Letter: Unions needed now more than ever
Unions, now more than ever. Unions set the standard for the industry that they represent. We set the standard in quality, safety and compensation. Employers are in the business of making money so they aren’t going to willingly pay someone more than they need to, to keep that person content. Without a union to collectively bargain for wages and benefits there would be a race to the bottom of the pay scale.
When it comes to quality of work, there has never been any dispute in my mind where the better work is done. I have seen some of my co-workers put up some real works of art. And I have seen work done by nonunion workers that I was surprised passed inspection.
No one has been a bigger driving force in workplace safety than unions. My union was founded because the mortality rate was 50 percent for my trade back in the 1890s. And you might think that we have OSHA and workmen’s compensation now, but without unions to be there to push back, all the gains that the working man has made over the last century can, and will, be whittled away.
Rylan Grimes, Pasco
This story was originally published March 21, 2016 at 6:23 PM with the headline "Letter: Unions needed now more than ever."