Dora Bronston: Middletown Area NAACP Opposes SB5

Dr. Dora Bronston is the Middletown Area NAACP Chapter President. She describes the reasons why the Middletown Area Chapter opposes SB5. This speech was held during a SB5 Protest outside the Pendleton Art Center in Middletown, Ohio where Mayor Larry Mulligan was scheduled to deliver his state of the city address.

Bronston mentions collective bargaining helped many workers keep their jobs. I have never had collective bargaining in over 40 years of working and have been able to keep the jobs I have had. It is not a requirement to keep a job. In the three instances where I lost my jobs, P&G wouldn't have recognized collective bargaining anyway for research personnel. General Cable was downsizing due to poor business decisions by the CEO (lost quarterly revenues) and Black Clawson was shutting down the research facility on Jefferson St. None of these instances would have been helped by collective bargaining. Bottom line, Ms. Bronston, if the company is bound and intent on eliminating your position, collective bargaining doesn't help a bit.

SB5 is about economics and asking the union workers to pay more for their benefits and retirement so as not to bust the budgets of cities and states if increased, non-affordable demands are on the table. It is about making it a more level playing field with the non-union workers. Kasich is asking the union folks to absorb more of their costs, a practice we non-union people were asked to do years ago by our employers. Union people are not being asked to do anymore, or any less than the majority of workers in this country. The reason the union says it's an assault on working families is that it threatens their way of life even though they have had it better than most non-union folks for decades. It's time they joined the rest of us. Earn your raises on the merit of work you accomplished, not on automatic raises/step increases for work not seen as yet. Pay your fair share, put in your time, enjoy the ride toward retirement, being thankful all along you had a job to go to.

Tony, we know why the SB5 haters out there want to keep collective bargaining. But what the haters out there fail to answer is the public policy argument -- why should we have an economic system where a government job is akin to winning a mini-lottery, a voucher to a prestigious private school or being told your cancer is in remission.  No worries, minimal stress.  Why should public workers who do good work but  most are not exceptionally gifted or in the upper echelons of the country's great thinkers, and doing jobs that do not require a union at all in that there are no safety issues, continue to be able to coast on (relatively) Easy Street while the rest of society rides the good ship Rough Seas?

TonyB...

"Vet - I must disagree with you concerning what SB5 is all about. Anyone can talk a good game, look at what the real effects would be and it is clearly a union-busting ploy"- not necessarily clear to me, Tony. The argument that the demands of today's unions are busting the bank on states and cities is not unreasonable to assume. According to the Middletown budget, union costs comprise a large percentage of that budget. Gotta get that cost down.

"This bill strips them of rights guaranteed by federal law" And what rights would that be? Do non-union workers have those same rights? Very little rights in the workplace to sink your teeth into. In 1994, two of us Vietnam vets, out of a group of 24, were downsized by P&G. The act of 1974, posted in most workplaces, states that Vietnam era vets are suppose to be fostered and assisted. We two were assisted alright. Assisted out the door. When I reported this to the Chicago office, I was told that they would "check into it" during their next audit. That was 1994. Guess they're still "checking into it" This is a law in the workplace that clearly has no teeth and is a joke at best.

"If your way of life is threatened, you're going to fight back regardless of the merits of your case or whether it's "fair" or not." Way of life? You mean little cost to you for health, eye, dental insurance? Tenure/seniority instead of merit? Step Increases instead of merit? Walking off the job at any time if your union bosses call for a strike? Hard for me to support "your way of life" right now considering "my way of life" as a non-union worker. We didn't "fight back" when the company said we are now going to start paying more of the premiums on our benefits. We never fought back when we were told our raise would be based on merit....seniority/tenure/step increases were never a part of the raise procedure. You do what you have to do to keep a decent job to pay the bills and cross your fingers they keep you around long enough to draw an adequate retirement to supplement your Social Security.

"The idea that we should somehow be "thankful" that we even have a job is a slap in the face to everyone who wants to pursue life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness"- Yeah, you go talk to the people who have been unemployed for a year or two (or longer) and tell them that and see what kind of reaction you get. They would be thankful for any job in today's shi--- economy. Can't pick and chose. Just survive until it gets better.

"Without jobs, how would the rich be able to enjoy the fruits of the labor of others?" The rich just take their company, pack up and leave to cheaper labor (non-union) and leave the union people who insisted on all these demands in the unemployment line in the same situation described in the paragraph above. You can't fight the employer and you can't protest too vehemently. Your company just may pack up and leave to relocate to a place where the people appreciate having a job at a much lower cost in wages and bennies. Tony, the union people need to realize that no matter how much we workers want to resist the company actions, it is still their company and they can pack it in anytime they please, leaving you with nothing except the possibility of losing everything you worked for all these years. Do union people want that? If not, I suggest they cool their jets, especially now with jobs so hard to find. Word to the wise....do not protest too loudly. It may come back to bite you in the ---.JMO

TonyB...

"Ask those CEO's at the major corporations if they are riding the good ship "Rough Seas". I think we all know the answer to that one".

No, the CEO's never have had to ride the good ship Rough Seas. But the workers under them have had their fair share of time in the water with no life preservers nor life boats. The workers have been left to fend for themselves at different times the past 30+ years. The worker gets downsized and they wonder where their next meal will come from much less how they are going to pay the bills or keep the house from being foreclosed. The CEO, when released from a company wonders whether their vacation between jobs will be in Fiji or the Bahamas due to the massive buyouts for them in their contracts. For them, there is plenty of money until the next high roller position floats their way and they can screw up another company. Like school superintendents, some CEO's make the rounds leaving destruction and desolation in their path.

"Are you advocating that workers should not even have a choice whether to unionize?" Go ahead and unionize. You'll show'em who's boss. Until they decide to leave or replace you with cheaper non-union workers. (Refer to AK Steel's last strike and the outcome thereof) Tony, in this economy, with cost-cutting measures being put into place in every company, it would be virtual job security suicide to unionize. Better to have a job making decent wages than try for great wages and find yourself standing in the unemployment line reading in the paper that your company has decided to relocate to cheaper pastures.

"You ask why should the rest of workers want collective bargaining? Because it protects workers from unreasonable demands by employers and provides a framework for productivity". Again, always worked in a non-union shop. Never had to have collective bargaining to avoid "unreasonable demands" from the employer and the non-union environment has always created a "framework for productivity". You know the best framework for productivity? Working in a profit sharing company. The harder you work and the more productive you are without rework, the more you get in that profit sharing check, which is separate from you regular paychecks. When I worked at Crane Plastics, a profit sharing company, we worked long hours every summer. We also got checks for several thousand dollars back them too. Several thousand dollars went a long way in the 70's.

"The politician and corporation who point fingers at who is to blame turn private sector workers against public sector workers while they get a free pass and expanded profits. In case you hadn't noticed, corporate profits are at an all-time high!!!" In today's working world, Tony, IMO, one should worry about their own household and how they're going to make it rather than to trouble themselves about how much the company made. If the company made alot of money, and I have a decent paying job, allowing me to pay my bills on time, and I'm not standing in the unemployment line or looking for a job for two years, I'm happy I have another day to go somewhere....to work. If you've been downsized, especially multiple times, you may think the same. The guy across the street from me has been out of work for two years. Technician at AK Research for 20+ years. All gone for him. Now, just looking for anything, even minimum wage jobs......and can't find one of those either. Guys, appreciate what you have. It could be worse.

TonyB...."No matter how the governor or supporters wish to sugar-coat it, this is a union-busting bill whose purpose is to weaken unions and the Democratic Party in the state of Ohio".

Tony, I am a registered Democrat and I don't think this is an assault on the Dems nor the unions. I think there is a real need to re-examine public union benefits on behalf of the taxpayers who are footing the bill. I also believe there is sufficient proof that cities and states are having a rough go of it and that part of the reason is costs for public employee wages and bennies.

"Elected leaders at all levels of government agreed to these contracts for public workers"

Yea Tony, but the PEOPLE who elected these so-called leaders didn't agree with it and they are the ones footing the bills. Elected leaders, nine times out of ten, do not speak for the people. The only reason most of them are in office is because there is no other decent choices to make when you're standing there punching buttons at the booth. Your choices are incompetent and more incompetent.

"Vet - if everyone is just out for himself, what kind of community will there be?"

Tony, my message in that was to tend to your own business and leave everybody alone. Don't know about you, but aside from this forum (which is a stress reliever/venting mechanism for me), I don't have time to worry about things outside my control and outside my realm of influence. With two jobs one forty hours a week and one with unlimited time on the job, I am doing nicely taking care of my own little world nowadays.

"get out of my way, you have what I want and I'm taking it from you. Is that the America we have become?"

Yes, in some circles.

"The people have been betrayed by our elected representatives and employers whose only thought is profit at all costs".

Has been this way since I started working back in 1966. Over time, your statement about employers whose only thought is profit at all costs has grown in importance for them. You really didn't think you mattered to the employer did you? Tony, come on now. Please don't be so naive. You are a number, a pair of hands, to do what they train you to do. That's all it has been for 30 years. Classic example- AK Steel. Back when it was home-grown Armco, the bosses came out on the floor, knew everyone by name and asked about the family, at least giving the impression they really cared. Now, none of that happens. It is no longer "home-grown/locally owned and run with your friends progressing through the ranks. It is cold, hard, and unemotional in the workplace. Treat it as such and you'll live longer.

"When everyone is out for themselves, none but the strongest or richest move ahead while the rest fight in the gutter"

Theme here in Middletown. Citizen apathy encourages the strongest/richest to move ahead while the rest fight in the gutter.

TonyB..

You write:

"For everyone on this blog who complains about our city, if you really want to be heard, go to a meeting and sign up to speak. Write down what you're going to say, don't get personal or attack someone's character or integrity (unless, of course, that's why you want to speak to council) The mayor gave me my three minutes and said thank you let's move on".

And your last line says it all when speaking to council. THE MAYOR GAVE ME MY THREE MINUTES AND SAID THANK YOU LET"S MOVE ON. Repeat.....thank you, let's move on. No feedback, no answers, even when you look them in the eye and ask for one. They all sit there like a toad on a log, do not respond, act like you're bothering them, give you the impression they want you go talk fast and get it over with. It is a waste of time to participate in Citizens Comments for these reasons. I'm surprised you didn't get the classic "We are not prepared to answer you (or to respond) at this time" from Mulligan. Standard, programmed response from him as mayor. Pathetic, IMO, not to want to engage a citizen who requests an answer to their questions.

"It also should be easy because this council doesn't seem to be getting much feedback"

Oh, they're getting feedback alright. It's not what they want to hear, giving them a reason to ignore the people, which they are good at.


"I doubt they read these blogs too much because they certainly aren't very flattering toward our council"

They read this forum. Mr. Laubach and Mr. Picard are card-carrying members. Ms. Scott-Jones was a participant until she decided she didn't want to discuss things anymore. Smith was on here for awhile. Don't think Becker ever was, but shouldn't surprise anyone. He doesn't care what people think of him. Pompous a-- in my opinion. Mulligan....he's too lost in his rose-colored stupor to ascertain what people are saying about him. Allen....completely detached from any connection with the people. Seems aloof and lost in space. Very ineffective as a councilman. Just breathing and doing what he is told as most are doing.

"If you're an elected official you should realize that criticism is just part of the job"

Especially the way they do their job. They beg to be criticized (and recalled) The Four Horsemen are You Tube fodder for the most part.

"I'm not really sure that they count on public apathy or not but it was in evidence tonight".

They love public apathy. Keeps the people at home, not caring, non-attentive to how badly they are screwing up this city. They loath us here because we watch every move they make and critique any decision they make. They don't like oversight in their activities because they have things to hide and want their hidden agenda to remain out of sight while they make the decisions about the city that the MMF'ers want them to make.

"I am hoping that this was an aberation and that more people show up to regualr council meetings".

In all honesty, doubtful. Most don't care enough to show. Those that care won't show either as they know it is an exercise in futility to talk to a group of people who are as receptive as talking to a wall. They won't change. Neither will some of us. We will never agree with each other on the way this town is being run.

"The thing that really struck me in your post is you state that elected leaders don't speak for the people"

Middletown leaders are the poster children for the "not speaking for the people" theme. They were put on council/in the city building and speak for their overseers, the MMF'ers, a small, yet influential group of old guard powerbrokers who want Middletown to go their way to protect their little private turf.

"Voters want the familiar sounding name and someone else to take care of it. I'm not sure if the voting public can be shaken out of this apathetic stupor but if it doesn't happen soon, it won't matter."

IMO. the only way to turn this town around is to purge the current members of council who take orders from the MMF'ers, resit new members who have no hidden agenda, who will tell the MMF'ers to go pound salt up their keester, then start the purge of the city building program with the city manager, the planning director, law director and others going first, replacing them with competent, no hidden agenda, no MMF intimidating traits people. THEN, we start the different direction and start undoing all this crap they have in place now with emphasis on roads and infrastructure first, with a solid econ.devel. department, which has been gutted and restocked with competent people who will actually work on getting decent jobs in here, while the new planning department, under competent leadership, starts REALLY being BUSINESS FRIENDLY. JMO