Demand pensions for American workers

Don't fight pensions, demand them for yourselves.

Large multinational corporations gave their executives millions of dollars in bonuses in spite of being the recipient of billions of dollars in federal "bail out" funds.

The gap between the pay of the highest paid executives and the average workers in America is the highest in history and the highest in the world. These same business entities fight against unions and pensions for their non-bonus receiving employees. Unions are the brunt of national criticism because they fight for their members' rights to receive fair wages, health insurance, and, yes, pensions.

Instead of criticizing pensions and the advantages of unions for workers, I wish we would see a move to more pensions and better wages for everyone, union member or not. Let's not take a "dog in the manger" attitude and criticize the advantages that we may not have.

Instead, let's fight for more average Americans to benefit from the same benefits that are enjoyed by those at the top of the salary and influence scale.

Karen Wagner

Rolling Meadows