Inthe earliest days of our country's history man was permitted to workat any job he was competent to perform and for which there was aneed. His work was born of necessity either personal or national. Askilled workman could always find employment. In this manner theprogress of our country was assured and accomplished. When theindustrial revolution reached America factories were created to meetthe masses' needs, and the workers organized to form unions orbargaining groups. The two ideologies, employers vs. workers, wereoften at odds with one another and many acts of violence occurred.Gradually unions gained in strength and in numbers and at one timeover 20 million Americans joined collective bargaining agencies orunions. Today there is less union membership.

Asa result many good things happened for the worker. However andunfortunately, the Mafia and other unsavory elements wove their wayinto the fabric of the organizations and the respectability of theunions was tarred and diminished.

Today,the opportunity for a workman to join a union should be a right, andalways a right. The necessity of joining a union in order to work,however, is wrong and should be corrected. Every state should adopt a"Right to Work Program" and it should eventually be a national orfederal program. There is legislation presently on the books whichpermits unions to commit violence and even death if in so doing theywere working to enhance the objectives of the union! This is adisgraceful state of affairs and unions should be held accountablefor their actions and for all their acts of violence. Unions shouldnot be above the law!

Ifworkers wish to join a union to seek certain objectives or benefitsthey should be free to do so. If, however, they have no desire tojoin a union they should not be forced to do so! Such an action isun-American!

TheTaft Hartley legislation was a great step forward for the worker andthe right to work without coercive unionism is yet another stepforward.