Union NFL Solidarity

Union NFL Solidarity

Greetings!

Who knew? That it would take only three weeks of a disaster football season to make the point that replacement referees are not the answer. That the Big Money team owners were getting what they paid for. That quality union referees bring a lot to the table – skill, experience and a seasoned eye for the game. When the football owners locked out the union refs over a contract disputes at the beginning of the season, most fans could have predicted the outcome. And there is was on full display – on national TV this past week before they two sides finally settled. It just goes to show you that quality and experience count for a lot. Commentator after commentator offered up the same sentiment: “You can’t blame the replacements. They simply don’t have the skill and experience of the real thing.”

NFL fans learned the hard way that unions serve a purpose beyond helping their members. In fact, training for safety and excellence has always been a part what unions offer, no matter the industry. Outside of the U.S. military, unions provide the largest career training program in the States. It’s just one more way unions continue to deliver for our country and it shouldn’t be a surprise that the gold standard for many industries is set by the level of union quality. “Hut, hut, hike.”

In solidarity,

Labor 411

Don’t forget! This is the last week for our latest raffle prize – an awesome duffle from Filson. Enter here.

By the Numbers

16%:

Cut in salary that NFL owners tried to impose on NFL referees.

104:

Floors in the new World Trade Center building, constructed using union workers, many who entered training programs through the Helmets to Hardhats program after serving with the military.

Product Spotlight:

Union Coffee

Those who survive the morning and beyond (especially on Mondays) by enjoying few cups of hot coffee know that quality is key. Brewers who want a quick joe on the go should stick with the household names of Folgers and Maxwell House, both union-made. But if you’re a connoisseur of the coffee bean, check out the USA Coffee Company. They are 100% union, which means even the beans (grown in Hawaii) are their own – a true rarity in the world of coffee!