Early Half-Century of Worker-Struggles Appreciated.
(SALEM) - Not many today will know WHY “the yellow dog is definitely dead!” --unless their family has union ties-- while enjoying those many economic and social gains won “the hard way” solely by worker determination.
Too many today do not know from whence came the working conditions, the vacation-time, the health and safety benefits, and multiple other ameliorations now taken for granted currently --credited worldwide for shaping the American “way of life” as never before achieved.
“Yellow-dog” refers to any employer-enforced agreement NOT to “join the union”; made a mean but widely-applied and essential part of any hiring agreement by determined employers “way back when”.
It was declared illegal in the early stages of the long-fought struggles which shaped and solidified all working-class gains during the first fifty years of the 20th Century --with some under determined attack once again by the same selfish interests seeking their sure dissolution then.
(Disclosure: I have at times been a member and even an activist in several varied unions seeking these and similar life-enhancing advances, over the last 50 years.)
Even today --more than thirty years after most union-made middle-class/and/worker life-situations were so shaped by dangerous, sometimes desperate and long-term union-struggle-- far too few seeking still-further appreciation of necessities and niceties for the worker are aware of that epic and historic effort.
Why illuminate hard-won gains again-NOW?
Because that historic struggles still goes on, inescapably and ineluctably, driven by the same motivations and the same inevitable confrontations, too.
To the surprise of some --and the consternation of a few of the “same old crowd” forcing those struggles all those years ago-- union strength and solidarity are today forcing consideration of still-ongoing and still-serious and very sensitive major points-and-issues.
That is definitely as-it-should-be in a democracy.
”Finally!- After all these years!” are the words of some closely involved for the last three decades in our State of Oregon; now preparing to “Fly With Her Own Wings!” once again.
As with most matters striking solidly with impacts on the life-style and potentials of so many, doing so much, in such broad areas of our modern Oregon life, those very issues are seen by most citizens today as among the most essential-and-demandingly important for potent and powerful action by this Legislature - NOW !
That is undoubtedly why Governor K. is paying particular, pointed attention to those many issues; He knows full well where the sharp attention of most thinking Oregonians is focused: On issues cutting to “the heart of the matter” for many, many main-drive Oregonians --the ones who do the work, that makes the wheels go ‘round, that brings to our State the very great benefits available only from a steady and sure economy increasing in dividends for all.
With some of the “dividends” paid out in proper and purposeful form firmly embedded in law and practice within each and every working-situation in our State.
Only thus will Oregon ever reach that solid-state of sensible working stability which can and will provide for higher levels of achievement --and thus for both financial and social advance and reward-- for each and every Oregonian.
Only thus will we halt-and-reverse such trends as demonstrated over the past thirty years in corporate tax-matters; in combined confounding difficulties in developing and funding education at all levels from K-through 12 and on to the top levels of graduate achievements; in healthcare for every Oregonian, based on demonstrable need and demanding necessities, and surely including children at all levels and in any milieu; and in the wide variety of other challenging and varying situations which are now surely within the view and the understandings of our current Legislature.
Clearly, even though far too few know in detail and depth about those early struggles, many well-informed and deeply-involved Oregonians do understand just how essentially and demandingly important are those ongoing and proven needs now surely seen so plainly as the Legislature examines these areas neglected for so long.
“See with own eyes” whenever Oregon’s working print-and-media channels make it possible for you to exercise, so easily, those citizen responsibilities which are so well proven by that epic struggle itself, all those decades ago.
IF you are better off NOW for what workers did, unhesitatingly and courageously, THEN: you owe them and yourselves full attention to survey and shape what the Legislature does to extend, strengthen, support and protect those who do the work....AND “make the wheels “go round”... for all of us.=======================================================
Note to Reader:Full details of the resurgence for union activities in this Legislature are well-reported in ‘Unions hold new influence in state”, by James Sinks, in the Bend BULLETIN 5/10/07, at bendbulletin.comFor intriguing and completely-documented report on those early, epic struggles, see: “The Second Bill of Rights”; Cass R. Sunstein; Perseus; 2004; ISBN 0-465-08332-3
Op Ed:Salem-News.com