I've always supported unions ... every major workplace should have one. I've lived in northern mining/forestry towns in northern Ontario all my life and I got to know old time union organizers who lived, worked and fought for their unions in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. I heard stories of how they were beaten by strike breakers, police and company scabs ... I even know one old Canadian Irishman who literally looked like Popeye with big massive forearms, squint in his eye and could take on a fight with men twice his size and still win, he was a classic hard fighting union man named Eddie. He fought in many union strike action and union organizing events throughout his early life with his brother. Their father died early from terrible workplace conditions and their mother was a proud Communist, at a time when communism was more popular in Canada. Eddie and his brother worked as dock workers in Vancouver in the 1950s and they fought hard for their union ... then his brother was murdered for being too successful in organizing workers and managing their union.
Never forget that every workplace right, workplace safety, weekends, working hours, child labour laws, holidays, overtime pay, minimum wage ... were all fought and won by deadly battles and strike actions by union workers in the past century. None of these rights or privileges were ever given over freely by companies, corporations or big business ... all of it was established on the pain, suffering and blood of union workers who fought and some literally died for it all ... for all of us to enjoy a bit of better living standard that we all enjoy today.
Workers of the galaxy unite!
