An Ordinary Story of Extraordinary Bravery, Brought to You by Union Labor (this happened last night)

[WilliamPitt]

Last edited Tue Oct 30, 2012, 02:21 PM - Edit history (1)

An Ordinary Story of Extraordinary Bravery, Brought to You by Union Labor
By William Rivers Pitt
BuzzFlash

10/30/2012

Here in Boston, Hurricane Sandy started winding down near midnight. The wind was still howling, but the rain had slacked off, and you could just feel the pressure in the air lessening…and then, *piff*, the power went out.

I went outside to find the street dark for two blocks in both directions. Down the eastern end of the block, I saw the flashing yellow lights of a power company truck, and went to investigate. The last house on the right had the upper two-thirds of a huge tree lying on its roof, and the tree was draped across the power cables.

That’s when I saw the crane, and the guy hovering in midair.

Our local power company had brought in a crane to move the tree. The tree had not cut the power cables when it fell, but it was lying heavily across them, and the power company had cut the power in those cables in order to safely move the tree. The guy was in a harness, suspended in midair over the tree and the house, maybe three stories up. They maneuvered him into place, and he attached a series of lines to the tree. The engine on the crane revved, and the tree was slowly lifted off the roof.

And the guy went with it, hovering in space, guiding 50 feet of tree through the air. The tree looked like God’s Own Broccoli Floret floating there in the wind, and the guy went with it, up off the power cables, over the street, and slowly, slowly down to the ground.

(snip)

The guy I saw 50 feet of the ground, guiding that huge tree off the power cables and the house, was a member of the Utility Workers of America Local 369. All over the East Coast, and especially in New York and New Jersey, union workers just like him have been breaking their backs to keep the rest of us safe and to mitigate the damage done by this storm. Firefighters, rescue workers, police officers, utility workers, transit workers, postal workers: you name it, they’re doing it, men and women alike, and they are all members of a union.

Look for the Union label, America. Today, yesterday and tomorrow, we owe Union workers an incredibly large thank you.

The rest: http://truth-out.org/buzzflash/commentary/item/17607-an-ordinary-story-of-extraordinary-bravery-brought-to-you-by-union-labor

[CherokeeDem]

1. Thank you...

No truer words could be written.

Thanks to our Union workers!

[roguevalley]

38. my IBEW lineman nephew works at -40 to restore power in windchill for

up to 40 hours straight. This is what they do. God bless everyone who serves the public in any capacity. You can do a lot of good every single time you speak to someone who works for the government (at any level) by telling them you appreciate their service. It is shocking to me when I do this how almost pitifully grateful they are to hear it. I always do it. Try it. You can make someone's rotten day better.

[NBachers]

40. You know, it's funny you say this. A science teacher came into my store today to buy some tubing.

He was going to use it to put together a dry ice cloud spook thing for his class of sixth graders for halloween.

A nice, friendly, unassuming young guy. I thanked him and let him know I respected him for being a teacher.

He got kind of bashful and didn't quite know what to say. They've been demonized and put down so much, they probably feel like the enemy.

We've got to turn this fucking shit around.

Christ, now my blood pressure's going up and I'm going to start spluttering with rage . . .

[speedoo]

2. Wonderful story.

And a testament to one of the strengths of this nation.

[PDJane]

3. I am glad that these men and women are out there.

I know a few of them. Incredibly hard working and dedicated people.

[Whovian]

4. K&R

[ruffburr]

5. No unions-

No first responders, No FEMA, No safety net ,No conscience, Thats the Republican Way, No matter how Mitt flip-flops in interviews. Anyone who votes for these people should really Open their Eyes,Smell the coffee, And change their vote! Thank you all First responders and crews ,A real HECK of a job

[central scrutinizer]

35. no unions = no apprenticeship programs

that's how you learn your trade - lots of classes then work many hours at the elbow of an experienced journeyman. Finally you get your license and then you can pass on the knowledge. If the repugs have their way, everything will be done by the lowest bidder who cut the most corners with the least trained workers.

[Change has come]

6. K & R

[niyad]

7. k and r

[Tsiyu]

8. And if the teabaggers have their way

the author'd still be out of power, or someone in that neighborhood would have died trying to pull the tree off the lines with his bootstrap.

This is what disgusts me about Teabaggers - they'll be the first to complain about no power, and the last to want to compensate fairly those who would restore it.

[libdem4life]

28. The description of a young child ... as adults, stunted maturity.

Lacking their own authority and identity...RWers.

[Tsiyu]

29. Most of us stop being so ego-centric around age 8

Teabaggers continue to believe the world revolves around them. Even as old people, dependent on government!

They want socialized help for themselves, and nothing for anyone else.

[libdem4life]

30. That was what I loved about teaching 3rd grade...it was the dawning of social consciousness

Most teabaggers are still in 2nd grade mentality.

[Tsiyu]

31. If they've even made it that far lol

I've seen even toddlers share...

[libdem4life]

33. So true. Usually, at that point it's great parents.

[HopeHoops]

9. K&R - we need unions.

[dixiegrrrrl]

10. I am happy to report that Alabama Power Company is union also.

When the power trucks have to come out after a storm around here, people in the nighborhood actually bring coffee
or water to the crews, and thank them.

[davsand]

11. Ah yes--another "Union Thug" in action.

My prayers go out to not just the folks who live there but also for the folks who are out there on the front lines of this storm--the first responders and the utility workers, the EMS folks, and all the medical staff working in this time of crisis.

Never forget that while they are risking their own life and limb their own families are at home living thru this without them there. Unsung heroes, with little to no appreciation for what they do and how much they give to us all.


Laura

[freshwest]

32. +1,000.

[SemperEadem]

12. Storm recovery--brought to you by your local union

there when no one else wants to be bothered with helping you without payment.

Unions are important and necessary to this country.

[ewagner]

13. Governor Walker's supporters

...would have called this guy a "Union Thug"....until he saved their collective asses!

[Arugula Latte]

14. I'm in awe of those people.

One time we had a tree split and fall and it was lying across some lines. Turns out they weren't power lines, but rather cable, but the power guy came out at 10 pm and cut up that tree for us anyway just because he was a nice guy and had a chainsaw handy (the tree was partially blocking a road). He couldn't take money so we paid him in homemade chocolate chip cookies.

[calimary]

15. KICK! Proud union member here!

What I wrote when I shared this on Facebook:

Unions. QUIT BAD-MOUTHING THEM!!!!! They just might SAVE YOUR LIFE.

Another good one, Will!

[robbob]

16. Heard on the news

Canada (Quebec Hydro) has sent 6-7 crews (over 50 men) down to Vermont to help clean up. They go because they are needed. Next time you hear somebody bashing Canada remind them that we are neighbours, and neighbours help each other out in times of need...

[pansypoo53219]

17. i treasure my toast grabber w/ the PAPER union label. i got 3 of them

in a mixed kitchen stuff bag at an estate sale.

[cpamomfromtexas]

18. Good Story, examples like this should be covered daily on a special website!

[cliffordu]

19. K&R.

Goddamned right.

[HuckleB]

20. K & R!

[marions ghost]

21. Inspiring story

--just another day in a very risky business.

We need more unions, not less.

[gademocrat7]

22. K&R

[tosh]

23. K&R

[heaven05]

24. well

I'M UNION and I salute these union workers. Mittsnake wants to get rid of unions. Mitttwit, get outta here!!!!! Mitttwit is such a POS. I'M in michigan and winds are still gusting over 50mph.

[HiPointDem]

25. kr

[libdem4life]

26. Kind of says it all. Heroes.

[louis c]

27. Just like 9/11/01

Almost all of the heroes were card carrying union members.

[tavalon]

41. I'm not only a card carrying union member

but I'm a member of a private sector union, a rare, rare bird these days.

[louis c]

46. So am I

IBEW at a private sector racetrack.

[BlueNoteSpecial]

49. SMWIA Journeyman here, installing hot/cold deck hvac in hospitals & schools...public schools. eom

[WilliamPitt]

34. Up

[WilliamPitt]

36. One last Up

[lindysalsagal]

37. o no, you're not done yet.

I'm union. And I'm really proud. ~snif~

[Rose Siding]

39. My dad was a lineman for the DWP in LA, and climbed 150 ft towers on the desert

He retired a foreman -early, disgusted and worried for his crew after cuts to training programs -with a decent pension and great health benefits. I was always so proud of his union.

The dangerous work they do is so under-appreciated.

His cousin worked the power lines in WV. Got both his hands blown off on a job.

[BigMike63]

42. Obama vs. Romney

<a href="http://imgur.com/dp8Pa"><img src="" alt="" title="Hosted by imgur.com" /></a>

[Ednahilda]

43. Thank you for the reminder.

Hubby is a proud IBEW electrician, as was his father. He gets so much guff about being "overpaid" from the conservatives in our area, but when they need electrical work done they call John, because they know he always does exceptional work. And yes, the apprenticeship system is first-rate.

[Generic Other]

44. Thank you union workers!!

Thank you.

[ailsagirl]

45. kick

[N_E_1 for Tennis]

47. Unions ...

The backbone of this country.

[efhmc]

48. So true. Welcome here.