Do you remember a point in your life when an earlier admonition by your parents, suddenly had meaning? That was an individual ‘point of maturity’ for you. You had grown as a person.
Bill Wallace
Many in my generation worked union jobs from an early age. This led to a certain level of complacency regarding unions and there inherent value. I fell into this category.
I had a union job since the tenth grade in High School, consequently I didn’t give much thought to unions. Like the roof over my head and the food on the table, union’s were just a part of my life. I took them for granted. As a young man, I made an irresponsible comment to a shop steward. He responded by telling me, “Each generation has a choice to make.” He pointed out, “We were handed this unique opportunity to control our destiny and each of us has to decide whether we will continue to nurture it or discard it.”
At the time I did not fully understand his words, but I never forgot what he said. Many years later his meaning resonated with me. That was a “point of maturity’ for me. I suddenly realized that, thanks to the sweat and blood of others we had inherited unions. If we want to continue what they created, we must put in some sweat and hard work ourselves.
Unions do not exist in isolation. They are a collection of working individuals that want to control their own life. This power of individuals, which is represented by a clenched fist, is vested in unions. It doesn’t matter whether you are working or you are retired, this strength is necessary to insure your economic security. Retirees need to continue in whatever manner possible, supporting the ‘union’ that made it possible.
If you are reading this, you made a choice to stay connected to IBEW 1245. Take a step further and join the nearest 1245 retiree club. If there is not one near you, start one. In this way, you are adding to the power and providing the necessary strength to fend off inevitable attacks.
–Bill Wallace, IBEW 1245 Retiree