Reader Views: Unions Demands are Reasonable
Why, just because other countries treat their workers inhumanely do American’s think we should then treat our workers poorly? That’s the “mindwarp” (Orwellian) baloney the GOP/CEOs/Corporations-R(omney)-People are playing here. For example, a major tech company guts the Hudson Valley and sends jobs over to India and China because ‘wages’ are less over there and somehow they blame us (the workers) for wanting a higher standard of living than a slave. That’s pathetic! And a “mindthink” we must get away from.
The real solution is to help bring up the standard of workers all over the globe – fair wages, healthy living conditions, benefits, etc. We need a global union of workers that will define a basic set of principles. Do that, level the wage, benefit and working condition playing field, and we can bring jobs back to Hudson Valley (and the US).
(Another example that is painful to hear, but is true: Our beloved mega-corp Apple (now with more cash on hand than the US government) uses the manufacturer Foxconn to make most of its products: iPads, iPods, iPhones. Did you know that Foxconn treats its workers like slaves? Yes, terrible working conditions, low, low wages, sicknesses, and worker suicides (yes, suicides). All so that they can keep the wages down, and the profits up so that we can have fancy colorful talking toys. Oh, and here’s the kicker: The CEO of Foxconn? He’s one of the wealthiest men in the world! (not to mention Steve Jobs…) Doesn’t that just make you feel good? See, Romney’s right: corporations are people, really bad people.
So, next time I hear someone telling me that unions are asking for too much, I’ll remind them that the standard they are comparing them to is that of a slave. And mention that the real path to growth is a global union, not destroying the unions we got.
Kevin Michael Winterfield
Garrison
Adam has worked in the local news industry for the past two decades in Westchester County and the broader Hudson Valley. Read more from Adam’s author bio here.