Wisconsin Protesters: Can You Spare Some Solidarity?

It seems disingenuous to vilify unions as special interest groups when that is exactly the reason they are effective. Often Unions are the only way workers are able to negotiate on a level playing field with employers.

As Adam Smith wrote in the Wealth of Nations;

"We rarely hear, it has been said, of the combination of masters, though frequently of those of workmen. But whoever imagines, upon this account, that masters rarely combine, is as ignorant of the world as of the subject. Masters are always and everywhere in a sort of tacit, but constant and uniform combination, not to raise the wages of labour above their actual rate."

One thing that must be said in favor of American Trade Unionism is that there is historically an obvious and positive correlation between a high percentage of union membership in the workforce and general economic prosperity. The reverse is also true. When unions are eliminated and anti-labor legislation such as Right-to-work laws are enacted, economic prosperity and standards of living have declined.

It is time to galvanize the disadvantaged workers in political agreement.

Republicans have aided and abetted corporate america in their attempt to have the rights of the people - but retain the power.

I have worked many years for my financial security. Two years ago, I no longer was able to afford health insurance. Then, I had to put my home on the market. It didnt' sell, and I have depleted my retirement account in half (at a penalty of 10% - as there is nothing in IRS law to assist those who cannot find employment in using their income to assist their current situation). I have tried entrepreneurial ventures and found that the middle man makes all the money. A college educated housekeeper is better than doing nothing. What I have found is that greed realms supreme. Helping out a local fruit stand - I was considered an independant contractor. Being confronted with the $3.52 hourly rate - paying social security and medicare on top of this below minimum wage is outrage. The new laws on independent contractors not only get around minimum wage - they punish the unemployed seeking jobs.

It is pretty obvious that the elite and wealthy are willing to take advantage of the unemployed. Maybe the older unemployed should band together with the unions? There are plenty of wrongs to fight against and instead of seeing the glass as half empty, why not harness the outrage and put that vital 9.2% (or higher) working for the rights of the people?

Instead of sitting around selling our grandparents heirlooms to pay the electric, why don't all of the unemployed join the unions? Why don't the unions open their arms and increase the ranks working for workers fairness rights.

Let's be the Phoenix rising from the ashes and Just Say No! No more opression, no more corruption, no more corporate ownership of democracy.

Our grandparents fought the battle for decent wages, work conditions, discrimination in the workplace. We are now so grateful to have a job - that we allow ourselves to be taken advantage of and collude with the elite corporate mentality which will widen the gap between the haves and have nots.

There is a price to be paid for freedom, liberty and democracy.

I hope the Unions read this. I hope that they get the message.

There are a lot of workers that need solidarity NOW!

Dear Donna Trussell,

This is the first AOL article that I have actually wanted to read through the end. It was so well written that I had to keep looking to see if I was actually reading an article posted on AOL. Thank you! You have so eloquently stated what I, and I am sure, so many have thought, but were not able to put into words the way that you have. Your article gives me hope that America is not all one-sided. Thank you.

So life is difficult for most workers, therefore the answer is to rid the world of unions? Talk about a monumental non sequitur. The author argues that labor unions are currently unpopular. She fails to mention that non-union workers benefit from labor organizations, due to the simple fact that unions "raise the bar" for everyone. It would be a grave misfortune for Americans if unions were to disappear.

This was a very well written article and as far as I can tell (having worked both private and public, non-union and union) unions want all workers in the world to receive fair wages and benefits for their work. The facilities where I worked that were unionized ran by far more efficiently and were much better organized. The workers were trained and the attrition rate was very low. The facilities where I worked that were non-unionized had high attrition rates and they were unable to establish a well run or safe facility because of worker turn-over. Now I am not going to make a blanket statement that ALL unions are good, just as some people are greedy or have only their intentions at heart so do some unions and some union leaders. However, I think that the large multi-billion corporations around the world are jumping for joy at the thought of reducing workers rights and quite honestly us "average working joes" shouldn't be arguing with each other, we are in the same boat. However we should be hopping mad at our elected officials who would pit us against each other in a game of bait and switch. If our tax dollars aren't going to pay for public services, like education, public works etc. etc. then where are they going? Into the pockets of wealthy bureaucrats and even wealthier CEO's. Remember they want the "middle class" to make sacrifices but are unwilling to ask the wealthiest to do so? Instead they should get tax cuts in hopes that they will help stimulate the economy? If there are no more unions than with what? More part-time, no benefits jobs! We need to get off of part lines realize that we are ALL Americans and over 90% of us are under attack and have been for a LONG time by the government and BIG business. We should put the rhetoric behind us and unite, this is about ALL of our RIGHTS!

Thank you for a factual and courageous stance. Hopfully Andy Stern and Barak Obama will not vilify you!

Thank you Donna for the factual and informative article.

That was a very good article. It hits the head on the real reason that unions are disliked by most non union people. Those are all of the reasons that unions are nothing more than a special interest group.

Excellent article