Op Ed:Yellow-Dog Dead While Union-Won Advances Echo For More Millions Over Years

(SALEM) - Not many today will know WHY “the yellow dog is definitely dead!” --unless their family has union ties-- while enjoying those many economic and social gains won “the hard way” solely by worker determination.

Too many today do not know from whence came the working conditions, the vacation-time, the health and safety benefits, and multiple other ameliorations now taken for granted currently --credited worldwide for shaping the American “way of life” as never before achieved.

“Yellow-dog” refers to any employer-enforced agreement NOT to “join the union”; made a mean but widely-applied and essential part of any hiring agreement by determined employers “way back when”.

It was declared illegal in the early stages of the long-fought struggles which shaped and solidified all working-class gains during the first fifty years of the 20th Century --with some under determined attack once again by the same selfish interests seeking their sure dissolution then.

(Disclosure: I have at times been a member and even an activist in several varied unions seeking these and similar life-enhancing advances, over the last 50 years.)

Even today --more than thirty years after most union-made middle-class/and/worker life-situations were so shaped by dangerous, sometimes desperate and long-term union-struggle-- far too few seeking still-further appreciation of necessities and niceties for the worker are aware of that epic and historic effort.

Because that historic struggles still goes on, inescapably and ineluctably, driven by the same motivations and the same inevitable confrontations, too.

To the surprise of some --and the consternation of a few of the “same old crowd” forcing those struggles all those years ago-- union strength and solidarity are today forcing consideration of still-ongoing and still-serious and very sensitive major points-and-issues.

That is definitely as-it-should-be in a democracy. ”Finally!- After all these years!” are the words of some closely involved for the last three decades in our State of Oregon; now preparing to “Fly With Her Own Wings!” once again.

As with most matters striking solidly with impacts on the life-style and potentials of so many, doing so much, in such broad areas of our modern Oregon life, those very issues are seen by most citizens today as among the most essential-and-demandingly important for potent and powerful action by this Legislature - NOW !

That is undoubtedly why Governor K. is paying particular, pointed attention to those many issues; He knows full well where the sharp attention of most thinking Oregonians is focused: On issues cutting to “the heart of the matter” for many, many main-drive Oregonians --the ones who do the work, that makes the wheels go ‘round, that brings to our State the very great benefits available only from a steady and sure economy increasing in dividends for all.

With some of the “dividends” paid out in proper and purposeful form firmly embedded in law and practice within each and every working-situation in our State.

Only thus will Oregon ever reach that solid-state of sensible working stability which can and will provide for higher levels of achievement --and thus for both financial and social advance and reward-- for each and every Oregonian.

Only thus will we halt-and-reverse such trends as demonstrated over the past thirty years in corporate tax-matters; in combined confounding difficulties in developing and funding education at all levels from K-through 12 and on to the top levels of graduate achievements; in healthcare for every Oregonian, based on demonstrable need and demanding necessities, and surely including children at all levels and in any milieu; and in the wide variety of other challenging and varying situations which are now surely within the view and the understandings of our current Legislature.

Clearly, even though far too few know in detail and depth about those early struggles, many well-informed and deeply-involved Oregonians do understand just how essentially and demandingly important are those ongoing and proven needs now surely seen so plainly as the Legislature examines these areas neglected for so long.

“See with own eyes” whenever Oregon’s working print-and-media channels make it possible for you to exercise, so easily, those citizen responsibilities which are so well proven by that epic struggle itself, all those decades ago.

IF you are better off NOW for what workers did, unhesitatingly and courageously, THEN: you owe them and yourselves full attention to survey and shape what the Legislature does to extend, strengthen, support and protect those who do the work....
AND “make the wheels “go round”... for all of us.
======================================================= Note to Reader:
Full details of the resurgence for union activities in this Legislature are well-reported in ‘Unions hold new influence in state”, by James Sinks, in the Bend BULLETIN 5/10/07, at bendbulletin.com
For intriguing and completely-documented report on those early, epic struggles, see: “The Second Bill of Rights”; Cass R. Sunstein; Perseus; 2004; ISBN 0-465-08332-3

Salem-News.com Top Stories

2025: Hope for the Best, Prepare for the Worst

Two Wars with No Way Out

No One Owns the Future

The Ugly Origins of Trump's America First Policy

A One-State Solution Could Transform the World

Comments Leave a comment on this story.

All comments and messages are approved by people and self promotional links or unacceptable comments are denied.

Rosenberg May 17, 2007 9:24 am (Pacific time)

Yeah Marnell, best friends. Se ya at the next bar mitzvah.

Albert Marnell May 16, 2007 12:39 am (Pacific time)

I have to say one thing to put things in perspective. The police unions where I live are so corrupt they make the teachers' unions look like saints. I am more concerned about the police unions where I live being put under better control and depowered.

Albert Marnell May 15, 2007 12:09 pm (Pacific time)

Rosenberg, It is so good to know that we are really best friends.

Rosenberg May 15, 2007 11:09 am (Pacific time)

Marnell, there may be hope for you yet! Good observation, real good!

Albert Marnell May 15, 2007 10:21 am (Pacific time)

The School Teachers Unions where I live are corrupt as hell. There have been many arrests of administrators in large amounts of districts stealing money. Today is a vote they say is for the kids. I can only speak for this area. The money goes to the administrators and the teachers retirement fund...not the children. One administrator was caught stealing over 6 million with about 3 of her co-workers over many years. Look up Pamela Gluckin, Roslyn School District.

Rosenberg May 15, 2007 9:54 am (Pacific time)

I certainly stand by my last post. Just common sense and looking around at what has been happening to society because of unions. It's clear that are public schools have been failing while they continue to demand a larger and larger share of taxes (daily newspaper accounts in news media throughout the country). Private schools and those who home school their children are doing a better job, and for a lot less money. Frankly it's more than fair to demand that the taxpayer be provided a voucher for their share of public school taxes to help offset their private school expenses. The unions, needed and quite worthwhile at one time have morphed into something that is little more that a con job in perpetual motion. Look at the auto industry, the unions have really damaged it. When you go to the post office, you think a complaint about slow service will impact these union employees? Of course not! Please note that school employee's will tell you they are the "only ones qualified" to fix the BROKEN school system. If you took you broken vehicle to a mechanic who was not properly fixing your vehicle and that you had to keep bringing it back to him, even though they never fixed it properly, well clear-thinking people would go to a different mechanic. That option is not available in the public school system. Vouchers would be a good start, who knows maybe the competition would allow new leadership to correct the public system. The school unions, and others have outlived their usefulness...pity. Their time is gone, just like a lot of other fatuous perspectives.

Hank Ruark May 14, 2007 12:43 pm (Pacific time)

To all: Do u think Rosy will now claim all four world=famous universities named are union-controlled AND funded, too ? OR, for that matter,since he's so amorphous with fundamental facts at any level, Corporate-Controlled and funded ? Campaign contributions in Oregon are on-record; you know what that has done for thirty years. Any question also done same damages nationally ? Thousands of press-pages citable for that one...!! If serious, let's get dialog going re Enron, and about ten-twenty similar situations, some known to be created by Bush-alliance with corporate pals. Unions never yet had that kind of money-flow...and guess where corporate dollars came from ? Only possible place was from worker productivity. Can also examine what's happening to middle-class wage and income-levels, opening way for solid details re longtime perversion of economy for devilish corporate purposes. R U Rdy, Rosy ? Don't forget to ID-self thorougly too, per example in STAFF here.

Hank Ruark May 14, 2007 11:10 am (Pacific time)

To all:
For those unfamiliar, Cass Sunstein is Distinguished Service Professor of Jurisprudence at U/Chicago, author of Henderson Prize and Goldsmith Book Prize-winners, and praised by Princeton, Yale, Harvard and Supreme Ct. Review authorities on jacket.

Who you citing, Rosy ? Where they work ? What's their record, WHO pays THEM ?? You getting yours ??

Hank Ruark May 14, 2007 10:06 am (Pacific time)

To all: Sek out source-cited by Rosy, see if you find any documented information from reputable group, or any button for contact, or any indication of anything but home-school replication of curriculum outlines required in some states. Major corporate thrust, now underway again allasame as before New Deal, is to kill off any remaining gains by any unions "before it gets out of hand". Quote-cited from professional information, will source for proper-ID inquiry. See Sunstein reference for totally documented reliable discussion; copyright is 2007.

Hank Ruark May 14, 2007 9:44 am (Pacific time)

Rosy: Same old twaddle from same sources, never documented, always reflect rightwing flappings. State runs schools, NOT union ! Ever worked there ? Legislature funds schools. Ever worked there ? Union-attack multiplied under Reagan, who spent decades prior as wellpaid corporate voice for GE, under Boulware's tutoring...Ever hear of Boulware ? Corporate funding found behind most such sources as you cite AND responses such as this one, increasingly. You getting yours ? Again ID-self to Editor and will document all and then some directly; if you wish dialog can supply with proof, which you never do, if you wish only public notice for erroneous statements, you will continue here.

Rosenberg May 14, 2007 8:07 am (Pacific time)

Some more problems with unions: Anti-competitiveness. The Socialstudieshelp.com website suggests that, "unions. are victims of their own success. Unions raised their wages substantially above the wages paid to nonunion workers. Therefore, many union-made products have become so expensive that sales were lost to less expensive foreign competitors and nonunion producers." A decline in the value of merit. In many union settings, workers can't advance much or at all on their merits, but must generally progress within the limits defined by union contracts. Employers may have trouble weeding out ineffective employees if they belong to unions. In theory, at least, unionized workers might become so comfortable and protected that they lose the incentive to work hard for their employer. And outstanding employees might lose their get-up-and-go if there's no incentive to excel -- or worse, if they're pressured by the union to not go the extra mile. Please note that our public school system is under union control, has anyone heard that these public schools are having problems? Of course you have, and what they continue to do is lower the standards for the students so the union teachers look better, but it's not working people! Proof is in the pudding!

[Return to Top]

Op Ed:
Yellow-Dog Dead
While Union-Won Advances Echo
For More Millions Over Years

Quick Links

DINING

MUST SEE SALEM

AUCTIONS - APPRAISALS

CONSTRUCTION SERVICES

ONLINE SHOPPING

Advertise with Salem-News