You can always
fire-off a $ contribution to the site which we all know "Buster" would appreciate.
I am waiting on a "retro-rocket," as we called them, due at the end of the month, for contracturally-obligated increases in pay for the past two years, due to the diligent efforts of our union members. The administration arbitrarily chose to withhold our pay, breaking our labor agreement. It took two-plus years to re-establish our contracturally-obligated benefits and to collect our retroactive pay. Mine is going to pay-down debt.
Too-often recently the people who have chosen not-to-participate in unions have vociferously protested the "threat" of organized labor as being the downfall of our republic and the ruin of our financial system. Attributed as-being "greedy," "lazy," and worse, union menbers have seen their numbers decline as a percentage of the workforce since the 1970's. A favorite topic of derision by conservative "talking-heads," unions have had a tough time of it lately. Truly there is "strength in numbers." I have been a member of one or another of the branches of the AFL-CIO since the early 1970's and the benefits I draw today as a retired member are due to the advances in collective bargaining of organized labor. Presently I am an active NEA (education) union member besides a retired IAFF member (paid firefighters) as part of the AFL-CIO.
What's more, in some cases, I could erroneously be classified as a "double-dipper," as I am eligible now for
two pensions! I am the person that certain political members (who label themselves as those who would frequent the Mad Hatter's social drinking event) who point their fingers at me, since my membership in organized labor is "all that is wrong with this country, the greedy union double-dipping worker!" love to criticize.
A "double-dipper" is someone who retires from a job, begins to draw a pension, and then is hired-back to work at the same job, usually w/o benefits, since they are probably getting benefits under their retirement anyways.
My jobs are in two different but related fields. The fact that I chose to enter the workforce and to obtain another job, after retirement, which is also unionized and which also pays benefits such as a pension, does not by definition make me a "double-dipper."
So my point is, that since I have benefitted by reading here and learning about my hobby and how-better to enjoy it, I am going to make a $ contribution to the site operation. I have both bought and sold items here, and it is my obligation and yours for each of us who acts similarly to make a paypal contribution. That's where part of my retroactive pay is going to go, to support the forum where I most-enjoy spending my time on the world-wide-web.
And, you get that neat tag/banner by your name,
Contributor! :clapping:
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For those of you who are interested in history, I have included two links to one of the most pivotal moments in organized labor history, which occurred in Detroit next to a Ford Motor Co. plant. It happened seventy-five years ago this May 26, and was subsequently and forever named, "The Battle of the Overpass." Harry Bennett, a former boxer who was hired by Henry Ford, the founder of Ford, had a group of 'muscle' who he used to terrorize the men who attempted to bring organized labor to Ford. Part of the Pulitzer Prize awards was begun because of the photography which you see here, which escaped the thugs' efforts to destroy any records of the assaults.
Walter Reuther, head of the United Auto Workers, was one of these men assaulted for trying to increase workers' rights and benefits.
http://apps.detnews.com/apps/history/index.php?id=172
http://www.hfmgv.org/exhibits/fmc/battle.asp
Have 'bad things' happened because of unions? In some instances, yes, but the relief they have brought to the American worker far-overshadows any problems they caused.
Care for "some tea?"
unk: . 
