The Union

 It's labor day. The unofficial end of summer. A day off. It's a holiday created by congress in response to labor unions. Did you know that there have been labor unions since before the revolution? Yes, it's a fact. Strikes took place, employers negotiated wages and concessions were made. After all, isn't that the purpose of a union, a group united in a common cause. That cause is to benefit the group. And like the old saying goes, give an inch and they will take a mile. There is no debating the facts. In the past employers did take advantage of their workers. Long hours, little pay, and little regard for the safety of those workers. Even the age of the workers wasn't considered when making those business decisions. The sole objective in business is to make a profit, as large a profit as you can. That certainly hasn't changed and I'm telling you right now, it never will. 

  The labor unions do have the upper hand in these situations. If you don't have the labor, you can't produce the product. The only limitation being those willing to not produce to pressure those employers. The problem there being, people have to eat. Yes, we are dependent upon an income. The employer provides that income. This is shifting somewhat with the introduction of more machinery, more technology and robotics. The need for those that know how to maintain, repair and operate that technology will still exist although the workforce will most certainly be smaller. That's why the invention of "labor saving" devices in the first place.

  Perhaps one of the most known devices was invented by Eli Whitney. He made the cotton gin. That machine transformed the Antebellum south. Now, thousands of acres of land could be planted in cotton. It made cotton a highly profitable product. The need for a large workforce was required for the planting and harvesting of that crop. The result was the spread of slavery. Slaves had no union. Still, it was the invention of the cotton gin that made the product profitable. Then came the civil war. The southern states proclaimed, "you dare not make war on cotton" believing the economic impact on other nations, especially European ones, would prevent that from happening. Europe was dependent upon that American cotton but soon developed their own cotton plantations throughout the world. It was a gamble the south lost. Following the civil war the loss of that labor continued to affect the southern economy well into the twentieth century. 

  Ah Unions. Those organizations that join together like-minded folks. United we stand, divided we fall. It's a very old axiom attributed to Aesoph. Repeated and paraphrased by hundreds of people since that time, it is a basic truth. It is the motives of that union that are to be examined. On the surface all labor unions state their basic goals, fair wages, limiting hours worked and the safety and well-being of the workers. Basic human rights! We can all agree that is the way it should be, we all should be treated equally, fairly and with dignity and respect. The only impediment to all of that being profit. It's an inconvenient truth. The business has to be profitable for the business owner to hire workers. When the workers demand too much, the profits drop, and unemployment is the result. You really can't just keep raising the price on goods and services to cover the demands of the unions. You will demand yourself out of a job. 

  So, what is the solution. That is what politicians have been trying to figure out since the beginning. All governments are unions. As such, they make concessions to meet the demands of the workers. The politicians being the employer. It makes no difference if they are dictators, monarchs or presidents. They are the employer, providing you with a job. It doesn't have to be directly but through legislation that is exactly what is happening. Each political party has a different management style. That is where the big rub always enters the picture. One party would simply create a dependence upon them, while the other party insists upon self-sufficiency. Should a government focus on being profitable, or focus on caring for the people belonging to that union? They really are different goals. Abraham Lincoln is justly credited with saving the union. A nation divided against itself cannot stand. Same thing Aesoph was saying. 

  So, as we celebrate Labor Day we should be thinking about all of that. We are going to elect our union leaders soon. What is it we want the union to do for us? First and foremost, the union needs to secure the border. I want to feel safe in my house. Then I want the union to work for my interests, not those of the rest of the world. The government is not a charitable organization and should not be conducting itself as one. Charity is the providence of the union members, not the union. 

  My tax money should go solely to supporting my country (union) and no one else. Should I decide to be charitable that is my decision, not the politicians. (union bosses)  “The art of leadership is saying no, not yes. It is very easy to say yes.” – Tony Blair   Yeah sometimes the boss sure can make you mad. It's something I learned while serving in the Navy. But the best leaders always find their names on the bathroom walls and not in a complimentary way. The strange thing about that is, generally speaking, those same leaders have the most loyal supporters. It's like brothers fighting until a third person enters the picture, then the brothers unite. "In order to form a more perfect union" Those words were carefully chosen to express a sentiment. It's a statement about equality. We all belong to the union, we should all support that union, we can not have divided alliances. One Nation, Under God, indivisible.