Unions Defunct
Editor, Times-Union:
Unions are a thing of the past. In the beginning of unions, the unions had a good impact on the forming of this country. At that time, companies would take advantage of people trying to make a living, but times have changed things totally around.
It is not fair for a group of people (unions) to tell the company how they can run their business. When a contract is negotiated things are agreed to whether the company can afford it or not. In order to pay for these increased expenses, the products are increased in price. Sometimes this increase puts the products out of reach for the average Joe. Who wins in this circumstance? How can Americans making $25 to $30 an hour and somebody in China or some familiar place making $2 or $3 an hour?
A person or company has a right to make a reasonable profit for their product. When the economy takes a hit, everybody experiences a similar result. Our products have to be competitive in the world market. In such a case, people (everyone included) have to be willing to accept less. There are always exceptions to the rule, such as big bankers and Wall Street executives and other such people. We can’t dictate these things. We have no right to say how much a person is paid, even if it is not justified. Such is life.
Now to government workers who are in unions, the key word in that statement is government. The word there means we the people, and in times that we are in now, benefits and such things have to be renegotiated with their employer (the people) who are hurting in a like manner. We all have to share the burden. Isn’t this right? As far as rights and benefits go, there are laws that can protect the rights of the workers.
I once worked for a company that had an independent union. This is a union that has no affiliation with another union. It worked very well.
This is a call for everyone to band together for a common goal. That is to promote our way of life which is life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. One should not be selfish in our thinking.
This article is my thinking and feeling. My opinion is mine, but maybe you can agree.
Russell Pontius
Warsaw
Editor, Times-Union:
Unions are a thing of the past. In the beginning of unions, the unions had a good impact on the forming of this country. At that time, companies would take advantage of people trying to make a living, but times have changed things totally around.
It is not fair for a group of people (unions) to tell the company how they can run their business. When a contract is negotiated things are agreed to whether the company can afford it or not. In order to pay for these increased expenses, the products are increased in price. Sometimes this increase puts the products out of reach for the average Joe. Who wins in this circumstance? How can Americans making $25 to $30 an hour and somebody in China or some familiar place making $2 or $3 an hour?
A person or company has a right to make a reasonable profit for their product. When the economy takes a hit, everybody experiences a similar result. Our products have to be competitive in the world market. In such a case, people (everyone included) have to be willing to accept less. There are always exceptions to the rule, such as big bankers and Wall Street executives and other such people. We can’t dictate these things. We have no right to say how much a person is paid, even if it is not justified. Such is life.
Now to government workers who are in unions, the key word in that statement is government. The word there means we the people, and in times that we are in now, benefits and such things have to be renegotiated with their employer (the people) who are hurting in a like manner. We all have to share the burden. Isn’t this right? As far as rights and benefits go, there are laws that can protect the rights of the workers.
I once worked for a company that had an independent union. This is a union that has no affiliation with another union. It worked very well.
This is a call for everyone to band together for a common goal. That is to promote our way of life which is life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. One should not be selfish in our thinking.
This article is my thinking and feeling. My opinion is mine, but maybe you can agree.
Russell Pontius
Warsaw
