By BERRY CRAIG
AFT Local 1360
I wish I had a dollar for every time I've seen or heard where some union-hater slammed organized labor as un-patriotic.
From Donald Trump down, a ton of these rich, middle-aged or senior-citizen right-wingers actively avoided war and military service in their youth.
While these graying (and the bottle-blond like Trump) chickenhawks stayed safely stateside on Civvy Street, thousands of working class men and women went in harm's way. Many of their parents and grandparents served in World War II or kept the home fires burning by working in defense plants.
"Growing Labor Unions Have 'Gone to War,' Making Kentucky Leader In Nation's Effort," reads the headline on a Jan. 1, 1943, Louisville Courier-Journal story.
The story said Bluegrass State union membership zoomed with military production after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, and plunged the nation into World War II, which started in 1939.
In Kentucky "wages have gone up substantially, skyrocketing in some instances, but labor has put much of the increase in wages into war bonds," the story said. "Besides individual bond purchases, many union locals have thousands of dollars taken from their general fund invested in war bonds as a postwar 'cushion.'"
The story also said that "government officials rank Kentucky at the top among States co-operating fully with the war effort. Labor and management are found serving on joint boards, community drive committees, and other enterprises to further the war effort. Organized labor has accepted its responsibilities in service on draft boards, ration boards, in war fund drives and in civilian defense organizations. Labor took the leadership in the recent Kentucky-wide scrap drive."
To show the public what unions were doing to help the war effort--and to remind union workers "of the need for public understanding" -- the Kentucky State Federation of Labor held big rallies in Paducah, Henderson, Lexington and Covington, according to the story.
"Labor, management ,and civic leaders were speakers at the rallies. This is part of the Kentucky labor education program--adopted at the Ashland convention in September--that the A.F.L. hopes to spread over the South."
In 1942, thousands of union men left their jobs for the military and thousands of union women took their places. At the same time, union construction workers "set records" speedily constructing factories for war production. The story cited a "huge TNT plant" near Paducah and a "shell-loading plant" at Viola, near Mayfield.
The story added that labor' had held to its "no strike' agreement" except for a few "isolated instances."
"What's the significance of this?" I'd challenge my history students after making a point in class. The significance of this newspaper story, old as it is, is more proof--as if more proof were needed--that historically, unions have been among the most patriotic organizations in war--and peace and that union workers, men and women, and union families, did their part to ensure Allied victory over Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy and Japan's dictatorship. Union folks were indeed part of what Tom Brokaw aptly described as "the Greatest Generation."
My union grandparents, Susie and Diehl Vest of Mayfield, bought a stack of war bonds. She ran a sewing machine stitching sleeves onto Army overcoats at a clothing factory in town. He worked at the Viola plant. Their sons--my uncles--joined the Army after Pearl Harbor. My mother worked for the local ration board.
As the 75th anniversary of D-Day approaches, union workers still earn better pay than non-union workers. "Union Wages Buy More" proclaimed a novelty license plate the Kentucky State AFL-CIO put out several years ago, maybe in the 60s and 70s.
And as they were in World War II, union workers are still more productive than non-union workers, according to university studies.
Meanwhile, leaders of business and industry keep spending millions to convince John and Jane Q Citizen that unions are a close encounter of the worst kind--and they shell out millions more to elect politicians like Trump and Matt Bevin to do their bidding.
Hogs will fly before we can match these new millionaire corporate "Robber Barons" dollar for dollar. But we can show our union pride at home, work and everywhere else we go.
I was at a union meeting the other day where a union brother said a lot of kids don't know their parents belong to unions. That's a shame, but not surprising.
Somebody suggested we ought to put up more of those "PROUD UNION HOME" signs. I've got one in the front window of our old Kentucky home. Union bumper stickers, window decals, and novelty license plates are great, too.
And talk union at home, at work--everyplace you go and every chance you get. When somebody asks you where you work, don't just reply with the company's name. Name your union local, too.
Meanwhile, tell us how you're showing your union pride. Drop us an email at bcraig8960@gmail.com, and we'll post it on the website.