can go to work for as many hours as they can – at a lower wage than you make.
Pensions? Retirement funds? We aren’t gift horses. Our shareholders need that money more than you do. Save up for your own retirement or better yet – work until you die!
Social Security? We’re working on eliminating that as well. Can’t have all you workers draining our finances because you aren’t capable of saving on your salary. Find a way to cut your own expenses or get 2nd and 3rd jobs! Stop being so lazy!
Unimaginable? Not really.
Stoppable? Only if we elect to office those who are progressive and people-oriented.
The choices are ours – you get what you vote for!
Comments? Thank you!
Have a great Labor Day Weekend
PS – I'd normally put this on my political blog but postings there won't save 🙂
I had a dislike for unions, when I was a member of one. However, my dislike for dictatorial corporate control of workers exceeds it. On the balance, I’d take the union. Herr Walker demonstrates what happens when unions are crippled or eliminated. On the whole: Better for workers.
Thank you for your comment. I worked for one and quit when they screwed me over my salary [among other issues!] But yes, like you, I’d still take unions over corporations – and people over profits! Lynn
Kind of puts things into perspective. You made some great points, Lynn. I’m sure you are aware of this, some of Europeans have much more labor bonuses than we do. No complaining here. Have a great Labor Day weekend & definitely not take it for granted!
Thank you for your kind words and adding your comment. Yes, I think most Europeans get more time off, better family leave and medical care. We bow to the corporate bottom line and that means people don’t count as much as profits 🙁
I plan to enjoy the weekend as summer weather has returned.
Lynn
Your post reminds me of Upton Sinclair’s “The Jungle.” It’s a good read for everyone – even those of us who don’t like Unions. 😉
The Jungle, was exactly what was running through my mind, too!
Also, being a teacher and living in Wisconsin, it also feels like the predictions of what’s to come.
Sure thankful for laws that protect these ‘rights’ & those who fought to bring these laws to fruition against big businesses with deep pockets.
Thanks Lisa – Wisconsin was on my mind when I started commenting on the FB page. Then I needed to say a lot more :-). I understand a lot of WI teachers have chosen to retire rather than lose money working and that’s scary too!
Keep up the fight in WI – we all have your backs.
Lynn
Thanks for having our backs! It’s a double edged sword. Parents aren’t willing to step up and fight for their children’s best interest in the classroom & now teachers are no longer allowed to do so either. I have stepped away from teaching to raise my 4 children, but many of my colleagues have just sucked up working an extra 45 minutes a day with no pay compensation what so ever as part of the new ‘rules.’ At the same time, this will really have teachers on top their game and cut many loop holes that bad teachers use to hang on to their jobs. At the same time, many really really good teachers will go teach in the private sector because the benefits are no longer worth it in the Public School system. Another caveat is that we have A LOT of new teachers that are now able to get jobs in education because of all of the openings. Do I like it? No. But I can’t do much about it at this point except vote in a recall and this little fiasco isn’t the only crap our governor has pulled. Hoping he will be exiting sooner than later!
We have so many low-information voters who vote against their own best interests that it astounds me. Out here I am an officer of our county dem party and we actively solicited $ for Wisconsin and will do again when needed. the coke-brothers have to be stopped from buying more states.
Lynn
Thank you for the comment and the comparison!. I’ve been authoring [still private :-)] a lot of “what ifs” – and my mind suddenly added this one. Now I’ll get back to the others.
PS – Unions are good for some members but not so good to their own employees 🙂
Lynn