Klarinet Archive - Posting 000672.txt from 1996/04

From: George Landis <gel@-----.NET>
Subj: Greed
Date: Tue, 23 Apr 1996 17:32:49 -0400

There was a time in this country when a middle class family could afford to
buy a home, own a car, provide for a comfortable living, possibly send a
child or two to college--all on one wage-earners income (whether male or
female, we needn't get into that argument). This included most of the blue
collar work force, who were by and large unionized. Unions were a big
reason why this was true, having fought for and gained a decent wage and
decent working conditions for most of their members.
Over the past fifteen years or so, middle class Americans have suffered
from the most destructive effects of the Reagan presidency, having been
convinced that they should think and act as if they were rich people, when
they, of course, are not. This includes the bizarre belief that we, as
Americans, should accept the notion that we should be paid less and less
for more and more productivity. This is a strange abrogation of the social
contract that has allowed the creation of wealth in this country in the
first place, namely, that workers should be rewarded for harder work,
increased productivity and innovation and in turn spend their earnings on
goods and services offered by American business.
The AF of M membership has suffered along with every other blue and white
collar worker in this nation.
How dare we even consider the argument that it's OK to take a job at less
than acceptable wages just because it would be fun, or worse, by deluding
oneself that it is just market forces at work.
Wake up people. It's not the market. It is pure, Republican, corporate greed.
Do we really want American workers paid at the same rate as a bunch of
Indonesians or Central Americans? If we really want to maintain our
standard of living, we had best insist that American workers receive a fair
wage for work performed, or some day our purchasing power will be so eroded
that no one will earn a decent wage.
I'm a management person and have been all of my career. I'm also a fairly
accomplished clarinetist and a better player than many of the "pros" in the
market. I also turn down paying jobs. It's wrong.

End of tirade.