A New Year, and a New Day!

A new year is usually full of hope. As we move into 2009, with the news we’ve had, it might be hard to look at the New Year with optimism.

However, we DO have a lot to be positive about. After all, as proud Americans, we are naturally optimistic, right?

For these past many years, the government has turned against the working family. We were stripped of any rights or support we ever had. The Department of Labor turned into the Department of Union Busting. The National Labor Relations Board ignored the law and ruled against workers time after time. It has been open warfare on the workers, corporate America being joined by our own government against us.

Well, the times, they are a’changin’!

For the first time in decades, someone stood up and spoke FOR us! President-elect Barack Obama stood up for the workers at Republic Windows and Doors in Chicago, and said they deserved to get the money they were owed, and suddenly the company and Bank of America suddenly gave the workers what they were due.

This New Year brings a President, Congress and Senate that will stand up for workers. It brings a Department of Labor that protects workers, instead of attacking them.

Suddenly, this year, when Carlyle tries to explain that they should be able to attack the workers and their ability to earn a livelihood, they won’t have a cheering section in the government.
This year, they’ve tried to take all they could while they could. Next year they will find themselves with a government that doesn’t look kindly upon union busting. Hilda Solis will the new Secretary of Labor, and she is a strong ADVOCATE of working men and women. In her speech accepting the nomination, she said her job will be to strengthen and grow unions. She also said she was going to start ENFORCING LABOR LAW against corporations. Are you listening, Vought?

Yes, we are looking at tough economic times. But we now have someone on our side, someone who knows what Vought has done to their employees is wrong.

Our Solidarity and our reliance upon each other is what will ensure we can get through these tough times. Vought hasn’t broken our Solidarity yet, and we continue to stand strong together.

Remember, tough times don’t last, tough people DO! And there’s none tougher than the proud members of IAM Local Lodge 735.