2003-02-12 - 8:09 p.m.
CLASS WARFARE
My jacket is sporting a nice, new button. In this climate, a lot of buttons might be appropriate but my button is of a type I�ve not worn for several years. I�m wearing a nice, blue, political button. Specifically, my jacket is the wallpaper for my union button.
When we were first organizing and we were fighting for the right to unionize, just like the assistant district attorneys and the assistant attorneys general, I wore a union button. For me, the issue was not money (although I did note that the best raises we�ve ever gotten came in the years when we were organizing, probably to convince us a union was unnecessary. Nothing seems to empty an employer�s pocketbook faster than the prospect of a union.) The issue was the capriciousness of management. Arbitrary work rules, not wages, made me turn toward the union. I wore the button with pride.
But time made me a little complacent. Even when we went with no contract for the past two years, I did not don a button. I understood that times were tight. I understood that everyone seemed to be negotiating in good faith. I�m a patient person (about some things, anyway.) I had wanted a union to protect me from the extremes of agency craziness and it did.
Even when it began looking like the legislature, which has been stalling on acting on our contract and fourteen others, would turn the negotiated contract down, I did not put on the button. I could understand that money was tight and the state�s deficit might stop the state from having enough money. But that was before the managers all got raises as large or larger than the negotiated ones. That was before the Governor gave all of his top officials raises. That was before the legislature itself got raises. (And don�t tell me that some legislators are taking their raises and donating them to charity. I give to charity too but I don�t make a big, public show of it.)
Most important, that was before all those people who received raises started complaining that those who didn�t were encouraging class warfare. Encouraging class warfare? I don�t think so. The class warfare began back when we decided corporations and Ken Lay were worthy recipients of all sorts of goodies and tax breaks but ordinary working men and women were evil, greedy special interests. The class welfare started with all those raises.
Encouraging class warfare? It�s not even a pre-emptive strike. The other side came pouring over the boarders long ago.
LAST YEAR: Perception
LAST FIVE ENTRIES:
An Ashford in Cahoots?
The Great Toilet Contest
Hair-Curling
Weather Watch
Far From the Home I Love
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Copyright 2006 by Ellen |
