We are the American worker.  We worked to build a product for America, to make a profit for companies, and to raise our families. Over the years, we have watched our jobs go overseas in the name of ‘globalization’.  Now our wages, healthcare, and pension are being eliminated.  Some workers put in 30, 40, or even 50 years of service to these companies.

The American worker had to work in bad conditions – smoke, oil, asbestos, hot tar, and all kinds of dangerous chemicals.  We are the American worker who made a profit for companies, and they used this money to build businesses overseas off our sweat and blood.

They try to tell us that the union is responsible for job losses in America.  When in fact the reason for this job loss is corporations moving operations overseas, so they can avoid:

• Paying a Living Wage
• Health Care
• A Pension or Retirement

• Labor Laws
• Safety Laws
• Environmental Laws

We are the American worker.  Some of us belong to a union who has tried to protect our rights.  But when our own government officials help corporations by negotiating trade agreements that we can’t possibly compete with so they can make even greater profits, they are slowly breaking the unions and the spirit of workers and our families.

I often wonder how they can sleep at night when they know the results of their actions and the impact it has on working families here and how unfair it is to workers in other third world countries as well.

Should we be concerned?  This is becoming more and more of a topic in the news and upcoming elections, and rightfully so.  Remember the movie Wallstreet with Michael Douglas, Martin and Charlie Sheen?  Michael Douglas gets up in front of stockholders and tells them how “Greed is Good”.  It makes them money.  Now remember how they did that?  His character lied to the union and its workers, betrayed them, and then sold the company and made a huge profit.  We’ve seen this scenario too often.  More recently – Greenville.

We, the American worker, built this country.  When the unions and the good paying jobs are gone, there will be no middle class.  So those that believe you will be better off without the unions in America will have made America a third world country. 

I’m asking you to think about this. 

Submitted by Larry S. Palmer

Local 730 Financial Secretary