Unions deserve our respect

Lately, the media has been coming up with too many stories that show the unions in a bad light. It is becoming a widespread smear campaign, based only on a few poor examples. Unions have done a lot for this country. We have a reasonable and fair workweek, with safe working conditions and adequate wages, when there are unions.

Do we really want to return to a time when children, women, and men worked in unsafe sweatshops for little pay and long hours? Do we want to be the kind of country that treats workers like second-class citizens with no rights in the face of mistreatment?

As Americans, we have seen time and again that we can't depend on most unregulated corporations to take care of their employees out of the kindness of their hearts. Unions are good for the middle class. Safer working conditions and health benefits keep union workers productive and on the job. When workers make higher wages, they can buy more products, and that will also help our economy. It's time to bring respect back to unions.

Allen and Linda Mullenbach

Oswego