By Jack Bratrud
First, the reader is subject to think that unions represented nearly 35% of the workforce in 1954. What the article does not say is that in the 1950s, 60% of our workforce was blue collar workers. By 1978 only 20% of the workers were blue collar and 80% were white collar workers, thus the need for white collar unions and a voice to challenge management.
The unions and good wages were not responsible for the Rust Belt. It was not just steel affected, but a Reagan administration that made it possible and encouraged large corporations to buy out smaller, but profitable regional competitors and then the larger corporations liquidated this purchase for a hearty tax refund. This is the type of thing that brought Walmart into control of consumer merchandise. Walmart set the price on manufactured products that they would pay for a product. The manufacturer either accepted that price or didn’t get the business. This meant manufacturing transferred to under-developed countries to get lower cost workers. U.S. manufacturing as we knew it closed and the complete downward trend of products and employees was complete. Reagon’s policy of eliminating profitable, regional manufacturing in this country put control of the economy into fewer corporate hands.
As evident today, there is no protection for workers from management regardless of all the wonderful government programs. The Trump administration is vowing to eliminate the U.S. Departments of Labor and Commerce that have oversight of many products and industries.
Our workers need an organized voice like a union to speak for their needs as facts in 2016 indicate. The number of jobs have increased for a record 75 months. U.S. unemployment rate is 4.7%, at or below statistical full employment. Yet with all this growth, wage growth is not evident and is, in fact, at a historic low.
The January 23 commentary suggests that the private sector operated within the means of their fiscal responsibilities. Would those fiscal responsibilities change if the CEO of a corporation took less than the $12,000,000 a year compensation and if part of that amount went to the workers? Would that revive a stronger middle class and consumer base? The voice of a union would encourage this.
It is about time we stop blaming the worker and blame the corporations for getting into this poverty kick.
Jason Sethre says
February 6, 2017
http://fillmorecountyjournal.com/one-moment-please-im-sorry/
One Moment, Please…
I’m sorry
by Jason Sethre
First, thank you to Jerry Grehl and Jack Bratrud for their thoughtful perspectives offered on the Commentary pages of the January 30, 2017 issue of the Fillmore County Journal. Both of these local readers put me in my place, and I consider this a good thing.
Based on the response from my original opinion piece about unions, I came to several realizations.
We have very passionate readers.
After the January 23, 2017 issue of the Fillmore County Journal arrived in more than 13,500 mailboxes throughout the region, I started to receive feedback.
There were some locals from Chatfield, Harmony, Lanesboro, Preston, Fountain, Rushford, and Spring Valley who said I hit the nail on the head. And, then a few local union workers took to Facebook to share their dismay.
And, then I learned that what I had published had traveled far beyond our little corner of Southeast Minnesota.
I started receiving private Facebook messages, e-mails, and online comments on http://www.fillmorecountyjournal.com from upset union workers from Chicago, Minneapolis, Kasson, Elgin, Rochester, and Lincoln, Nebr. – just to name a few.
This feedback and many others helped me come to the conclusion that I was wrong. The fact that these union workers and union supporters felt incensed enough to contact me with their concerns made me think about what I had done to them to cause such consternation. My words hurt. I don’t blame them for being upset.
Essentially, as I see it now, I assailed the foundation of their livelihood. These men and women proudly work at their jobs to earn a living to take care of their families. In retrospect, as I attempt to put myself in their shoes, my commentary challenged the stability of their life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness.
As I reflect, what bothers me most about this entire situation is how I was adding to the polarization of our society. On a daily basis, politicians on both sides of the aisle along with our national media keep that polarization front and center, which perpetuates the demise of our social decency. It’s not healthy for mankind.
The American Middle Class
As I was fielding these unfavorable responses, I started to experience what I can only describe as a Bernie Sanders moment. Why are we – the Middle Class – tearing each other apart?
I started to think about how the majority of us in Fillmore County make up of the Middle Class. And, there is nothing constructive about any of us knocking each other down for our career contributions to society.
If we are bothered by the state of our nation’s socio-economic affairs, should we be looking at the elite puppet masters of this entire establishment?
Should we question why the CEO of Walmart makes 1,133 times more than the median worker total pay of his company? In 2014, the CEO C. Douglas McMillon made $25,592,938 while his employees averaged $22,591 that same year. When we spend money for products and services, what and who are we supporting?
This presents another reason to buy local right here in these small towns as much as possible.
According to a May 11, 2016, Pew Research Center analysis, the Middle Class median household income in America was defined in 2014 as a range of $42,000 to $125,000.
In Fillmore County (Minn.), according to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2015, the median household income was $53,889.
Yes, the majority of Fillmore County is a part of the struggling Lower Middle Class – hovering in the lower 14th percentile of the Middle Class.
The Game of Life
The Game of Life, a household favorite for many, is not too far off from reality.
We choose a career path, and sometimes change our careers a few times throughout our lives. Some of us get married, have children, raise a family, and hope to retire with something.
Just like in the board game, we select career cards and in some cases deal with the cards we are dealt. Our lives come with struggles that hopefully make us wiser and stronger.
Union or non-union, we are teachers, police officers, construction workers, accountants, tellers, clerks, hairstylists, retailers, salespeople, mechanics, plumbers, electricians, postal mail carriers, artists, waitresses, nurses, pastors, farmers, and countless other occupations.
Every job is important or it wouldn’t exist. Each of us chooses a career path that we hopefully enjoy and this provides us with an income that also hopefully supports our personal objectives in life.
We are all in this game of life together.
My apology…
I sincerely apologize to Jerry Grehl, Jack Bratrud, Jim Westby, Carl Westby, and any other union workers or supporters whom I offended, near and far. Just be glad you are not related to me and don’t have to listen to my political wisdom after a few beers at a Thanksgiving family gathering.
With that said, I especially apologize to my father (retired after nearly 40 years as a union worker, a Teamster, and shop steward), and my sister (currently a union worker).
In the newspaper business, when we make a mistake, the printed word is published and shared with more people than we can ever imagine.
I hope this apology finds anyone who read and was bothered by my original commentary published on January 23, 2017.
I’m not infallible. I am human, and not a perfect one at that.
Again, my apologies to any union workers and their families.
Anonymous says
http://www.nytimes.com/1987/06/02/nyregion/ex-teamster-chief-tells-jury-mafia-controls-union-leaders.html