General Discussion

Curmudgeoness

(18,219 posts) Fri Mar 7, 2014, 09:16 PM Mar 2014

Please, just trust the job creators.

I am reading a portrait of Mother Jones by Dale Fetherling, and came across this quote by George F. Baer, a spokesman for the mining companies who were fighting the unions:

“The rights and interests of the laboring man will be protected and cared for---not by the labor agitators---but by the Christian men who God in His infinite wisdom has given control of the property interests of the country, and upon the successful management of which so much depends.”

These so-called protectors of the working man were fighting against having a fixed poundage as a ton (there were some “tons” that were set at 3500 pounds), higher wages, grievance procedures, reduction in hours, and recognition of the union as the bargaining agent. This was at the time of company stores and housing, when workers would pay high prices for all the necessities of life at the company store because they were forbidden for buying anywhere else, and often had no check on payday because of all the deductions.

Yes, we should all put our trust in the job creators to do the right thing without government regulation and unions, because, well, history shows us that they will.