Op-ed from Phillip Sanchez of Mason City –
To the editor:
The recent comments by Governor Scott Walker would give all Americans pause. His comparison that labor unions are akin to “terrorists” is scurrilous, and outrageous. When you disparage labor, you you are attacking the middle class of our nation. Unions have a diverse spectrum of membership. They include government workers such as those at the Veteran’s Administration, of which both my sister and brother work at, and yes, union members, Mr. Walker.
Policemen, firemen, and healthcare workers are just a few more of the various occupations labor represents.
Should Mr. Walker apologize?
Certainly.
But make no mistake, no apology will be forthcoming.
Judging from the applause at the recent CPAC convention, the GOP embraces this ugly and insulting narrative. Republicans believe the U.S. should be an “at will” nation. Where employers can change policy and work rules unilaterally, and with the employees having no recourse. They desire unbridled Capitalism with no safeguards or voice for workers. Any by the way, Mr. Walker, my father was a veteran, earning that right with his comrades on Omaha beach, and yes, he was a union member for 35 years.
Maybe management sent them. I’m sure they all didn’t end up there on there own. If they did then its a man agement problem.
John deere seems to be doing ok there union. Union [pacific rr record profits union. Cp rr doing ok union santa feBN rr union record profits. Minnasota union state our neighbor I don’t see companies lining up to come to iowa. All you guys bitch about no jobs in mason city yet were a right to work state. Seems to me our borders should be over flowing with jobs if right to work is the way to go. To LVS the 9 guys standing around the manhole cover not working. who sent them Clue maybe…
No one in Iowa is forced to join a Union and anyone that say’s they were force is not telling the truth. Second I am in management and have work in both union and non-union shops and I can tell you the biggest difference is that in a Non Union shops a guy will suck a golf ball thru a garden hose to try to get ahead with management.
While Iowa is a “right to work” state, my occupation required that I travel and work in many union shop companies. If I was not union, I was not allowed in to perform my duties. My employer simply said, “either join the union or I will get someone else”.
Iowa is also an “at will” state which means an employer can employ anyone they want, when they want to and when they don’t want to.
You are foolish to think everything is black and white! It has nothing to do with lying.
Also, if you are doing a good job you don’t have to suck a golf ball through a garden hose.
Only a management asshole like you would create the ‘suck the golf ball’ atmosphere at work.
Sounds like you feel guilty about something.LOL
Yes, people in Iowa are forced to join Unions. If you work for the Railroad, you are forced to join the Union. Don’t tell me I am wrong either. I work for the railroad and you have to join regardless. I am pro-union, but am finding that Unions are just as corrupt and the companies the negotiate with.
Mr. Sanchez,
I was in a union my whole life and retired that way. The union did some good things and some bad things. I was never given a choice but to be in the union or get a different job or go management.
I also am a decorated war vet.
I am still going to vote for the conservative in the next election because I chose Freedom and Capitalism over Socialism/Communism and overreaching unions that wreak havoc on business.
Government/school unions are way out of control. Period!
@Watchdog-Good comments. I wish I could write down what I know, but I don’t dare to because it would give me away. I do know that Sanchez was disliked at the plant where he was employed. You notice I didn’t say worked because he didn’t. He used his union position to get out of work and then flaunted it to other workers. He was also known to play the race card at every opportunity.
It is the #1 beverage company in the world..google it!
I am glad that Coca Cola pays well. They also offer a health insurance package that is good. Good benefits. It just goes to show that some companies care about their workers. I am sure this develops and maintains company loyalty. The problem is with those companies who only care about how much money they make on the backs of their employees who they obviously don’t have much concern for. Those companies also find problems with loyalty. Their turnover rates are very high.
Well said..and you are right! 34 years in the industry speaks softly. Good times, bad times…..has never affected me! The product is consumed weather you have a job or are looking for a job…
company match! That 1.35 raise is up to 2.00 and hour now. And the company also issued a pension which goes back to my service years(25). Unlimited OT, better health benefits and the non producers get there raise also, if only 30 some cents an hour! Best thing we ever did, was to ELIMINATE the union!!!
@homes-company’s can do a lot of things if they are not saddled with the cost of having a union shop. Just the documentation and clerical work alone cost a fortune. Then put in all the downtime dealing with the one percent that never should have been hired is also expensive. As long as a company treats their employees fairly they do no need a union. Look at the company’s that are now gone here in Mason City. All those jobs that have been lost because of unions wanting more and more.
What company is this?
I know people that are looking for a job, what company do you work for.
Union’s are done!!! Company I work for voted the union out 5 years ago. And I cast a yes vote to keep the union. Glad it was voted out. We always got 60 to 70 cents an hour raise every year, 4 weeks max vacation,3 floaters per year and no 401k or company pension, only a small union pension. After the vote came back, company gave every body a pay raise based on performance, (mine was 1.35 an hour)6 weeks vacation per year, an extra floater per year and eligible for a 401k with up to 6% cont.
Anybody that would blame whats going on in Detroit on unions is blind. Detroit and their elected officials overspent and did not follow good financial policies. The union had nothing to do with inept business leaders and policy makers. I agree unions are not perfect but they are better then trusting management to pay a fair wage and benefits. Look CEO’s receive great pay and benefits even if the company is failing so why shouldn’t a man or women working on the line expect the same treatment.
@RUKIDDING-where I agree with you on your opinion of CEO’s, giving people money that they are not earning is not the answer and does nothing but raise the prices for everyone else. Look at the situation we find ourselves in with the public unions and teachers unions. We pay more and more and receive less and less because the unions always demand based on senority instead of ability. So, we end up paying people because of time on the job instead of job performance. Today we drove by some city
cont.-workers doing some water main testing or something. There were 9 men standing in the street watching 2 men open the manholes. This is not the first time I have seen that. Then they want more money to do less work. It is the union philosophy.
“LVS” I agree no one should be paid for doing nothing but I don’t believe you can blame unions for failure. You must look at poor management decisions also. Unions bargain and yes will go on strike for what they believe is a fair deal for their members and that is what they should do. And I also agree Unions are not perfect but they do raise the standard of living for their members.
@RUKIDDING-yes they do raise the standard of living. But, at what cost to others. The idea of unions is a good idea but they have not evolved. If it was done the right way the union would manage the people and management would take care of business. However, the top union officials can not be trusted. (Anymore than CEO’s can be trusted). They need to clean house and get rid of the top people making millions of dollars.
I wonder how the city of Detroit is doing these days, wasn’t that a union town at one time?
I agree 100% with Mr. Sanchez. But I will say, not all unions are good, some have had their problems. People seem to forget, that if it wasn’t for unions, we would all be making $5.00 and hour, or what ever big business could get away with paying it’s workers. Big business sets the stage for wages, that’s why one of the top automakers was denied building in River City. The big shots in this town didn’t want to pay good wages at that time. They wanted to keep all the money for themselves.
@Allen-they still don’t want decent paying jobs here. But, history shows that unions have ruined more business than they have helped. 10 years under UAW and the business goes under if it is a small business.