How did we get to this point?

Driving back from court this morning I passed the Verizon store on Route 35 near Sea Girt Avenue and noticed a group standing under a tree near the road with signs around their necks.  Thinking that they were probably some of the destructive, violent, striking Verizon workers I've read about for the last few weeks, I decided to stop and check out the scene.  When I approached the group, I was surprised at what I found.  Although I expected to find angry, disgruntled employees intent on bashing corporatists, in reality, I found some normal guys making a statement in support of what they believed to be the right thing.

I spoke with the group for about fifteen minutes and they were all very friendly and willing to share their side of the story- something that doesn't always get published in the news.  I found out that most of the members drive at least an hour every morning to get to the picket line.  Most do not even live in Monmouth County.  Although they are amiable, likeable guys, the group is not a bunch of pushovers and all stand strong in their commitment to their union brothers and sisters.

After leaving the group, I thought that most of those guys could be my high school friends or neighbors I knew growing up.  This was a group that does not make a lot of money (maybe $50,000 if they are lucky), but is in danger of losing some of the few benefits they get.  Proposed cuts by Verizon will force them to pay more for their health insurance, pension and benefits. 

Knowing that I had not heard that Verizon is about to file bankrupcy nor has it proposed closing stores, what could possibly be the motive for Verizon to make such demands on these workers?  In fact, after some investigation I found out Verizon's CEO made over $18 million last year.  Despite the ability to pay their CEO tens of millions of dollars, the company is asking for over a billion dollars in concessions from just 45,000 workers.  That's over $20,000 per employee in givebacks.  In 2010, Verizon made a $10.2 billion profit.  In the 2nd quarter of this year 2011, Verizon had the strongest quarter it has had in 2.5 years. 

So, I can understand why these workers are striking.  What I cannot understand is why they do not get more widespread support.   Our politicians in Trenton and Washington have done a great job of dividing us, the electorate.  The politicians, in an effort to push their agendas have created such disdain for each others' positions, that no normal, rational debate can be had on most issues. 

The issue of workers rights vs. corporate interests has been around for over a century- it's been going since the industrial revolution.  However, while the substance of the issue hasn't changed significantly, the tone and magnitude of the rhetoric has.  Most of this can be blamed on the 24 hour news cycle and politicians' desire to be on tv.  We must take more responsibility for the direction of this country, rather than relying on tv.

Primarily, it is up to us, the taxpayers and voters, to direct the discussion.  Although I disagree philosophically and otherwise with their general agenda, we cannot ignore the fact that the tea party has been particularly effective at driving their message through their representatives.  We cannot permit a talking head or career politician dictate what is and what is not important to our families and our households.  On this, we must do a better job.  But one thing is for certain, we should not blame our neighbors for what is happening in our town, county, state or country.  Few of us have any direct influence over how or what political decisions are made.  We must hold those making those political decisions accountable, rather than falling into their blame games.

For example, five years ago few of us knew what a credit default swap or a debt ceiling were.  Nor did any of us really care.  For most of us, life still went on without this knowledge.  Now, we have politicians making hay out of things that, historically, have never been politicized- all in the interest of "beating the other guy to the punch".  This is nonsense and it is up to us, the electorate, to decide what is an important issue and what isn't.  It should not be up to the 24 hour politically-slanted news channels or some politician seeking re-election to inform us of what our families need.

This brings us to the Verizon workers.  Like all of us, they just want to do the best they can for their family.  In doing so, they, like all of us, must take certain stands on important issues (some do it less or more aggressively) at work when it affects our livelihoods and our ability to provide for our families.  At work it can be as simple as telling your boss that you are overloaded when she asks you to take on another task or as complicated as counseling a client on the legal and moral implications of a business decision.  But, what we should realize is that, if not for our lot in life (and whatever luck has come our way), we could be standing in the shoes of any one of those Verizon workers.  They are not the villians, nor are the hundreds of thousands of other union workers.  They did not take those jobs just to try to stab you or neighbor in the back or to "try to bleed the state".  They took those jobs (often at unfairly diminished entry level salaries) with the understanding that they would be protected when it came time for raises or benefits renewals.  For the most part, most union workers have little say in what happens at the bargaining table.  That comes from their leadership and from the political and corporate "deciders" sitting across the negotiation table.   These deciders are responsible for the state's fiscal problems- not the guy in the bucket truck trying to fix your phone.

The anger that has been directed at Verizon and other union workers is unjustified, unfair and misplaced.  While it is easy to blame other people for why the state has fiscal problems, reality kicks in when we put ourselves in their places.  Meeting those workers today, I realized that had things gone differently for me in life, I could be there with them trying to fight for my family and my salary.  Because of that realization and my belief in fairness I will stand with them both figuratively and literally as I plan to stand out with them in the coming days in support of them.  I don't see any reason not to and I urge anyone and everyone to join me (I was told that they will be out there every day except Sundays until the strike is over). 

After all, if things had gone differently, it could be any one of us out there fighting for our families.