Letter: Unions help all workers

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October 25, 2012

Letter: Unions help all workers

Anonymous The Salem News The Salem News Thu Oct 25, 2012, 04:00 AM EDT

To the editor:

In reply to the Oct. 9 letter to the editor, “Time to get rid of the unions”:

Last week, GE came out with the statement that they would eliminate post-65 retiree health and life insurance benefits for nonunion salaried employees.

Every year, the big companies and the Republicans have been trying to sneak in a bill to give them a right to eliminate pensions, health care and insurance from the workforce. This is done with little fanfare. Indirectly, the unions help everyone, union or nonunion.

Back in the 1950s, the unions were just starting to take hold, and their biggest “critics” were the teachers. The teachers union is the second largest in this country now!

Mr. Valeri, are you calling the teachers a bunch of dinosaurs?

I think you should change the term free market to free monopolies.

John Daneluk

Beverly

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