Don't Scapegoat Unions For Municipal Woes

[Joanne98]

The labor movement is no stranger to conflict. Its mission involves organizing workers to aggressively confront a more powerful foe. The last decade has certainly had its share of confrontations. But today, workers are facing their greatest threat in generations.

Disputes over contract negotiations, work assignments and layoffs will seem like a day at the beach compared to the clash on the horizon. Labor unions will not only be fighting to preserve wages and benefits, but for the most basic workers’ rights.

The financial crisis of local, state and federal governments – created by years of mismanaged budgets and the recent economic meltdown – has changed the terms of the debate. The national mood swells with anger at the financial troubles gripping households across the country. Much of that resentment has been channeled against unions, a highly visible target.

The dialogue is increasingly one-sided. The media portrays public pension funds like bottomless pits dug by unions for dumping buckets of taxpayer dollars. Benefits are criticized as overly generous. Wage increases are looked upon with scorn.

http://blackstarnews.com/news/135/ARTICLE/7081/2011-01-24.html

[EC]

1. I think it's time we started asking these pols why

instead of trying to cut union wages, why they aren't working on ways to bring parity between non-union and union workers by raising everyone elses wage? Working people I think would get behind that and it's easier to get people to understand than to go through all the ways that unions are good - defending them.