Hard-working union members deserve praise

Having worked in union offices for more than 30 years, I have my own perspective. Unions indeed have health and pension benefits but these benefits were arrived at during contract negotiations as part of their wage agreements. They voted to have part of their wage increase put into benefits instead.

Working conditions are not always the most ideal - 90-degree or more heat for over eight hours, wearing a 50-pound tool belt while climbing the iron to connect or weld, on their knees all day installing electrical grids or pipe fitting/plumbing with sweat dripping in their eyes. Or try frozen fingers and icicles hanging from their noses. Maybe you should put your feet in their work boots for a day and try it.

Most unions have apprenticeships, OSHA training and safety classes to keep their workers and job sites safe. This holds down the cost of workers' compensation insurance rates and protects the workers.

Teachers furnish classroom supplies out of their own pockets more and more, along with using their “down time” to correct papers, prepare classroom studies and attend student activities.

Whether it's utility workers, firemen, policemen, teachers or construction workers, they do not deserve the negative rhetoric that has been seen and heard lately.

I say thank you to them all.

Janice Carson

Cedar Rapids