To the Editor,
The column – Value of labour unions slowly wanes, Guest Comment, June 18 – is specious union bashing.
At a time when workers are being asked to compensate for the failed speculation spree by the global financial system by giving up their pensions, social services, job security and decent wages there has hardly been a time of greater need for union representation to counter overwhelming corporate power.
While union membership has remained steady in Canada at about 30 per cent, in the U.S. due largely to anti-union intimidation and misinformation, international trade treaties and outsourcing of jobs by employers it is now at about 12 per cent.
Recent information from the U.S. reveals that 60 million Americans would join a union if given a chance to improve their wages, job security and working conditions.
The writer’s view that the remedy to job security is to make yourself indispensable by working hard and saving for retirement is laughable. Tell that to the legions of workers in minimum wage jobs who can barely cover today’s expenses let alone save for retirement.
Unions benefit their members by giving them a democratic voice in the workplace, part of a free society.
Attempts to discredit unions is no more than an attempt to create division among all workers whose interests are much the same and in so doing giving the corporate forces that would exploit their weakness even greater power.
Think about it and get better information.
Liz Fox
Lantzville
