Let me tell you one benefit from Unions that most of you

[nadinbrzezinski]

might not think about. You have seen those firefighters with nice looking helmets and turn out gear?

Well when I first got into the EMS bidness in another country, the helmets we used were the same motorcycle helmets cops used... it was pretty generic. Then I moved on north, and I started using silly shit like oh the same kind of turn out structural fire gear that firefighers use when going to fires or vehicle rescues. Now the gear I used is a few generations older than what the firefighters wear today. Still, if the unions were not there, do you think Fire Departments would spend oh 700 dollars on a helmet? How about 300 dollars on structural fire fighting boots? Perhaps the gloves, 75 dollars a piece, or the turnout gear, 2000 dollars. The pants, uniform pants, are not just dickies pants. they are also Nomex, as well as the shirts... 300 dollars more. And while the firefighters at times help pay for some of that... the fact is, if we did not have Unions, we'd still be using the older leather gear, that while did the job... more or less... meant that in a situation where you got a backdraft... most of your people ended up in the hospital with severe burns. These days you can "tolerate" a backdraft that lasts seconds, with perhaps a first degree burn.

Think about that. It also lets firefighters get into a building to do rescue, and be more or less safe. So that means that they can do their job, and get your ass out if possible. Oh and those Scott Air Packs... it was a battle to get older fire fighters to use them... but it does protect them lungs.

This is one benefit that most people would never think about.. all that safety equipment that you can bet your ass some people would like not to replace as often as they have to be... (NOMEX degrades with use), or for that matter pay for it.

Oh and yes, I paid for my own gear... but that is another story... and yes I killed two helmets, that saved my brain bucket... so yes, I also benefited for THAT.

So there you have it.

[napi21]

1. All that is so very true. Many people might have died because the firefighters simply weren't able

to get to them without this new gear. Thank you for all you do for us!

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. I used my gloves years later for barbecues.

[old mark]

3. K&R...Unions have helped EVERY worker in the USA in so many areas.

When PA state workers voted to form unions-1973- average starting pay was around $3 per hour. When I retired several years ago, starting pay for workers in the hospital where I worked was almost $9 per hour. Still no fortune, but a much better starting place.
Unions have supported social and "liberal" causes since their introduction into the US, and THAT is the problem the right has with all unions...they do not want workers organized and they do not want organized support for any leftist causes. They have HUGE amounts of financial suport on the right, not all of it from inside this country, but the relatively small number of union workers remaining in the US scares and outrages them.

How DARE we "small people" stand up for ourselves!


mark