Last Saturday I dove past a group of young people walking a picket line at the nearby Starbucks. When I stopped to talk I learned they had organized to join a union and voted to go on strike when the company refused to negotiate a contract.
I was surprised and very impressed. These young adults put their jobs and paychecks on the line to fight for better pay, better working conditions and self-respect.
In the 1950s, union membership in the United States was approximately 35%. Today it is 9.9%. When one looks at the transfer of wealth to the upper 1% and the resultant reduction for the bottom 50% over the same time, the corporate destruction of unions is a major factor. How inspiring to see these young people taking action in the fight to make America great again for workers.
Bruce Hilpert
North side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
Follow these steps to easily submit a letter to the editor or guest opinion to the Arizona Daily Star.
