Right to Work - Michigan's Law Makes Online Pastor Reflect on His Life
I cannot comment on Michigan's law, because I am not there.
I don't believe that any kind of government job should be unionized because government workers are supposed to be public servants, and no man can serve two master. Besides, we pay for them to be there. That is what we are paying for.
But things might change. It may turn one day in the future that certain government workers are being treated grossly unfairly. In that case, a union might be the answer.
Everything depends on the spirit with which it is done and the kinds of people involved. My dad worked for the railroad. He had a laborer job in the roundhouse. It was simple, but decent and important work. He received an honest day's pay for an honest day's work.
My dad was a member of a union. On at least two occasions, the union came to the aid of my dad. I remember one time my dad fell asleep on the job. He was working the night shift. He fell asleep. He usually worked days, but decided to try the night shift because things were quieter. My dad always did his work properly. Why he fell asleep I don't know.
But I do know they tried to fire him. The union came to his defense. I remember I was about 4 or 5 years old, and the memory is vivid--the local union rep or local chairman coming to our little home in Salt Lake City. He sat there and discussed the situation with my dad.
My dad was not fired.
When I went to work for the railroad, I started in a union job. Soon I was promoted to an exempt position, but I decided to keep my union seniority and kept paying my dues "just in case."
Sure enough, several years later, I was unhappy in a job I transferred to in Chicago and wanted to return to San Francisco. I found out about a union job that was up for bid there. I bid on it and they had to take me (because I had the highest seniority).
The office manager told me "We don't want you back." They had their own candidate in mind. But they had to take me.
So the union helped me out too.
I remember once after I had left the railroad and was working somewhere else, I had a chance to visit a local union meeting for maintenance of way (trackmen on the railroad) in South San Francisco. I will never forget the professionalism with which the union representative ran the meeting, and the dignity with which he treated the trackmen and their questions.
But I also have to say that the manager I knew on the railroad were mostly good guys. So I guess I was lucky, I met the best of the union people and the best of the management side.
I recall the tension and the different perspectives of management vs. union actually were a positive thing. Both sides were wary of the other, both minded their p's and q's. Both deferred to the law and the rules.
There is something wrong when workers have no power and are mistreated. There is also something wrong when a lousy teacher can't be fired because of spineless administrators and an overbearing union. There has to be a balance.
I have a heart for the working man and woman. I also understand that there have to be managers. I don't see it as a Republican vs. Democrat thing. I hope it does not deteriorate to that. If it becomes politicized, it will become unhealthy.
I love the old fashioned union worker who is the salt of the earth and the old fashioned boss, tough but at the end of the day neighbor, friend and sitting in the same pew as his union brother.
Call me old fashioned. Call me an idealist. But I saw it work. Maybe "only in America," as the West Side Story song says.
I don't believe that any kind of government job should be unionized because government workers are supposed to be public servants, and no man can serve two master. Besides, we pay for them to be there. That is what we are paying for.
But things might change. It may turn one day in the future that certain government workers are being treated grossly unfairly. In that case, a union might be the answer.
Everything depends on the spirit with which it is done and the kinds of people involved. My dad worked for the railroad. He had a laborer job in the roundhouse. It was simple, but decent and important work. He received an honest day's pay for an honest day's work.
My dad was a member of a union. On at least two occasions, the union came to the aid of my dad. I remember one time my dad fell asleep on the job. He was working the night shift. He fell asleep. He usually worked days, but decided to try the night shift because things were quieter. My dad always did his work properly. Why he fell asleep I don't know.
But I do know they tried to fire him. The union came to his defense. I remember I was about 4 or 5 years old, and the memory is vivid--the local union rep or local chairman coming to our little home in Salt Lake City. He sat there and discussed the situation with my dad.
My dad was not fired.
When I went to work for the railroad, I started in a union job. Soon I was promoted to an exempt position, but I decided to keep my union seniority and kept paying my dues "just in case."
Sure enough, several years later, I was unhappy in a job I transferred to in Chicago and wanted to return to San Francisco. I found out about a union job that was up for bid there. I bid on it and they had to take me (because I had the highest seniority).
The office manager told me "We don't want you back." They had their own candidate in mind. But they had to take me.
So the union helped me out too.
I remember once after I had left the railroad and was working somewhere else, I had a chance to visit a local union meeting for maintenance of way (trackmen on the railroad) in South San Francisco. I will never forget the professionalism with which the union representative ran the meeting, and the dignity with which he treated the trackmen and their questions.
But I also have to say that the manager I knew on the railroad were mostly good guys. So I guess I was lucky, I met the best of the union people and the best of the management side.
I recall the tension and the different perspectives of management vs. union actually were a positive thing. Both sides were wary of the other, both minded their p's and q's. Both deferred to the law and the rules.
There is something wrong when workers have no power and are mistreated. There is also something wrong when a lousy teacher can't be fired because of spineless administrators and an overbearing union. There has to be a balance.
I have a heart for the working man and woman. I also understand that there have to be managers. I don't see it as a Republican vs. Democrat thing. I hope it does not deteriorate to that. If it becomes politicized, it will become unhealthy.
I love the old fashioned union worker who is the salt of the earth and the old fashioned boss, tough but at the end of the day neighbor, friend and sitting in the same pew as his union brother.
Call me old fashioned. Call me an idealist. But I saw it work. Maybe "only in America," as the West Side Story song says.
