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Published: February 14, 2012 3:00 a.m.

Web letter by Cheryl A. Janeway: Right-to-work law undoes decades of union-negotiated progress

I’ve been sick to death of hearing about a right-to-work state. I see and hear all the people that are pro. Well, here is my take as from someone who is adamantly against it, and why.

A lot of these people who are for a right-to-work state are also wanting to bust the unions. If they say they aren’t, they are feeding you a line of baloney!

I work somewhere where there is a union. No one twisted my arm and forced me to join. I did of my own free will. There are others I work with who are not members. Now here is the rub on this. When a contract is negotiated for more wages and better benefits, not only I – the dues-paying member of the union – reap the rewards of these negotiations, so do the others who didn’t join the union and haven’t paid one penny in dues. As someone said concerning this same topic, wouldn’t we call that “freeloading”?

For all of these people out there who think unions are such evil entities, where on earth do you think a lot of us would be if there weren’t unions and the Walter Ruethers out there? Are you really naive enough to think that these big companies and corporations would be willing to pay you a livable wage and benefits if there weren’t unions and strikes and contracts?

Come on now, these “fat cats” want one thing – and that is to get bigger and fatter, and that means we the little guys get less so they can get more. Oh sure, there are those out there like the Warren Buffets who believe in fairness, and that man is willing to put his money where his mouth is.

Why do you think you have the things you have today, such as a 40-hour work week, medical insurance, weekends and holidays off, and more? Because people like the Walter Ruethers fought to get everyone these things and to make the playing field just a tad more fair.

Someone wanting the nomination for president even mentioned something about the laws governing children working were crazy. No, sir, you are crazy. Let’s not go backward and go back to sweat shops, working 12 hours a day and six days a week a way of life again. I as one of the fast-vanishing middle class say to all of you out there that think a right-to-work state is a good idea, “Give me a break.”

CHERYL A. JANEWAY

New Haven

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