Friday, January 25, 2002
Union retiree worries over future of labor movement
EDITOR:
As a retiree who was an active member of the Teamster Union Local #261 New Castle, Pa., I am very much concerned about what will become of our labor unions, regardless of the craft, in the near future.
I have heard many people say union members should never go on strike. I beg to differ with them. If you take the right to strike from organized labor then it loses the only weapon it has to draw up a contract for its members. We who were members of a labor union do not want to see a return to the dark days before unions.
It seems like many retirees forgot what it was like during our working years when the employers held their employees in the palms of their greedy hands. We, as retirees, should alert union members of the dilemma they would face if a right-to-work law becomes the law of our nation. This surely would be the demise of our labor unions.
I urge all union members to attend all their union's meetings and to become involved. The union is only as strong as its members. The right-to-work-law should be labeled as the right-to-work-for-less-without-benefits law.
The Bush administration would love to see a right-to-work law became a reality for our nation.
We retirees will help organized labor prevent such a bill becoming law.
Keep the union movement alive and vote for people that are not anti-labor.
JOHN GRAZIANI
New Castle
Girard neighborhood qualified for large grant -- no thanks to mayor
EDITOR:
A story with a happy ending.
Once upon a time, there was a reconstruction grant for $300,000 that would aid many citizens of Girard who qualified with money to renovate their neighborhoods.
Administrators hoped Girard could qualify under the restrictions provided within the guidelines. City officials were well aware of the grants and decided that two neighborhoods would benefit greatly. Unfortunately, their first choice did not qualify because the population of that area was lower than the grant required.
As for the other area, they quietly turned their backs, wanting the grant to expire.
If it weren't for some newly elected and departing council members demonstrating devotion towards all Fourth Ward citizens, the grant would have perished unnoticed.
Chuck Doran, Kathy Sauline, Lou Adovasio and Tom Grumley accepted the challenge. With collaboration from the director of the Multi Generation Center, during the Christmas season, valued volunteers faithfully went door to door conducting income surveys to gather enough information before the deadline, the first week in January 2002.
They completed the necessary requirements to qualify for the $300,000 project to assist the Parkwood Area. These people openly displayed their courage, kindness, trustworthiness, honesty and citizenship towards the citizens of Girard.
The question of the day is, "Where were the three administrators during the holiday season?"
The safety director and service director took vacation time. As for the mayor, no one recalls hearing of or seeing him join the campaign to complete the surveys. It seems that the citizens of Girard are more concerned about the welfare of their community than are the mayor and his cohorts.
Truly, I can't wait to witness the next election in Girard for the position of mayor.
SHELLEY WONDERS
Warren