What is the the cost of a union?

We have heard that workers do not want to pay union dues. Of course, they also don’t want to pay taxes. That is another story. For those against dues being taken out of their checks ....... what would they say to not having the dues removed and they keep the money? How about those who are willing pay them enjoy the protections. The catch is they wouldn’t be able to benefit from contracts created on by those who are represented by unions. Does that sound fair?

Let's say that Tom, who works at the same job as Bret and does the same work Bret does, but because he is backed by the union he gets a dollar more per hour than Bret, who doesn't join a union. Tom also gets more insurance coverage and pays less for his insurance. Do you think Bret is going to accept that? Bret goes to his boss and wants the same pay for the same job “Ahhhh ... no, the boss says. You can’t ...... and by the way I need you and Bret to work more hours. Remember that vacation you had last year I have to stop that too. Now back to work”.

It has been years, so many have not seen the way the working class was treated ...... the poor working conditions and the long backbreaking hours doing manual labor with no breaks. Yes ....... even breaks are one of those things unions fought for, and one of those things Bret benefited from even though he never paid a penny in dues. How about the long hard hours of repetitive motion? ...... doing the same task over and over day in and day out, year after year.

Do those who are backing the corporations' demands for less regulation think the only ones they are upset with are those that protect the environment? No. It is all regulations ..... like workers safety and providing workers with protective equipment ....... workers compensation in the event they get injured on the job ...... unemployment insurance if they are laid off temporarily. Well workers compensation not only protects the worker ..... it protects the company as well. Yes, if a worker takes workers compensation they are not able to sue the company for safety violations.

The next time you meet a Bret ask him if he would work 16 hours a day seven days a week for less than $7.25 an hour ...... the rate for nonexempt workers. When he replies that the company he works for would never do that, ask what prevents them from doing so?

Those who would accept less money for their labor, as I see it, are suffering from low self- esteem. They don’t feel that their value could ever be the same has others, so they will settle for less. But, as stated in the Bible, “The laborer deserves his wages.”