In My Humble Opinion #1

Many people, especially college age students are unaware of just how important labor unions are. In light of the bargaining rights that have recently been stripped away from union workers in Wisconsin, I've come to realize how critical my own union's rights are.

I currently work for Kaiser Permenente in Vallejo, Calif., and being in the health care industry, many of the employees are members of the SEIU-UHW, which translates to the Service Employees International Union - United Healthcare Workers West. Every month, union dues are subtracted from my paycheck and I have certain rights as a union employee. There are also specific regulations that I have to adhere to and a contract I must abide by in order to keep my job as a pharmacy clerk.

Within the past six months, the SEIU-UHW has been flooding my email inbox, my mom's mailbox at home and my folder of work related mail through the pharmacy affirming the need to vote to keep our union representation and our bargaining rights. At first, I didn't understand what the fuss was all about, but after reading up on the protests and newly restricted rights of the Wisconsin workers, I understand how detrimental it would be to lose union representation.

For the union workers of Wisconsin, losing out on their bargaining rights is a huge setback. Thousands of state workers are now suffering from the anxiety of losing all rights within the union in addition to what's already been stripped away. Even though the union workers are not yet resulting in a state-wide strike, I think they are smart to stand by and be alert for what may be coming. What would happen if all the union workers in the state of Wisconsin decided to go on strike? Catastrophe would ensue, that's for sure.

Think about all the people who are union employees: health care workers (medical professionals, nurses, doctors, pharmacists), public service workers (teachers, firefighters, police officers, garbage men, state employees) and property service workers (janitors, security officers, food service workers) would all just go on strike and refuse to work. Now maybe not every single union worker would go on strike and there would be a few people who continue to do their jobs no matter what, but thousands of people would participate and that would have a catastrophic outcome for sure.

I think that the Wisconsin Republican Senate is aware of what could happen, but are banking on the hope that the union workers will not go on strike. If anything,the senate should be wary of what the near future may hold for the union workers of Wisconsin.