Go figure

The Republican governor of Wisconsin is in the midst of a recall vote. Voters in Ohio have already repealed their Republican governor’s union-busting laws.

Both of these men ran on a bogus platform. After they where voted in, their true agenda came out: Bust the unions.

Newt Gingrich wants to bust janitorial unions and put your kids into their place. That is what I have always called a “twofor” or two for one. His plan would bust a union and negate our child labor laws.

This probably is a moot point, since the Republicans do not seem to have a plan to get you a job anyway. But in the off chance you do get one, you would be well advised to have a union on your side.

In 1911, the Triangle Shirtwaist factory occupied the 8th, 9th and 10th floors of a high rise. The workers worked 14-hour days, six days a week.

On March 25, just 15 minutes before the workers shift would end, a fire broke out on the 8th floor. It spread rapidly because it was fueled by all the bolts of material there.

The exit doors had not yet been unlocked for the day (the doors were locked each day to keep workers in and union organizers out). The few elevators available only held 10 passengers at a time.

In just 18 minutes, 146 employers ranging in age from 14 to 40 died by either being burnt alive or hurling themselves out the windows to escape the flames.

The entire country was so outraged that the owners were charged with manslaughter. But an investigation revealed the they had not broken any laws. In a follow-up civil suit, the complainants shared a grand total of $75 each.

The only good thing to come of it all was the formation of the Garment Workers Union.

So the question that begs to be asked is why are the Republicans so hell-bent on taking us back to that archaic time?

I am 100 percent confident that readers are smart enough to figure that one out for themselves.

Will Ross

Bealeton