After reading a recent letter to the editor (a pro union viewpoint), I found myself caught between laughing and crying. First, let me start by stating I worked for (and paid dues) to a union company in Atlanta for almost 25 years and was shop steward for nearly half of that time.

First, the author stated that “right to work” actually means right to hire and right to freeload. An employer should have the right to hire the best person for the job regardless of a person’s union affiliation. As for right to freeload, unions drive the cost of products up because of strict guidelines as to what an employee can and can’t do — ie. having to pay an employee to stand around and wait or pay overtime for someone else to do something that the employee is quite capable and qualified to do but is not in there strict job description.

Second, the analogy of the person from China that comes here and becomes very wealthy is absurd. No one can come here and become very wealthy and not pay some taxes. If they did become very wealthy it’s because they worked for it instead of having a mob require it from an employer.

As for democracy should prevail — union policies and practices come from the international union administration, which is usually, for us here in the South, in another state and run by people who don’t have a clue what the specific employees do on a daily basis.

As for the good unions always spout as triumphs (and they were ) ie. — 40-hour weeks, paid vacations, insurance were accomplished years ago. Since then, greedy unions have done nothing but put businesses out of business.

Now all that said, I think the cycle of the unions is like a pendulum. Back in the days of Jimmy Hoffa, the union was a good and needed thing, but the pendulum has swung to the other side. Unions are like dinosaurs that are relics of the past. Maybe one day that pendulum will swing back, but let’s hope not.

Allen Dubberly

Griffin