In past letters I have expressed my opinion about the Omnova strike and the results it brought about. Today, Sunday, July 10, I had a nice visit and chat with one of the strikers. He gave me some more information I didn”t have. I knew that I didn”t have the whole story. Most strikes are about money and benefits, as in more. According to my visitor, a distant relative by the way, this was about that, but with a twist. I consider myself to be a pretty good judge of character, and I believe everything my visitor said.
His pay had already been cut almost in half, and his company-provided benefits seriously eroded. Now I don”t blame the strikers for going on strike, but still a back-up plan for “just in case” should be a part of any strike operation. I apologize for what I”ve said in the past to those who went on strike, and I hope you can all successfully move on.
Again, from what I was told, I think that within a very few years or less there will be weeds growing in the parking lot where all these people once left their cars while they put in 20 or 30 years supporting this plant. Labor unions DO do some good, but they really need to clean up their back yard and look out for the plants/factories/businesses as well as the union members who work in them. Maybe then more plants would be eager to have their labor force unionized.
Unions were necessary and were formed over a hundred years ago to look out for the employees, without regards to the owners, The pendulum has swung too far and labor unions gained too much power, causing sentiment to turn against them. There”s a reason for the old saying “Don”t bite the hand that feeds you.”
Cameron Triplett
Brooksville
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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