My Back Pages

Labor Day, 2012 On this Labor Day, 2012, I am appalled as a Union Member and a retired Chief Steward for Verizon after reading Mr. Romney’s ‘5 Point Plan’ for jobs. In it, he blames organized labor for the malaise that has hit the American economy. He blames organized labor for the movement of jobs to foreign countries. He says, in veiled terms that the American Labor Movement has become too greedy. He says that there are too many regulations that chase businesses overseas to countries like China and Indonesia. How dare the American worker demand a living wage? How dare they demand that working conditions be safely regulated, so that we can keep on the job accidents to a minimum? How dare the American worker ask for health care coverage for them and their families. Why, if they would just accept a lower standard of living, lower safety standards, and risk going without any health coverage, the economy would instantly improve, and America would get rolling again! This is like