Robb Upthegrove
President, Local 604
Florida

Florida is a right-to-work state (RTW). When I hear about states that are not RTW moving towards RTW, I shudder at the thought. I think of the hell the Unions will face if their state becomes a right-to-work state. A RTW state is as anti-union as you can get, without breaking the law. If you can imagine a large part of your contract becoming obsolete. Imagine members in your local getting the same benefits from the contract, but choosing to freeload and not pay dues. Dues are essential to help pay for the expense it takes to get a good contract and also enforce it.

We in Florida have tremendous obstacles that reduce our negotiating power compared to non-RTW states. My advice to anyone whose state is attempting to change to a right-to-work state is, fight like your life is depending on it. I strongly recommend that you fight to stop right-to-work or prepare to fight forever like we do at UWUA 604.

Pat Dillon
President, MSUWC
Michigan

Throughout the months preceding the mid-term elections, President Langford warned us of just how important the outcome of these elections would be. How right he was! Only days after gaining control, Republican legislators in Michigan, Indiana, and New Hampshire introduced various forms of anti-worker, right-towork legislation. With Ohio and Pennsylvania believed to soon follow suit, this is a “Call to Action” for all union members and retirees.

Never before has the attack on workers been so widespread and real. Now is the time for all union members to stand as one, united in the cause of defending our way of life. Now is the time we must do anything it takes to prevent any of this anti-worker legislation from coming to a vote, let alone reaching a Republican governor’s desk for signing. Now is the time that not only members contact their legislators, but we must also enlist our family, our friends, our neighbors, every worker we know both union and non-union alike. This is more than an attack on union workers, it is an attack on all workers, it is an attack on the middle class, it is an attack on our very way of life. We, as members of this great union, must lead the way in defending our very right to stand as one, united!

Jim Harrison
President, Local 223
Michigan

I think it is important for members to learn just what the facts are on legislation like the so-called “right-to-work” bills that are aimed at harming working families and stripping unions of the ability to protect their wages and benefits, indeed their standard of living.

It is critically important that members become active in reaching out to the state legislator in their district, regardless of that legislator’s party affiliation, and speak with them about how harmful the passing of such legislation will be for all citizens of their state. I can’t stress enough how important it is for members to be involved in this to let their voices be heard as citizens, not only union members. The impact of passage of this kind of harmful legislation will be devastating for all families, union and those not fortunate enough to belong to a union.

The message to legislators should be simple and clear: “These attacks are more of the same partisan politics. Whatever party is in power tries to hurt the other side. It’s time for our elected officials to stop the power struggle and pay attention to the needs of the middle class and working people. Our leaders need to work together to create quality jobs here in this state and reverse the race to the bottom that is hurting middle class families across the country.” Working Americans need the power to protect themselves. If workers can’t come together in unions, it will be harder to fight for better wages and benefits, job security, and safer work places. Use the above message to write an editorial message in your local newspaper; your local union can help.

Stay informed and stay active. The time has passed for us to only be concerned about what is in our contracts. All of us need to make our voices heard in our state capital. This is not a Democrat or Republican or Independent issue. This is a working family issue. Your National Union has a tremendous amount of information and resources available to you specifically online. Spend the few seconds it takes to sign up for the UWUA E-News alert.

Jim Lewis
UWUA Senior National Representative
Pennsylvania

With Pennsylvania now being controlled by a Republican governor, House and Senate, they are looking for a lot of legislation that would hurt unions in our state. The governor has said that if right-to-work-for-less legislation comes to his desk he will sign it. UWUA members across the country need to support our brothers and sisters in Wisconson, Missouri, Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and Pennsylvania. In those states, our members need to attend rallies, write letters to the editor, call in to talk radio shows, write and visit their state representatives and senators and tell them how they feel. We need to get our message out, and the new social media is the perfect way. Most elected officials now use Facebook, Twitter and e-mail, and this is a great way to keep the pressure on them.

Linda Fairbanks
Treasurer, Local 604
Florida

Right-to-work legislation makes it harder for unions to negotiate fair contracts with higher wages. It’s an attack on your wages and benefits. The law requires unions to bargain for all the employees represented by the union regardless of whether they pay union dues or not. You end up with some non-dues-paying bargaining unit members. Our local president refers to them as “Ticks.” They go for the ride and suck all the blood they can get for free. They get all the benefits but don’t pay any dues. Union strength is in numbers, and with the right-to-work legislation you lose numbers because of “Ticks.”

Supporters of right-to-work laws say they generate jobs and economic growth. In reality, it’s just the opposite. Employees in right-to-work states earn lower wages. Lower wages mean there is less spending. With less spending, there is less money going into taxes, which gives the state less to pay for roads, schools, parks and all the things that make for a better quality of life for the people. So much for the economic growth argument. UWUA members need to reach out to the workers and their families in these states that are under attack. Let them know what this law really means. Let them know that this is an attack on their wages and benefits. Contact your representatives and legislators and tell them to say “No” to the right-to-work law.

Frank J. Meznarich Sr.
President, Local 270
Ohio

We need to make sure that we are getting the message out there to the membership on just how vitally important it is that we don’t just sit by and allow this assault on unions and workers’ rights to happen without a fight.

These anti-worker/anti-union laws will lower our standard of living by reducing wages and benefits, which in turn will take away from our quality of life. These laws, if passed, also have the potential to decrease our bargaining power and will force us to use our resources representing workers who do not have to pay dues. There is nothing in any of this legislation that benefits workers and their families.

To make our voices heard, we need to utilize this electronic age we live in. We have available media such as Facebook, Twitter, e-mail, and texting; most legislators have a web site where you can also go to contact them. All these different types of social media make it very easy to contact our legislators and have our voices heard. This is something that each one of us must take the time to do. A more personal form of contacting our legislators is the old fashioned handwritten/typed letter sent by the U.S. mail. They may not respond to e-mail, etc. but they almost always respond to the old fashioned letter.

I believe that we are going to need the support and help of the general public. We need to talk to our family and friends and get them involved. A simple generic letter describing our position sent by e-mail is a good way to accomplish this. However each member of the UWUA chooses to respond to this assault is up to them, I would simply ask that each one of us does respond.