It is something Mike Dillon rarely thought about. In fact, it is something most people do not care to think about.
The question, “How can I take care of my family if something bad happens to me?”
As the primary provider for his family that includes his wife and two sons in college with another on the way, one would think the question would way heavy on his mind.
“That is the beauty of being a part of the union,” Dillon said about his lack of worry. “They take care of your worries well before any issues become a reality.”
One of those proposed issues Dillon hopes the union can take care of is the ‘Workplace Freedom Act’ and the “propaganda that surrounds it.”
According to Dillon, he is “disgusted” with the manipulation that the ‘Workplace Freedom Act’ advocates engage in to trick and misinform Ohioans into thinking Workplace Freedom is a good thing. Dillon claims that the ‘Right-to-Work’ campaigners wage an imaginary battle against unions and what they call “forced unionization.”
The stated goal by Ohioans for Workplace Freedom “is to secure workplace freedom for all Ohioans by amending Ohio’s Constitution to guarantee the freedom of Ohioans to choose whether to participate in a labor organization as a condition of employment.”
But Dillon believes this to be a strategic persuasion, attempting to strike fear in Ohioans to turn them on to the new bill.
“They did it in Indiana and Michigan under the name ‘Right-to-Work Act’ and now they are extending their misleading influence into Ohio,” Dillon claims, sounding presidential. “You want to come in here and bring up early 20th century stereotypes about the union Mafioso types, accusing unions of having a ‘with us or against us’ mentality, that’s not right, and it certainly isn’t true.”
Dillon and a great amount of his union counterparts believe the ‘Right-to-Work Act’ and now the ‘Workplace Freedom Act’ in Ohio will do more real harm than the perceived good proponents of the acts lead citizens to believe.
Research from the U.S. Census Bureau shows that the median household income is $6,437 lower per year in ‘Right-to-Work’ states. Additionally factory jobs are paying 7.4% less (including benefits) in states without ‘Workplace Freedom’ according to the Wall Street Journal.
With lower wages, ‘Right-to-Work’ advocates are delivering on a promise to get more people working again. Yet Dillon believes this is a negative for a few reasons. The most glaring detriment to Dillon is the increase in workplace deaths that is up 52.9% in states where ‘Workplace Freedom’ laws are enacted.
“Think about it, how can [Right-to-Work advocates] pay their workers less money? They can do it by hiring untrained, uneducated workers,” Dillon professed. “I had to train for years before I was trusted to do the dangerous parts of my job. Now you got people coming out of nowhere and performing high-risk tasks. Add in the longer hours and fatigue becomes an issue, the factory can become a deathtrap.”
Dillon found out first hand a few years ago how a lack of training can lead to injury when he had an accident at work with an inexperienced co-worker. The mishap left Dillon’s leg severed to the bone, creating a horrendous gash all the way down to his foot.
The accident left him physically handicapped for several months, unable to work.
For many, an injury of this magnitude could have drowned a person and their family. According to Dillon, it was the union that kept him afloat.
“[The union] helped pay my hospital bills, made sure I filled out the correct worker’s compensation forms, and I was assured my job would be there for me after I recover,” Dillon expressed with gratification. “What I appreciated the most was hearing, from my hospital bed, my union’s district representative Don Taggart say that [my union] take care of me and get me recovered. That sense of security allowed me to focus on getting better.”
According to Pat Sink, IUOE Local 18’s business manager, these special circumstances will be severely marginalized.
“Obviously we will still care about our workers, but what are we supposed to tell them when they get hurt? Better hurry up and recover because we no longer have the resources to take care of you?” said a sarcastic, yet frustrated Sink. “Unions were set up in America for times like these, for security, whether it’s financially, mentally, or physically, and to minimize the accidents like Mike’s from occurring in the workplace.”
Now Sink fears that will all be diminished and Ohio’s middle class will suffer so the “bigwigs” can make more money, pay their workers less money, but produce in massive quantities.
“That’s not ‘Workplace Freedom’ that’s modern day communism.”
In late 2012, Michigan shocked the United States by passing the ‘Right-to-Work Act.’ No one thought it was possible as Michigan was the most union heavy state in the nation.
“That’s the power of persuasion and propaganda,” Sink said. “This is why we are trying to educate Ohioans before they are misinformed by ‘Workplace Freedom’ campaigners.”
Part of Sink’s job is to get Dillon and his fellow Ohioans to start thinking about something they rarely try to think about.
“How can I take care of my family if something bad happens to me?”
For more information: Glenn Selig, The Publicity Agency, Email: Phone: (312) 546-3034 Website: www.ohioworkplacefreedom.org
Direct link: https://prnewschannel.com/2013/04/17/ohioans-worry-that-workplace-freedom-will-hurt-middle-class-economy/SOURCE: Keep Ohio's Heritage
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