Speak Out A 03/30/02

Might attract patients

I HOPE all the nurses who are standing firm behind the union at St. Francis Medical Center aren't getting discouraged. There are a lot of people out here who are hoping everything works out for them. There are tons of union employees out here who would go to St. Francis because of the union.

Professional career

I AM an nurse at St. Francis Medical Center, and I am appalled that a few nurses have led us down the path to be unionized. I sacrificed to get an education that would allow me to be a professional. Now you want a food workers union to represent me? Workers at chicken plants and local grocers may need union representation, but I can represent myself. I will not abandon my patients in order to strike for more money. And yes, you will strike. What other bargaining power does a union have? The job market is wide open. If you are being treated unfairly and underpaid, why are you still here? Your opportunities are limited only by your lack of motivation to improve your situation.

Good nutrition center

I'M CALLING about the Jackson Nutrition Center. It's right there in the heart of town where we can just walk down there. Why they need a new center is something I'll never understand. If the government has that many thousands of dollars floating around, why don't they give it to the teachers or the policemen? Or why don't they pay our soldier boys more money? Jackson's got a nice nutrition center. As far as being overcrowded, maybe it is two days a year or something like that. I have never been in there when it's been overcrowded.

Sprigg is quicker

YOU BETTER think again about endorsing that walkway over Highway 74. It wouldn't be at all like the New Madrid walkway. On New Madrid, it saves students a long walk down one hill and up another. On Highway 74, it would be entirely different. What makes you think people who walk one short block to a ground-level walkway controlled by electric signals on Sprigg Street would be willing to climb a couple of flights of stairs to go up and over the highway at Ellis Street? The only thing that would be accomplished by building this walkway would be if it stops people from tearing down the fences.

Safety in numbers?

IF I knew somebody was looking for me and wanted to kill me, I sure would not go to a crowded public place where someone else could get hurt.

Riding on coattails

IT HAS been my experience that the best recruiter for a union is poor management. The nurses at St. Francis Medical Center have some clout because of their profession, but there are other employees, such as maintenance, cafeteria, janitorial and security workers, who will be riding on the nurses' coattails.

Time for tariffs

I'D LIKE to say something to the tariffs President Bush put on imported steel. Some individuals are complaining that it's wrong to do that. I think it's high time someone in government starts to protect the American worker. This has been going on for years. This is why we have a trade deficit. All President Bush has to do now is to do the same thing on other imports to get these American jobs back. I'd like to see factories being built in this country. Maybe we've got a man in the White House who will help do that.

Mind your own business

I READ where a Philadelphia school is sending letters to parents to correct their children's eating habits regarding obesity. Hooray for them. But don't stop there. Send out letters to parents who smoke. This is dangerous to their children's health. And don't forget to tell your kids that their parents in police work, firefighting and construction will probably be injured or get killed soon. Are any of the teachers at that school overweight? Do they smoke or drink too much alcohol? Let's discipline them. And if the parents are poor and the school lunch is the only meal that child gets today, should we take that away? I think people need to start monitoring their own business.