Both The Columbian and Councilor Dave Madore are wrong. Just because they agree with Madore’s position doesn’t make him right. Unions built the middle class in this country, and as we’ve seen over the past few decades, as unions have been busted, and business has moved to right-to-work states, the middle class has disappeared and the income gap between the owners of business and the worker has grown larger and larger.
Unions created the 40-hour work week. Unions created safe work environments. Unions created vacation leave, sick leave and health benefits. Unions created pension plans. Workers bled real blood for the right to collectively bargain. Every worker in the U.S. — union and nonunion alike — has benefited from the collective bargaining system.
It’s clear to many of us that Madore is simply riding on the coattails of politicians in Olympia, with his eye on the next electoral prize. Madore has shown time and again that he cares not one whit for the opinions and welfare of his constituents. The Columbian has been taken in by him, and it needs to reconsider its position on right to work in this county.
Nancy Schultz
Vancouver
