The Columbian’s call to President Obama in the Dec. 2 editorial, “Put a stop to slowdown” to use his power, under the Taft-Hartley Act, to put an end to the so-called “slowdown” by Longshoremen is the continuing cry by Republicans and business to attack the workers’ right to unionize. You see no cry by Republicans or business for why generic drug prices have gone up as much as 6,000 percent. They benefit.
Union wages resulted in the growth of the middle class and the rise of Americans after World War II. The current pathetic worker wages (and minimum wages) are a result of years of Republican attacks on union workers under Taft-Hartley.
Longshoremen have worked with no contract since July. If Washington state apple growers want their apples shipped, perhaps they should suggest settling worker disputes more quickly.
The notion seems to be that the many workers should be attacked with everything available so the few businessmen profit.
