Our View: Unions deserve local support

As members of the United Steel Workers Local 15320 stand in support of a better contract, we can’t help but think about how unions have helped establish many of the worker protections and benefits we take for granted today.

Long-held benefits for hourly workers, like the 40-hour work week and two weeks of vacation every year, come from union activity taking place at a time when strikers were more likely to get beaten by strike busters and police for trying to get better working conditions. Historically speaking, it wasn’t that long ago when workers were subjected to unsafe working conditions.

They were forced to work as much as 14 hours a day while being indebted to the company through company stores and housing. It was legal to employ children in many dangerous occupations, including mining, and vacations were almost completely unheard of.

At a time when union membership is in decline, it’s important to know unions still have their place locally. Without unions, local mine wages would be a lot lower. Even non-union mines in Sweetwater County are forced to pay similar wages to the union mines, as non-union mines need to be competitive to retain workers.

While some may be dismissive over unions and their “inflated” wages, it’s important to realize what those wages do locally.

Those higher wages mean more money flowing into Sweetwater County’s economy, which is a situation that helps everyone.

Better wages means more support to the local businesses unique to the area.

Even now, mining is hard and dangerous work. It’s the kind of work that can leave a person with a lifetime of medical issues, even under the best conditions.

One of the main points the USW is fighting for is better premiums on their health insurance. While insurance premiums continue to raise, it’s important to make them manageable for families as even minor injuries or illnesses can create a financial burden.

We support local workers attempts to fight for a better contract. The contract doesn’t just support the workers and their families, but the community as a whole. Without a fair contract, workers will only get taken advantage of by corporate interests focused solely on profitability.

The communities in Sweetwater County should support local unions in their negotiations because a fair contract doesn’t just benefit workers.

After all, united we stand and divided we fall.