 |
| "Exodus from Egypt" by Marc Chagall |
It's not a very popular thing these days to say you're a trade unionist. Unions are being demonized daily as the cause of everything that ails this country.
But I am proud to be a trade unionist and I'll tell you why. Ever since Moses led the Israelites away from the bondage of the Pharaoh - the
first record of a strike, I believe - the one sure way for working people to win the respect of the boss was to organize. As it was, so it shall be.The recent decline of unions is the main reason why most Americans no longer enjoy job security, the prospect of a decent pension, decent pay, good health benefits, safety on the job, paid vacations, sick pay and respect from the boss is that America's trade unions have been beaten down. If working people want those back, their choice is obvious.
On this Labor Day, I find myself humming a great old union song, "Which Side Are You On?" That really is the question we all need to ask.
The song was originally written and performed by Florence Reece to rally the strikers during a bitter Appalachian coal mine strike I saw her perform it once when she was quite elderly at a gala celebration at the Highlander Center in East Tennessee. But I found a vintage recording of her as a much younger woman singing it on YouTube. That is the first video below, followed by a modernized and more popular version by Pete Seeger.
Finally, there's a brand new version by Boston's own Drop Kick Murphys.
And Pete Seeger:
And the Drop Kick Murphys:
Author: Will Collette
