ik-'stort

Should taxpayers bow to the union fist? The word for today is extortion (induced by wrongful use of actual or threatened force, violence, or fear, or under color of official right). Most of have seen movies about crime elements extorting money from victims, usually by force or intimidation or threats of intimidation. Well, we in Eugene have our own little extortion threat that made the local paper today.

The picture on our front page showed a developmentally challenged person embracing a person and stating how important the local bus service is important for them to get to their simple job they have. I don't think this is isolated to this little town - people all across the country rely on the bus to get them to where they need to go. Unfortunately, the local bus service (as probably true with most public transportation systems) is under the control of the union. Because the union wants more demands met they will threaten (intimidation) the public that relies on the bus system. For some people having no bus service would be just an inconvenience, for others it would be disastrous since they rely on the bus to get them to and from their jobs, stores, doctor, etc. These are the good people that usually have no choice for transportation, being used and abused by unions with power, money, and muscle.

I'm against public services being unionized for this very reason - they have the power to extort in order to attain their goals for more money, benefits, or whatever. The problem is this action threatens society - whether transportation services, law enforcement, whatever the public relies on, and it's wrong. In the local bus extortion attempt if an employee is not satisfied with their pay or benefits from the bus company then that person is free to take their skills to someone that will pay them more. This is what is great about America - no one forces you to work where you don't want. If you think you should get more money or benefits then ask your employer. If they are unable or unwilling then leave for something better - simple, huh?

I feel sad for those that have no choice but to take the bus for now they are helpless pawns in an ugly union tactic. If I try to extort money from a single person I can go to jail - yet unions of public services evidently can extort the masses and get away with it, and that is wrong.