An encore in bigotry
Once again Arizona and its cast of conservative, xenophobic
state officials have taken center stage in reforming our nation’s
immigration policy.
This time legislators are proposing changes that are reminiscent
of those implemented under the Nuremberg Laws of Nazi Germany.
By depriving birthright citizenship, educational opportunities,
and legal marriages to illegal immigrants and their children,
Arizona lawmakers hope to halt the
”
invasion
”
of illegal immigrants.
In 1935, the Nazi government enacted similar legislation in
order to address its Jewish
”
infestation.
”
Arizona lawmakers need to grasp the gravity of their
initiatives, for they stand to divide their Latino and non-Latino
constituencies
—literally as some have suggested dividing the state between
Arizona proper and
”
Baja Arizona.
”
After enacting S.B. 1070 and having it implemented piecemeal,
Arizona should realize that such policy is shortsighted and rooted
in bigotry. Moreover, it echoes to a time when racism,
discrimination, and persecution failed to heed to its curtain
call.
Frank J. Perez
Hollister
An encore in bigotry
Once again Arizona and its cast of conservative, xenophobic state officials have taken center stage in reforming our nation’s immigration policy.
This time legislators are proposing changes that are reminiscent of those implemented under the Nuremberg Laws of Nazi Germany.
By depriving birthright citizenship, educational opportunities, and legal marriages to illegal immigrants and their children, Arizona lawmakers hope to halt the “invasion” of illegal immigrants.
In 1935, the Nazi government enacted similar legislation in order to address its Jewish “infestation.”
 Arizona lawmakers need to grasp the gravity of their initiatives, for they stand to divide their Latino and non-Latino constituencies—literally as some have suggested dividing the state between Arizona proper and “Baja Arizona.”
 After enacting S.B. 1070 and having it implemented piecemeal, Arizona should realize that such policy is shortsighted and rooted in bigotry. Moreover, it echoes to a time when racism, discrimination, and persecution failed to heed to its curtain call.
Â
Frank J. Perez
Hollister
Unions are a necessary part of our society
What do collective bargaining and union membership and public employees have in common with Hitler’s Germany?
Nothing really, except maybe Wisconsin!
If you are a rational, objective person who has read some of our U.S. history during the past hundred years and even just a little bit of world history during the same period, please read on.
If we are not unduly influenced by emotional or personal prejudices most of us will admit that we know exactly why employee unions and collective bargaining became a necessary part of our Democratic society.
Most of us have some knowledge of the 12-hour workday and of the six-day work week. We also know a little bit about a dime an hour, “sweat shops” and “child labor” and “company goons,” etc. Most of us seem to forget, however, that until the advent of employee unions and collective bargaining there was no disability insurance when you were injured on the job; there was no sick leave; there was no overtime pay; there were no paid holidays; there were no paid vacations; no health plans and most of all no appeal or grievance procedures when you were harassed or badly mistreated or unjustly fired.
Because of the heroic acts of millions of workers in the past-many who were beaten, maimed and even killed, most workers now enjoy these benefits.
Union contracts also provide protections against discrimination by employers, insuring that employers do not mistreat workers because of their gender, age, race, sexual orientation religious beliefs, political affiliation, or union involvement, etc.
Over half a century ago, Congress enacted the National Labor Relations Act to establish certain employer and employee rights under law. It encourages collective bargaining and attempts to eliminate unfair labor practices.
The law is enforced principally by the National Labor Relations Board which also conducts elections to determine bargaining units among the various classifications of employees.
Until the war in Vietnam and President Richard Nixon, public employees across the country lagged behind private industry and business employees in wages and benefits.
Because of his promise to stop protesters against the war and civil rights demonstration, Nixon rode a “law and order” plank from nowhere to the White House. It was that the general voting public and most politicians fell in love with anybody wearing a public safety uniform. Police departments, fire departments and jails and prisons got almost anything they asked for.
Without much effort they were given more manpower and women power and exorbitant raises in wages and benefits. This of course, made it easier for other public employees bargaining units to also move up. This “honeymoon” continued until a couple years ago.
The same general public and politicians who cause this mess are now criticizing everybody else.
Instead of trying to void legal contracts and using “executive orders” to deprive workers of their rights, politicians and their department heads should not only freeze and hiring overtime work, but should do everything possible to renegotiate salaries and benefits.
With unemployment as high as it is, layoffs of younger workers seem counter-productive. Older employees from two income households cold be offered early retirement deals and any other possible voluntary reductions should be explored Although this is a national problem, with a minimum of difficulty, we in California can take the lead in repairing what is “broke.”
Union members are both workers and citizens and participation in the political process of the nation is of vital interest. In the same way that unions are dedicated to dealing with terms and conditions of employment they are dedicated to the promise and fulfillment of the American dream.
Collective bargaining is just another term for negotiations…and re-negotiation will just have to become another term for win-win.
Frank Valenzuela
San Jose
