I am a former Teamster. Myself and many others never remained silent, we always spoke out freely and did not care what anyone thought. Lately, union members have been silent, they are talking, but quietly in small groups. Why?
Union members should be standing in solidarity with their fellow union brothers in law enforcement. Do today’s current union members only stand with members in their union and no longer stand behind all union members. Remember when Teamsters, pipe fitters, plumbers, electricians, sheet metal workers, and carpenters stood united with each other? The union leaders still refer to it as the International Brotherhood, they even stood united with the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt.
The current union leaders are encouraging these Occupy protesters to attack and confront fellow union police officers and yet, not one single union member will stand up and ask, why? Just in the last several years there have been many union leaders ousted for their corrupt activities that did not benefit the members. Yet on something as big and important as this, one can hear a pin drop from the silence.
These protesters are trying to destroy the very financial institutions where their pensions are, for some of them, they are even trying to eliminate their jobs, yet silence. They seek to destroy our rights, the Constitution, and create social equality, where scabs will be their equal.
The union leadership has not be shy about their endorsement of these protesters. They have not been shy about giving them food and resources to remain vigilant in the protest of taking down the banks and Wall Street. It is time for union members to pay attention. They have not been shy about wanting “Social Equality”, and they are using YOUR union dues to finance this whole ordeal, so that scabs can be your equal, so that your pension can be erased!
There are no unions in socialist countries, it is time for the union members to stand up, grab their loins and make their voices heard. Put these leaders on the spot, use the media, make them choose publicly if they stand with the Occupiers or the union members.
There was a time when union members did something about scabs crossing a picket line, not just stand there and say “scab”, people were afraid to be scabs. Union members use to stand up and let their leaders know when they were out of line and not working in the best interest for the members. They didn’t just sit silently and watch as fellow union brothers are under attack from protesters the union leaders are encouraging them to confront.
They stood behind law enforcement to protect their bargaining rights, then turn around and throw them under the bus. Will you sit quietly and wait until they decide you are in the way and need to be thrown under the bus.
Maybe it is time to let Richard Trumpka and Jimmy Hoffa Jr, know that Jimmy Hoffa Sr is still missing and if they do not get their act together, they will be removed from their positions so they have time to search for him.