Posted by Paula Peters I attribute a large part of my success to the strong work ethic I learned from my familys contribution to the American labor movement as well as the hard working American laborers and strong work ethic of the immigrant workers who helped build our country to a tradition of work and excellence. Labor Day, of course, was a result of organized labor lobbying to have a holiday to honor the hard working American worker. While Labor Day has always been a day off, I always spend a little time reflecting upon my strong connection to organized labor from ancestors from my family as well as the others who work here in this firm. Our entire law firm has a strong labor union past. Cynthia Hawkins Clarks Dad, Gerald Hawkins, was a Fleet Service Clerk for American Airlines for 32 years. He worked at National Airport for 19 years and at BWI for 13 years. He was not only a member of the American Airlines employees union (an AFL-CIO affiliate) but was proud to have been a shop steward of the AFL-CIO from 1989 to 1991. The airline union negotiated not only for better pay, but also for better benefits and working conditions. Cynthia has to current union member-cousins, one of whom, Robin Reese, has been a member of the Television and Radio Artists Union for almost two decades working as a reporter and then producer for ABC News. Her cousin, LaWanda Hoes is a member of the Teachers Association of Anne Arundel County, an NEA affiliate. Mary Youngs husband, Ray Young, along with his brother, Spencer Young,have been members of the International Union of Elevator Constructors for 28 and 33 years respectively. Courtenay Basile Sperrys two grandfathers were members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. Alfonso Basile, her grandfather on her Dads side, was a member of the IBEW #26 for 65 years. I have greatest pride that my great, great grandfather on my Moms side, John Lewis, was one of the early organizers of the United Mine Workers in Western Pennsylvania. The union organizers faced physical violence (and some death) from the powerful mine owners, who, along with members, faced serious risk of being beaten or killed as well as economic harm or ruin. My great great grandfather would remain in a town or village until the mine owners figured out who he was and ran him out of town. and he would then move on to the next village. Many of the coal miners were hard working immigrants. The first constitution of the United Mine Workers Unions (UMW) recognized the need for unity and barred discrimination based upon race, religion or national origin. The UMW was one of the leaders of the American labor movement and was successful in working for higher pay, safer working conditions, collective bargaining rights, and health and retirement benefits among other things. On the other side of my family, my Dads Dad was also a coal miner. He worked for the mines before, during and after the organizing of the United Mine Workers and he was a proud member of the UMW. Since he lived both pre- and post- UMW he would tell me stories of life before the union. I heard stories about the mine accidents and the hundreds of miners killed in collapsing coal mines. Not only were the mines extremely dangerous with worker safety on the bottom of the list, he and his coworkers were virtually indentured servants of the coal mining companies. The companies owned their houses and the only store in town. Everything was deducted from their small pay including rent for his house and outhouse. They had no shopping options as they had no cash. In fact, until the day she died, my grandmother used to refer to the only store in the village as the company store. His Dad before him was part of the great immigrant labor force that helped to build this country. After long, painful, violent and sometimes deadly negotiations, the mine companies were divested of the homes and stores and pay, benefits and working conditions improved dramatically. One of the benefits was compensation for families of the miners for black lung disease. Hundreds of miners widows, including my grandmother, received benefits after their husbands died of black lung from working in the mines. My Dad was a member of the steel workers union as a young man. Many of my uncles on both sides of moms and dads side of the family were members of the United Mine Workers. As hard as she could, my Dads mom pushed my Dad and uncle academically tp keep my Dad and uncle out of the mines and to find some some other career. The unions extend to this generation. Mary Youngs husband Ray is a current union member (as above). While he was a public school teacher in the District of Columbia, my husband, Jimmy Monack was a member of the teachers union in Washington, part of the AFT. Later, when he taught at Annapolis Middle School , he was a member of the Teachers Associations of Anne Arundel County, an NEA affiliate. Cynthia Clarks cousin, Robin Reese, has been a member of the Television and Radio Artists Union at ABC News. He cousin, LaWanda Hoes, is a member of the Teachers Association of Anne Arundel County. So, enjoy your Labor Day!
Posted on: Mon, 01 Sep 2014 14:58:45 +0000
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