General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Obama Levels Cheap Shot At Unions - Again [View all]daredtowork
(3,732 posts)Well I do apologize if you think my intent was to label all non-unionized people as nasty and selfish. I was never unionized in any of the service positions I have been in.
It is true, however, that non-unionized people in the area where I live have shown a strong lack of sympathy for striking unionized workers - energy, academic, and particularly transport. The BART train union in particular is one of the last strong unions in the area. However, politicians have proposed making transportation strikes illegal because of the "inconvenience" and interference with business their strikes cause. Popular sentiment all over the Bay Area is people would rather ban striking than take the bus for a month.
For instance: http://www.sfgate.com/opinion/diaz/article/In-transit-first-Bay-Area-strikes-shouldn-t-be-4907422.php
I regard that as short-sighted and selfish. I'd say part of the problem is this area is dominated by non-unionized sectors: financial and legal professions, and of course high tech.
I would not want you to apply my remarks to you or to the general run of service workers (in fact, I'd like to see them unionized) - but I hope you will also consider seeing my remarks in the light they *were* intended: unions are under attack, and there needs to be broad popular support for unions that choose to strike if we want to preserve the middle class.