I would like to comment on Terry Bailey's March 22 reflections of the
market strike because it contains so many misconceptions.
When I saw the pickets out there for so long, I decided to find
out why they were out there and why I should observe their picket
line. The answer was a shocker. By the media, we knew what the
company's offer was to the union. So I asked the pickets what the
union's counter-offer was to the company. They said they didn't know,
their picket captains didn't know and their union reps didn't know.
Now here were people asking you to follow them in their strike and
they didn't know where they were going.
Ms. Bailey wants to shame everybody involved, but if she thinks
about it, the shame belongs solely on the elected union officials who
refuse to let the rank and file know what was going on. They used the
excuse there was a news blackout. The blackout was only during
negotiations -- no negotiations, no blackout -- and there were plenty
of times there were no negotiations. The problem here was the grocery
employees are nice people, too nice, and just wouldn't demand the
union keep them informed and get their input. If they had been
informed, the strike would have ended before Christmas.
Ms. Bailey then delves into the two-tier system, which has been
around for centuries. Sometimes it is called, among other titles,
apprentice/journeyman. Her theory that seniority not be rewarded
defeats the purpose of career employment. Also, I think her program
would mean at some point in time when a person gets seniority they
would take a cut in pay so the new employee made more money than the
older employee.
I don't want to go into the affordability for housing since there
are so many programs for first-time buyers and low interest rates,
special programs for teachers, etc. Believe me -- the middle class is
alive and well. They are the ones who are keeping this country going
in these trying times, and don't you forget it.
Her last paragraph, even though she doesn't realize it, describes
the system that failed so badly in Eastern Europe and other parts of
the world. It is called, among other things, communism. Profit in a
capitalistic society is what creates jobs and made this country what
it is today. So maybe I should say, "Ms. Bailey, shame on you."
HOWARD STEPHENS
Glendale
