My story can be found on page 137 of 'How to Destroy the Middle Class' playbook ....

[Sancho]

27. As I read your story (and we're about the same age), I couldn't help thinking...

My wife and I moved twice in our 30's, and came to Florida so we both could work under Collective Bargaining Agreements and are represented by unions! We both are graduate trained and left good jobs in SC and GA where we were completely at the mercy of employers for layoff, firing, and heath care. Growing up working in textile mills and some early teaching jobs taught us that we only wanted to work for union jobs.

My union is at impasse now while bargaining a new contract, and my wife's is solid, but the point is that unions bargain defined benefit retirements, high option heath care, and lay off provisions. We are much more protected from the whims of a 401k, health care costs, and lay off without buy out. If you worked for either of our employers, you would have been less vulnerable.

As we navigate our years leading up to retirement, my wife's union won a judgement of age discrimination and she was one of a bunch who got raises and back pay. And this is an anti-union, right-to-work state with a crazy tea party governor and completely GOP state legislature!! There's real power in organizing.

I really was sorry to hear about your problems, and I hope you find something soon. If you are lucky, you can work for a company with a strong union.