Bob; When you are old enough to apply for social security, I hope that you refuse to accept it because the American Labor movement got that legislation for you.

If it weren't for unions, there would be no social security in this country. Unions have gained more benefits for the American worker (union and non-union alike) through legislation than they have obtained over the bargaining table.

I read a piece in today's paper that certainly is very apropos to this discussion. It goes something like this;

"Here in Fortress America, where chocolate is plentiful and every television gets 500 channels, we have this smug conceit that we live at the end of history. So enlightened have we become, so much progress have we achieved, that we feel free to close the books on yesterday's evils. Those things happened a long time ago, we say. It's inconceivable that they could happen in the bright and shiny now."

Enjoy your comfort zone of today Bob. Many hard working folks (without skills) are struggling to make a decent living in order to stay off welfare. I commend these people, while folks like you seem content to condemn and belittle them. It's a lousy .10¢ an hour we're talking about BOB. It's not about what teachers make vs. high-paid blue collar workers that you want to shift the subject to because it fits your argument.

If the bosses of large corporations would treat their lower level employees fairly, then perhaps these workers would not be soliciting unions to come in to represent them in negotiations with their scrooge employers.

Show a little compassion for those who don't have it as good as you do.