Thoughts About Unions

Every May 1, Sweden celebrates the Haymarket Martyrs in Chicago. It was the beginning of the real organization of labor in the US and eventually lead to us all getting a 8 hour workday, it had been longer. The United States does not celebrate this holiday, at least not in my lifetime. You can read about it here http://www.kentlaw.edu/ilhs/haymkmon.htm

If you eat in a restaurant in Sweden, you do not leave a tip, its considered demeaning, and your waiter makes a decent wage. (I don't mean McDonalds or the local family owned pizza joint!) Also in Sweden there is no minimum wage. Why? Unions. Your salary is bargained for collectively, and the unemployment office here recommends you to join a union when you work as soon as possible. This article appeared in the Los Angeles Times and i think it's important. I really wish the people who work in IT and computer support would look into forming a union, personally. http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-reich26-2009jan26,0,1124419.story

Here is the Name of the Bill in Congress that Obama and Biden have said would be one of the first orders of business, if you want to write your representatives and remind them :)

H.R.800 Title: To amend the National Labor Relations Act to establish an efficient system to enable employees to form, join, or assist labor organizations, to provide for mandatory injunctions for unfair labor practices during organizing efforts, and for other purposes.