Labor Day Message : Unions - You Did It To
Yourself!
by
Philip R. Klein, Editor
I have nothing against Unions. In fact, I think some unions play a great roll in
the workforce. But as you look around at the Unions in Southeast Texas - and you
see their death and how they mean NOTHING in today's political climate in
Southeast Texas - the only question is why? What happened? And will it ever come
back?
The first question - WHY - is the easiest
question to answer. It is because the Unions believed in a political party, the
democrats - who only believe in taking and giving and not personal responsibly.
Vote for a republican? Hell no - that is what old timers will say to you. The
Democrats were really good about making things happen for the Union man and
woman in Jefferson County. Mostly through the legal system. Millionaires were
made. A bunch of them - and I am not talking about lawyers. I am talking about
Union leaders. The lawyers would make sure the Union leaders were taken care of
so that they could feed them cases. So the business community came up and placed
safety square on the back of the Unions and the Plants. And guess what? Nobody
got hurt? And when they did - which still happens today - and is expected
working around a live bomb - there are now limits in injuries claims (which I
think has gone too far). As well, the plants got smarter - they discovered
computers and system functions that did not need Union members. So again -
either get trained or get out. Many have gotten out.
What is left? Highly trained, highly paid men and
woman that seemingly like making that big money and don't like the government
taking it. And anyone who supports taking their money - they simply don't like.
Welcome to the two party system?
The second question of what happened? That too is
very easy to understand. Greed. Look around - the pipe fitters fired their boy.
Other Union halls are empty and the good old boy system is on its way to the
promised land. It happened because when you take the money out of the system -
like the plants have done - it leaves? Nothing. And now there is nothing for the
Unions. To be in a Union now - you must have an education. A trade education or
now to be an operator in a plant a two year degree. Many that were used to
graduating from High School and walking into a $50k a year job - are shaking
their heads. Those days are over. As well, politicos are shaking their heads.
They still go down to the Union Hall and do their fake speeches with the
knowledge that the decision is still already made - but as the first generation
dies in Southeast Texas - those speeches now seem a bit silly. As the numbers
continue to go down - you will notice that the big announcements on TV are gone.
Who cares if a Union endorses you? Not many other than democrats? In five years
- we would not be surprised if many of the Unions have a new face.
And lastly - will they ever come back? No. They
will never come back. The days of the thugs coming into political offices and
telling politicos what they will do is now over. The days of the trips to deer
leases and gifts are now over. The days of favors is still here - but they are
leaving as fast as any person that wants their kids to get a great education in
Beaumont. You see the days of someone shooting up your house - threatening your
kids at school - picketing a plant or even threatening to are over. There is too
much money on the table for these men and woman who work in the plants. We are
talking $100k a year jobs. Are any of those men and woman going to walk the line
and lose $9,000 a month in salary? No. And can the Union sustain that? No.
On the good side of all of this - a birth has
happened. New Union leaders. They understand to stay alive they now must find
educated members. They must support trade schools and they must support honor
and doing the right thing. I have seen it up close and personal when the Unions
have abandoned those that have lied, cheated or stolen from the companies that
they work for. It is sad to see - but that still goes on. But the Unions are
doing the right thing and they are working hard to clean it up.
So as we say Happy Labor Day - and we remember
the years of the Carl Parker Labor Day Picnics which bread more political
sickness - we see that maybe there is hope for management and labor. We see that
instead of being at each others throats - we see them standing hand in hand
working for the common good. Because if the plant doesn't do good - the Unions
don't either.
That leaves me with this thought? Maybe if this
had gone on 20 years ago - maybe we would not be sitting in a dead county? It is
just a thought.
Happy Labor Day - to all of you that work. It is
NOT exclusive to Unions any longer. It is for all of us. And you folks in the
Unions - you did it to yourselves. But I am glad that maybe, just maybe you have
seen the light. There is a two party system - and Labor Day is for all.
