America still needs unions -- in fact, now more than ever (ALASKA'S NEWSPAPER)

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.adn.com/opinion/story/314765.html

COMMUNITY VOICES: A guest columnist's view

By VINCE BELTRAMI VINCE BELTRAMI
COMMENT

Published: February 14th, 2008 12:37 AM
Last Modified: February 14th, 2008 12:47 AM

This is the confession of a "union boss." My neck is as big around as one of my thighs, which are considerably large. I'm Italian, although I think my name means "the beautiful train," which probably doesn't make anyone shake in their boots. I'm in the neighborhood of 250 pounds, though I'm trying hard to move out of that neighborhood. I'm kind of mean looking. I've got a shaved head. But what really amazes me is how all the hair that used to be on my head receded and magically worked its way through my body and emerged out of my back. God can be cruel.

I am the typical stereotype of the image a union boss used to conjure up. I'm president of the Alaska AFL-CIO, considered by many to be the voice of organized labor in the state.

However, I do the dishes, clean the house and do my own laundry, as well as run my daughter all over town. My wife makes certain of it. I'm a UAA graduate. Go Seawolves! And I was a Girl Scout leader, though my daughter loves to tell the story about how I "acquired" my Girl Scout vest off a bully in a downtown Anchorage alley who messed with the wrong troop leader.

Dan Fagan calls my colleagues and me "Big Labor" and says we run the government. I wish! He says labor outspends oil companies in elections three to one. Huh? Obviously, with this considerable dominant position we should have three Democrats to every Republican in the Legislature. My fuzzy math still can't make that one work.

When I show up at meetings with oil executives and other business people in town I always marvel in the parking lot as I walk past the rows of Cadillacs, BMWs, Mercedes, and Lexus as I get out of my dented '99 Tahoe with a 135,000 miles on it. Man! A big union boss deserves better. Doesn't he?

The truth is every "union boss" I know is a regular working stiff who came out of the field, and stepped up to do the Lord's work for his brothers and sisters and the families we are all trying to support. Many of us have taken a cut in pay to do it. We're salaried now. No more overtime. Rats! At least the benefits are excellent.

FULL story at link.