To Those Who Came Before Me

     I know , I know, it's not Sunday.  Today is Labor Day!  The day to end the summer, the day before many schools start and the day to honor the American worker.  I want to participate in that tribute.  If it wasn't for the American worker, which I still am one, this country would not be where it is.  I am a union guy.  I know that if it weren't for the American workers of this country I would not have the benefits that I have.  So numerous to mention I am just going to focus on my chosen profession to illustrate.  This is my 41st year at a single job and let me describe for you how it was before one of my unions helped to better my work environment, health care. 
     When I started I made $520.00 a month.  Granted gas was 22 cents a gallon and our apartment was $135 a month.  But the salary was not the issue here.  Everyone in my profession was making about the same.  We did not have health care, no dental, no well maternity, no optical only catastrophic health care.  For those who don't know what that is, it means that if you get hit by a truck and live, you and your employers insurance will take care of some of the hospital bills.  Since that time my union( of which I was a member of several, some at the same time) through negations with my employer and my union I have dental care, I get sick and through the contributions that I make, my employer makes and my colleagues make with their dues I get assistance in paying my medical bills.  I can get glasses every few years and get help with an old man continuing to see and I make a working wage that helps support my family.  I'm not rich, in fact, I was at one time slightly below the national poverty level.  That, after a High School Diploma and two years of Community College and four years of a State Collage degree and post graduate work.  The training enabled me to work with the nations children and mold the minds of the future in more ways than just a specific subject matter.  In my opinion the most important job we have as a nation, educating our children.  I get no Christmas bonus, I get no commission, so that no matter how hard I work I don't make more money, no stock options, no paid vacations ( we call Summer "Forced Unemployment" in our house), not only do I have to take my work home with me I have to come up with $200.00 or more a month to support my work with students.  This is not just me but the national average of what teachers do to teach our nations children.  And so that you don't get the wrong impression, I do it willingly and honorably.  But, to the point of this missive, my union helps ease the burden on me and my family and for that I thank them, my colleagues.
     Unions have gotten a bad rap these days.  Everyone forgets that they were started by the industrial workers to better their working conditions.  At the time those same workers were considered socialists, communists, the liberal left, as they didn't want to go back to the past but move to improve the future of their lives.  Now those same "blue collar" workers are considered to the right of the political spectrum, right along with the business owners and operators that want more from their workers for less.  I listen to those workers and how they rail against the ideas that got them the safety of their work place, health care, retirement, and many other benefits.  How they condemn those who suggest that they could do better and improve their lives through collective bargaining with their employers to build respect and a decent living.
     With all my experience and education I guess the one thing that seems to elude me is why so many of us will vote against our own interests, removing the hard fought improvements to our lives, removing the right of the American worker to make a better life for themselves and champion those who would remove those rights.
     I want to thank all those before me who fought so hard so that I could have the "American Dream".