9/11: The day the Unions ran in to save the private sector.

[FarLeftFist]

Rest in Peace to all the victims of 9/11. And THANK YOU to all the Union members who sacrificed their lives and time and health. My Union (Bricklayers/Masons) and I helped rebuild 7 WTC. To this day it is still one of the greatest things I've done in my life's legacy. It sickens me to see how the GOP and even some of our citizens view Unions and Unionism.

FACT: Unions made this country the most prosperous, sought-after Nation in the history of the world. There is a direct connection between Unionism and American prosperity. As Unionism slips so does an entire section of American prosperity, union or not. Even those not in Unions should appreciate the efforts made by Unions to keep their wages high by raising the playing field for all.

Union wages make it possible to raise all wages across the board (even non-union) by creating competition. Someone may turn down an employers shitty wages because they know they can make a higher wage joining a Union, thus in turn forcing even non-union companies, in order to compete, to raise their wages. It's sickening to know that our future without Unions will be a future where people will be fighting over the lowest paying wages, being forced into slave labor.

In my community Unions are viewed as a way to prosperity, a huge bright light for those who graduated high school but could never afford college. So they would join a trade school and learn numerous skills, become a Union member and have a chance at the American Dream. A place where their hard work resulted in a good paycheck, benefits, and retirement plan. Unions leveled the playing field and said: It's OK that your family faces poverty and can't afford to send you to college, here is some HOPE. Here is a way for you to prosper. And this doesn't just go for people who can't afford college, many people find it very rewarding to work with their hands and create something instead of being forced into an office job they hate.

I love working outdoors, indoors, high up in the sky, or in sub-basements a few stories underground. Everyday is something new and almost never monotonous. Not to mention I find it very rewarding to be building structures that shape my city, create housing for thousands of families, and will be around long after I'm gone.

America's future lies in Unionism. America's greatness and hope lie in trade schools and Unionism. America's prosperity lies in higher wages for it's citizens.

[Horse with no Name]

1. OMFG. Nail meet head. Brilliant! K&R. n/t

[amyrose2712]

17. + 1 Billion

[abq e streeter]

2. And THANK YOU for this post

I hope you don't mind if I copy and repost (without your username of course) on facebook. There are a hell of a lot of people who need to be reminded of this.

[OneGrassRoot]

3. Brilliant post. K&R n/t

[FarLeftFist]

4. I would also like to say:

NOT EVERYONE cares about being millionaires or billionaires, most people just want a good paycheck for their hard work. Most people just want to enjoy the little things in life like watching their children grow up and do good for themselves. THOSE are the things life is really about. I could give a shit about being a millionaire, we all just want financial security. Keep your yacht and your gated community, I like my house and being close to my neighbors. I love watching my child grow up playing outdoors and splashing in mud puddles. You can keep your polo games and country clubs and anti-social ENTITLED children.

[ladym55]

19. Amen

A fair paycheck for a day's work ... and family ... and friends. That's what it's all about.

[florida08]

32. yes yes yes

That's us in a nutshell. Being involved in life instead of watching it go by is where the reward is.

Great OP and thread post. That is the crux of the working class :D

:dem:

[tomg]

48. That is the real American.

Dream. Job security, healthcare, education, a decent home with a fair and decent mortgage, a decent retirement with a pension. That what unions represent. That is what they fight for. That is what the right wing wants to destroy. Funny how the cops and firefighters and emts and all the responders are the heros one day, and then "greedy union bastards" the next.

[Historic NY]

5. I'm going to twit the byline its great.......

[Cool Logic]

6. I don't understand...aren't unions a component of the private sector?

[progressoid]

26. Were the 403 Police and Firefighters that died that day private sector employees?

[WinkyDink]

41. You are correct: YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND.

[Occulus]

46. Mine isn't. At all. n/t

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

54. Some are. There are public employees' unions and unions

comprised of people who work for private companies. The latter, unfortunately, are less common than they once were, but there are still some powerful ones: ALPA, for example, represents airline pilots at many major airlines.

[Tippy]

7. K&R

[Name removed]

8. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[senseandsensibility]

9. keep this kicked

It really is one of the best OPs I've ever read on DU. The headline alone is beautifully truthful. Just a tiny suggestion: more details on the way the private sector was saved by the unions on 9/11 would make your point even more clear. Some may need it spelled out for them.

[polly7]

10. K & R nt.

[white_wolf]

11. K&R!

[MichiganVote]

12. K&R

[Desertrose]

13. Excellent post! K & R! nt

[Chorophyll]

14. Well done. Well done. K&R.

:hug:

[Overseas]

15. K&R. Beautiful headline. So True. And Unions are still leading the way.

Even as the right wing onslaught has gotten so extreme.

Thank you.

[Generic Other]

16. Thank you for reminding us...

Working men and women rushed through doors to danger and became America's everyday heroes. Firefighters, construction workers, nurses and EMTs--all kinds of professionals and volunteers--were there not just on the fateful day but some for weeks and months and even years after. And we swore we would never forget.

http://www.aflcio.org/

[ladym55]

18. Good time for some Woody Guthrie lyrics

the refrain from the song, "Union Maid":

"Oh, you can't scare me, I'm sticking to the union,
I'm sticking to the union, I'm sticking to the union.
Oh, you can't scare me, I'm sticking to the union,
I'm sticking to the union 'til the day I die."

I think we all need to be singing this song loudly and frequently.

[Flatulo]

20. We can't compete with slave labor. Trade with China is

killing this country. We need to get the Chinese to revalue their currency, or we should stop buying their shitty worthless garbage.

Until the politicians acknowledge this and correct it, we'll just circle the drain faster and faster. There will be no more union jobs, because literally every thing this country produces can be made in China by slaves for less $$$.

[donheld]

21. This should be read far and wide.

[defendandprotect]

22. Agree ... None of our problems can be solved by individuals and they're certainly NOT

be solved by our elected officials --

Only UNITING TOGETHER in UNIONS and citizen action can we save ourselves --

We should be starting with worker slow downs --

but we should be heading for community wide support for strikes --

state wide support --


We should be coming to terms with the reality that we are all labor --

and UNITE AS LABOR -- setting standards and rates for workers -- and forcing corporations

to come to us for workers --


IMO, we should all take a PLEDGE not to vote for any candidate who is taking corporate money --


We are where we are now because of RW political violence which took our people's government --

Elites/corporations have gained illegitimate power over citizens via political violence and

their wealth --

Some may still be avoiding this reality, but they cannot avoid the reality of Global Warming

put in place by capitalism's exploitation of nature and natural resources, animal life and

even of human beings!


Global Warming isn't going to be some long term deal -- we can more clearly now see the

suffering of citizens caused by IRENE -- the human and financial impact --

No one knows how all of this will compound -- but nuclear weapons and nuclear reactors are

a further complication we should be addressing and closing down!!

[me b zola]

23. K&R

[Zax2me]

24. Not one of them thought that as they rushed in. Not ONE.

Defending/dying to save innocent people stands alone as a great sacrifice.
Union members saving private sector people is political BS afterthought that is disgusting, self-serving at best.
At worst, using the deaths of others to forward your own political agenda.
That's what tea-baggers do.
I thought.

[WinkyDink]

42. Too bad.

[Occulus]

44. Tough titty, said the kitty

Not one word of your cavalier dismissal makes the observation any less true.

[bluestate10]

53. Exactly. The OP attempts to cheapen the sacrifice and bravery that took place on 9/11. nt

[Zebedeo]

25. Unions are part of the private sector. Most of them are corporations

nt

[WinkyDink]

43. You do not know what you're talking about. E.G.: I belonged to a PUBLIC union, as a TEACHER.

Unions are NOT "corporations." Unions do not hire or fire; unions do not out-source; unions do not make ill-advised managment decisions; unions do not deny fellow employees health-care, pensions, time-and-a-half. Unions do not petition courts for fewer environmetal laws or work-place protections. Unions do not attempt to reduce the Minimum Wage or increase Child Labor hours.

Nice try, though.

[tomg]

49. Great post, but you forgot one

thing. They sure as hell help us poor bozos who can't unionize. My wife is a public school teacher and a union rep ( currently in a district working without a contract - tough fight). I am a teacher but because of the Yeshiva Decision ( that is a load of crap), it is notoriously hard to unionize for private university faculty. Still, our faculty bargains and I have worked as faculty negotiator a few times, and as an adviser others. While we have a decent and a stand-up admin who bargains fairly, it would be a lot harder without the CWA and the SEIU and all the Union secretaries, and support staff and service workers who also negotiate when we do. It would be a lot harder to get a fair package and keep the benefits without the faculty union at the public university just down the road. I know how much info we all shared.

So to all you union teachers and cops and emts and secretaries and firefighters and faculty at public universities - to all you union folks in all areas - and to my union rep wife, and people like you, Winky Dink, thanks. We support you because you really do help us.

[Occulus]

45. This APWU member of 15 years says "fail" n/t

[Tx4obama]

27. K&R n/t

[Hart2008]

28. K & R

:kick:

[MissDeeds]

29. Excellent post

You should send this to the White House.

[w0nderer]

30. k&r n/t

[Hubert Flottz]

31. Brother, we do the work...they want all the credit for our work.

All they,(the political horn honkers)do is cut the ribbons and our throats.

[FailureToCommunicate]

33. Union makes us strong.

Thanks for the post, FLF

[blackspade]

34. +1000

[Zoeisright]

35. THAT is for damn sure. THANK you.

[patrice]

36. Solidarity! We are one!

Sat nam!

[Hell Hath No Fury]

37. Amen!

:applause:

[earcandle]

38. Union Sunrise!

Union Sunrise

[bvar22]

39. Solidarity!

"There are forces within the Democratic Party who want us to sound like kinder, gentler Republicans.
I want a party that will STAND UP for Working Americans."
---Paul Wellstone

photo by bvar22
Shortly before Sen Wellstone was killed
You will KNOW them by their Free Trade & Tax Cuts.



Solidarity!


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[Name removed]

40. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[separationcs]

47. Great Post. See this video (if you have not yet)

This shows that Unions died for them too: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfWa9gI-Bks&feature=player_embedded

How pathetic that 'they' forget what we have done, and continue to do, for them. For us all.

[Generic Other]

50. That was a beautiful and incredibly sad tribute

OMG, thanks for sharing.

[Marnie]

51. What an excellent point.

[bluestate10]

52. The Unions were trying to save anyone and everyone that was still alive.

And find the bodies of the dead for cremation or burial. They were not, and almost certainly did not take into account money. Their actions were the actions of patriotic americans.