Conservatives’ anti-unionism is not rational
Re: “Stuffing union coffers with taxpayer cash,” March 29
Without a hint of irony, Mark Hemingway rails against a vote-by-mail election in Michigan in which 6,000 workers sent back ballots that resulted in 40,000 private day care workers being unionized. This is exactly the kind of secret-ballot election conservatives claim they want, versus “card check,” in which at least 20,001 of those private day care workers would have to sign on.
Is anyone suggesting a low-turnout local or special election be voided because only 15 percent of the electorate turned out? Is this “workplace democracy” symbolized by the secret ballot, or Pavlovian anti-unionism conservatives champion when they oppose “card check”?
‘Twas a time when conservatives understood that situation-specific solutions bargained between unions and employers were way better than one-size-fits-all government fiats, but that day is a distant memory. Even before communism collapsed, conservatives and corporations cast their lots together, seven against anti-communist organized labor.
The conservative renaissance required removing unions as a liberal vote-generating resource while corporations concentrated half the country’s wealth in the hands of 1 percent of its households while systematically resisting unionizing drives and shuttering unionized factories. Modern conservatism’s anti-unionism is now so visceral, it may not even be rational.
Dino Drudi
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Coke doing its part in war against obesity
Re: “Are soft drinks getting any healthier?” March 21
A recent column by Drs. Mehmet Oz and Michael Roizen criticized companies like mine for putting calorie information on the front of our products, saying it is “not enough” to fix obesity. We agree.
While putting calories front and center can’t force people to make balanced food choices, it can give them the straight facts to make better, more informed decisions.
Experts tell us maintaining a healthy weight involves hard work. We must balance calories and get active. That is why my company has worked to reduce soda calories in school by 88 percent, increase no- and low-calorie drink options, and partnered with the government and third parties to get people moving.
The battle against the bulge is so complex that no one entity can solve it alone. We’re trying to do our part, and we invite Drs. Oz and Roizen to join us.
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