When organizations listen to the workers (the unions) they profit...

This is a link is to an article from the Christian Science Monitor. It tells the story of one airline whose management listened to what workers had to say - and turned their red ink into black.

I link this in response to Dep Mayor Lynch's desire (sent through Marlene Feist's email) for city workers to read a recent editorial from Spokane's Journal of Business. This article alludes that unions are to blame (at least partially) for the city's financial state.

And speaking of the city's financial state, a casual observer traveling our bustling streets would conclude that business has never been better. Are we still in the hole? Strange.

Those of us who were at the Public Safety Committee, meeting months ago, remember Mr. Lynch's umbrage when city council members wanted to revisit the AMR contract. He was downright angry that the union, along with the city council, wanted to open the contract up for scrutiny. This scrutiny has opened the door for city coffers to swell with potential penalties paid by AMR to Spokane for contract violations. More importantly, this scrutiny has righted a wrong, and has served Spokane's citizens well.

I think our citizens are beginning to see Local 29 for what we are - an organization that wants to see that citizens are well-served, an organization that wants to protect citizens' lives, property and their pocketbooks. In short, our citizens are beginning to realize that this union (and many others) are in their corner. And knowing how Mr. Lynch feels about us, this has got to hurt.

I wrote an editorial for the Journal of Business last November. I will ask Mr. Lynch for equal time using our city e-mail, as he has.

In the meantime, spread the link above. Unions are saving businesses. Unions are protecting the notion of livable wages in the United States - and a middle class. Unions are protecting the family. Unions have been, and always will be, a voice that calls for accountability, scrutiny and clarity in our government. Ours is one of the few voices left. Don't let it be silenced - our country and our city are depending on us!

John Griffith
Local 29