Unions created middle class

Union membership has never been more than 30 percent of the workforce. What that 30 percent did was establish the middle class by raising wages, creating a 40-hour workweek, creating pension and health care coverage and vacation and holiday pay. This allowed families to buy a house, car and other things which kept many working and the economy booming.

After Reagan fired the air traffic controllers, “union” became a dirty word. Now, according to some politicians, the union workforce is to blame for all of the budget deficits some states are having. The fact is that the teachers have put their percentage into the funds but the states did not. Now the pension fund is part of the deficit but the teachers are not to blame. It is the politicians who did not live up to the contract.

The union was willing to renegotiate the contract, but the governors were not, so blame the little guy again.

The only way we are going to get out of this recession, created by big business and Wall Street, is to put people to work. Stop corporate welfare, two wars, foreign aid and free trade agreements that only benefit the other side, and buy products made in this country. If it is made here, we can work on getting fair wages and benefits. Seems to me if everyone was working, making a fair wage, even if the products cost more, everyone would benefit.

The middle class is what made this country great, without it we are in big trouble.

Rich Markiewicz

Huntley