Happy Labor Day!

Since I will not be in the office on Monday, I wanted to wish you all a Happy Labor Day!

Of course the protests going on Thursday, detailed in the New York Times here: http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/08/29/marching-at-mcdonalds-for-a-15-wage/?hp
As you probably know, the Labor in Labor Day celebrates those that make the country prosperous. The WORKERS of America have always been the backbone to our greatness.
For the history as written more than a century ago, look here: http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=F3091EFD3E5911738DDDA80B94D0405B828CF1D3
 A few years later, Samuel Gompers, the President of the American Federation of Labor, the AFL in our current AFL-CIO, penned this: http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=F30612F7355D16738DDDAD0894D1405B808DF1D3

When workers are abused, mistreated and underpaid, Unions begin to look pretty good. The Unions negotiated wonderful employment packages for the Steel Industry, the Auto Industry, and many others that formed the backbone or our manufacturing society right up until the "Union busting 80's" came along and encouraged opposition to unions at all levels of society. You may recall the Air Traffic Controllers' strike that Ronald Reagan oversaw as President of the United States. When he fired all the air traffic controllers, their union was done. Later free trade agreements allowed U.S. industry to move overseas without paying any import duties. The work force in other countries does not have the history of union organization that protects their poorest workers.

Of a more recent vintage: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/06/opinion/06mon2.html

Finally, from a school assignment come these questions:

–What does “union” mean?
–Why would an employee want to join a union?
–Why might some employers discourage their employees from joining a union?
–What different types of workers’ unions exist?
–What laws regulate the workplace, and why were they instituted?
–What events in history have illustrated the need to identify and protect the rights of workers?
–How might workers in a union voice that they do not like some of the things happening at a workplace?
–What might happen if a worker in a union goes against a union decision, such as working during a strike?
–How has the development of unions affected the United States economy?
–What issues still exist in the workplace that unions might want to change?

How you answer these questions says as much about your background as it does about the future of our great country.
Have a Happy Labor Day. If you need assistance with legal issues such as Collaborative Divorce, Elder Law, Family Law, or Guardianships, call me or visit my website at www.aubreylaw.com