Regarding G.F. “Buzz” Avery’s April 16 letter “End era of union dominance,” well, I belong to a labor union and I don’t feel “obsolete.” Belonging to a union for more than 40 years has added a living wage and health care, vacation, safety and pension benefits to my life.
One does not have to join the union to receive residual benefits of union causes. Unions stand up against trade agreements and organizations (examples NAFTA and the World Trade Organization) that send corporate jobs overseas for cheaper wages and minimal regulation.
True, company-sponsored pensions are going the way of the buggy whip as companies do not provide them for the new tier of employees. Along with pension plans, health care benefits have steadily eroded, with employees asked to contribute more and more to their own medical costs. More companies appear to be on board with keeping their employees classified part-time, with hours just below full-time status to prevent eligibility for benefits.
Complaints to manufacturers on unsafe machinery tend to go unanswered until a formal complaint is filed through the union, which results in action taken. Europeans often have more vacation time than Americans due to their strong unions.
