Speak Out A 03/29/03

Who would want that?

I CAN totally understand why everyone is against the unions. Who wants higher pay, better benefits, and job security? You would have to be a lunatic to want these terrible things.

Don't relax trade

I ENJOYED the recent columns on Cuba by Gary Rust. An item of interest has been missing from most of the media. An unfounded rumor stated that Cubans were welcome at the Mexican Embassy. Cubans stormed the embassy begging for asylum. Castro's police, with clubs and dogs, stopped them. During the attack a reporter and photographer from the Reuters news agency were beaten. Their camera was taken away, and Cuba forbade Reuters Television from broadcasting images of the incident. Did the world press come down hard on Cuba? Well, have you seen or heard about it on the evening news? Neither have I. I read about it in National Review. This says volumes about the media's courage to rally around its own. And, do we really want to relax trade with Cuba? I don't think so.

Union strength

I'VE READ so many negative things about unions and union members. Apparently a lot of anti-union people have no clue what it was like in this country prior to the unions. Even if a job site now isn't union, the workers still benefit due to the fact that unions hold employers to a certain standard. Second, unions are as strong as their membership. The members are the union. They negotiate their contracts and vote on them. It is not done by outside people. Just remember that there are a lot of union members in good standing out here. We go to hospitals, too. We know that union facilities give great care and their employees are treated much better than non-union. Good luck to all the nurses who are trying to improve their hospital.

Stop taking my money

SENIOR CITIZENS, school boards, welfare recipients, food-stamp recipients, HUD recipients and other freebie receivers: I am so tired of those who want more and more from my check. I get up every morning regardless of whether I feel good or not and go to work. I have not missed a day in 12 years. I stayed in school and got my high school education. Every time I pick up the newspaper somebody wants more from my hard-earned check. Just remember that the government can only hand out what it takes from working people.

A big load

NOT ONLY are many callers to Speak Out authorities on God, religion, social mores and government, but also are authorities on the thinking of Democrats. To be so astute and knowledgeable in all things must carry a horrendous weight.

What they deserve

I'M SO glad that the nurses at St. Francis Medical Center are going to get to vote for a union. Now if only they get what they deserve. The union is going to do so much for you: fewer hours , lower pay, less voice in the decision-making process. The union can tell the hospital how the game is going to be played, and the nurses will have no voice to counteract the new rules. When I go by nurses on a picket line, I will be sure to blow my horn.

Little courage

I AM a Republican and voted for George W. Bush. I cannot understand how he can sign the campaign-finance bill. Just a year ago he regarded key elements of the bill unconstitutional and said he would veto it. Those elements are still there. As David Limbaugh pointed out in a recent column, Congress and the president have abrogated their responsibility to make no laws contrary to the Constitution. I am disappointed with all of those who did not have the courage of their convictions and who ended up supporting this incumbent-protection bill.

Grass isn't so green

ST. JOHN'S in St. Louis and Marion Memorial are trying to vote the union out. St. Anthony's in St. Louis voted it down. The grass must not have been greener on the union side.

Problem is everywhere

I WISH the news media would slow down on all the bad priest talk. It's a shame and a terrible sin. But when the media only focuses on priests and the Catholic church, it makes it appear that the Catholic church is corrupt. It isn't. All denominations have their abuses and scandals. It isn't limited to the Catholic church or the priesthood. We have wonderful priests in our area who are being hurt from all of this.

Excellent care

I CANNOT tell you how absolutely offended I was when the nurses quoted in the article in the Missourian insinuated that we at St. Francis Medical Center give poor patient care. Every RN, LPN and NA should be infuriated that the pro-union people would have such a low opinion of each and every one of you. Maybe they give poor patient care and want something for nothing, but I know for a fact that the majority of the patient-care people give excellent care. These pro-union people need to take a hard look at themselves.

Not a good impression

THIS IS for the college graduate who was complaining about the job market in Cape. He has a degree in psychology and should have learned to reason things out. However, he seems to blame his woes on the political party in office. If his resume is as disjointed and irrational as his Speak Out comment, no wonder employers are not contacting him.

Result: hard feelings

THE SADDEST thing about the union activity at St. Francis Medical Center, whether it's voted in or not, will be the hard feelings resulting from co-workers being on opposing sides. We used to be a family working together. It will never be the same, union or not. The trust is gone among staff members because of the union activity. Please vote no on the union. Let's get back to doing what we do best: working together and taking care of the patients.

Speech winners

CONGRATULATIONS TO Isaac Venable, Lisa Steffans and Tyler Tankersley for going to the Optimist zone speech competition. A special congratulations to Tyler for winning first. Tyler will move on to the district competition. Good luck, Tyler. And I want to congratulate the Jackson High School speech and debate team on an awesome year. Most of the members are going to state April 19. We need to encourage and help these youths of Jackson.

Power of voting

DAVID LIMBAUGH'S column regarding passage of the campaign-finance bill stated: "At one time, Congress and the president routinely honored their respective duties to consider the constitutionality of legislation." How true. However, it seems that during the past decade they began to relinquish their oath to defend the Constitution solely to the Supreme Court. This shows a lack of courage on the part of legislators and the president. The Constitution is not the exclusive property of lawyers, judges and politicians. The voting public also has a constitutional role to exercise. Come Election Day, remember those who did not have the courage to vote against this insidious bill and exercise your constitutional right to remove them from office.

Money to union

TO THE nurses who are pro-union at St. Francis Medical Center: Do you really believe a union will solve the problems of being understaffed and underpaid? Where is the union going to come up with more nurses when there is a nationwide shortage. The managed-care environment is compounding the shortage. Unions cannot change managed care. And a union cannot deliver a higher salary. But what they can do is make us pay union dues. If there are 387 registered nurses at St. Francis and the dues are $35 per month, then dues alone would total $13,545 per month. This is money that would go to the union. That's a lot of money. You pro-union nurses better be careful about what you wish for.

I'VE BEEN a patient at St. Francis Medical Center several times and have nothing but great things to say about my nurses and my care. Everyone seemed happy -- pretty busy at times, but never too busy to give good care. I guess I'm confused over why the nurses feel they need a union. What does a union know about health care? I agree that nurses work long, hard hours and probably don't get paid enough. A union is only going to drive away the nurses who don't want to be a part of the union and maybe even patients. I think I'd be torn about which hospital I'd go to if one was unionized and one wasn't. I'd hate to be put in that position to have to make that choice since I have always preferred St. Francis.

I LIKE government, my party's platform, my doctor, labor unions and the ungreedy rich. Yet I am 100 percent Democrat. Now isn't that amazing?

Based on performance

IF TWO nurses started at St. Francis Medical Center at the same time with the same salary and worked in the same area for 10 years, they would not be making the same wage. Annual raises are based on evaluations. If you have a good evaluation, you could get a bigger raise. If you get bad evaluations over those 10 years, you might get a smaller raise if any raise at all. So some of the disparity in salaries probably stems from poor job performance.