Guest MINDSETTER™ Dan Wall: Unions Protect our Rights and Freedoms
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
“Where free unions and collective bargaining are forbidden, freedom is lost." --Ronald Reagan, 1980
Unions are democratic organizations that protect the rights and freedoms of workers. Labor unions have been responsible for improving working conditions and wages for millions of Americans. In recent years organized labor has come under a great deal of criticism. I believe this anti-union sentiment is mostly the result of the catastrophic economic conditions that face our nation. Travis Rowley has been a staunch critic of organized labor. I have read and heard many of Rowley’s comments on the “evils” of American labor unions. Travis has stated they are detrimental to both the state, and the nation. He believes that many, if not all, of our state’s financial problems can be attributed to the power and influence of unions.
Now, Travis Rowley has decided to portray union members as Marxists. In his most recent Mindsetter, Marx and Labor, terms like un-American, brainwash, infiltrate, socialist, communist and Marxist are used to describe the state’s unions and their leadership. Clearly, Rowley is not a fan of unions. However, it’s shameful to “color” this large group of Americans “red” to further a political agenda. What is his evidence? Unions stand together and advocate for the good of all members. Unions believe in due process and that promises should be kept. I must agree unity, loyalty, due process and honesty are truly revolutionary ideas. However, they are not Marxist or communist ideas. They are in fact American revolutionary ideas.
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Travis Rowley claims that the assertion that “a promise made should be kept” is utopian rhetoric. I believe that individuals and institutions should do everything in their power to make good on their promises. If a promise can’t be honored, it should be a source of remorse for the individual or individuals who are responsible for the breach.
George Washington once said, “I hope I shall possess firmness and virtue enough to maintain what I consider the most enviable of all titles, the character of an honest man.” The father of our country felt that honesty was virtuous. Honest men and honest societies value lofty ideas, like keeping promises. I don’t think our nation’s first President would call the pension reform bill historic or heroic. I can’t imagine that he would have passed out souvenir pens to commemorate the occasion. However, we have no way of knowing how Washington would have acted if he were faced with our state’s pension crisis. It’s safe to say that he would not celebrate the loss that our state’s employees and teachers have incurred. Moreover, I certainly don’t feel that he would vilify them for being outraged by what they feel is injustice.
Unity and Loyalty
“United we stand and divided we fall” was a rallying cry of the American Revolution. Our founding fathers were pitted against the most powerful nation on Earth, and they felt that they could only prevail by standing together. During our nation’s war for independence, Benjamin Franklin’s cartoon displaying a snake dissected into thirteen pieces became a popular image. The snake symbolized the thirteen American colonies. The caption read, “join or die.” The theory behind it was that we, as a people, were stronger together than as individuals, and to be victorious in this monumental struggle our colonies would need to unify. This same concept may be applied to the workers in a union. Former Rhode Island Federation of Teachers President Marcia Reback’s statement that “if one of us is hurt, then all of us are hurt” conveys loyalty and unity. The thought that these admirable concepts could be viewed as harmful or un-American is inconceivable. In fact, the unified strength of the unions is what vexes anti-unionists, such as Mr. Rowley.
Due Process
The belief that we all should enjoy the protection of due process of law is fundamental principal of American democracy. Everyone should have this right. Thieves, murderers, and even teachers are afforded this right. At times, the process may seem tedious and time consuming. But it’s necessary to ensure that people are treated fairly and injustices are minimized. When Rowley speaks of “bad teachers,” I assume that he means the teachers who are not performing their duties. A teacher, or any worker for that matter, who isn’t doing their job should be removed. However, the process needs to fair and just. The criteria for removal should be based on the individual’s competency. We must be certain that the criteria cannot be manipulated or influenced by factors that are outside the individual’s realm of control. The process may not be expedient enough for some. However, the accuracy of the process is far more important than how timely it is.
As I read Rowley’s piece, I couldn’t help but be reminded of Senator Joseph McCarthy’s unfounded accusations during the “red scare” of the early 1950s. I believe it is irresponsible to write statements that besmirch the officials of the unions that represent thousands of law abiding, taxpaying members. Of course the young Republican leader has every right to express his opinions. However, I would have more respect for him if he did so without the sensationalized claims and personal attacks. We would do well to remember the words of Edward R. Murrow, a man who was identified by McCarthy as having communist sympathies, “We must remember that accusation is not proof, and that conviction depends upon evidence.” We must also remember that debate, deliberation and discussion are key ingredients of the democratic process and they are not evidence of disloyalty.
Daniel Wall, union member
