Labor Day, 2011

by Dick Mac

Yesterday was Labor Day.

It was a day off. A paid day off.

We are lucky to have a day off from work.

For me, Labor Day was the end of my week-long vacation, giving me ten days off.

We are lucky to have paid vacations.

I went to the doctor's office on Friday, because of a pain in my side.

We are lucky to have health insurance.

I spent some time looking over the investments in my retirement account.

We are lucky to have retirement plans.

I go back to work tomorrow, it's a short week because of the holiday.

We are lucky to have a 5-day work week.

My child starts second grade this week.

We are lucky to have jobs and child labor laws.

We have these things because of unions. Not because of the largess of corporate America, bankers or industrialists.

We have these things even though corporations, banks, and industry would rather we didn't. In fact, they have started a Tea Party to spawn a nationwide campaign against these benefits. Many people who enjoy the benefits won by unions have joined the tea parties.

If you are against unions, if you think unions are destroying America, if you think that business would prosper and jobs would be created if we removed all workplace regulation, then perhaps you would like to sacrifice these things (since this is what you are against):

Weekends
Breaks at Work, including your Lunch Breaks
Paid Vacation
FMLA
Sick Leave
Social Security
Minimum Wage
Civil Rights Act/Title VII (Prohibits Employer Discrimination)
8-Hour Work Day
Overtime Pay
Child Labor Laws
Occupational Safety & Health Act (OSHA)
40 Hour Work Week
Worker's Compensation (Worker's Comp)
Unemployment Insurance
Pensions
Workplace Safety Standards and Regulations
Employer Health Care Insurance
Collective Bargaining Rights for Employees
Wrongful Termination Laws
Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967
Whistle blower Protection Laws
Employee Polygraph Protect Act (Prohibits Employer from using a lie detector test on an employee)
Veteran's Employment and Training Services (VETS)
Compensation increases and Evaluations (Raises)
Sexual Harassment Laws
Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA)
Holiday Pay
Employer Dental, Life, and Vision Insurance
Privacy Rights
Pregnancy and Parental Leave
Military Leave
The Right to Strike
Public Education for Children
Equal Pay Acts of 1963 & 2011 (Requires employers pay men and women equally for the same amount of work)
Laws Ending Sweatshops in the United States

After you give-up all those things, let me know the quality of your life, and if it is better than mine, I will join you for tea.

Until you give-up all those things, however, you have nothing valid to say about unions and workers.

Put your money where your mouth is: put-up or shut-up!

The list is from Thank a Union: 36 Ways Unions Have Improved Your Life