They were - and still are - called working class heroes for a reason. I’m proud to be a descendant of them, a wife to one who was glad to be one for a time, in a union he was glad to be in, at good wages and good benefits. Here’s to all of them who are working all around us, doing work we cannot do, greatly respected and for a very good reason considered the backbone of our country.
Unfortunately, as my piece points out, stone arch bridgebuilding is a lost art.
From my own perspective, and I spent twenty-two years laboring in an academic environment as a tradesman, we are not respected at all, outside of our groups of co-workers.
In my take-home box when I retired, I brought a photo from circa 1920, of a lot of machinists lined up in a factory setting for a group photo. All were wearing shirts and ties. Today the people who come to work dressed like that, proud of what they do, do so in China.
To the extent that this may be changing, I am ready, ever so ready, to applaud.
I’m not sure why anyone wouldn’t recognize the skill - not to mention the sheer nerve - of men (and now women) who make a living with their hands, their backs AND skill and the brains to accomplish building - or saving lives, or competently repairing infrastructure, drive machinery, build it, repair that machinery. Economic trade is driven by working people who deserve not only our respect but the respect of management.
Perhaps it’s just me but I see a shift from the 1990s greed is good culture that’s bled the heart out of a generation. Recognizing that not everything good comes from cynics and a culture elevating deals as opposed to honest work, properly paid by employers who might think wages need to be low for profit to be high enough to provide excess to the ownership class exclusively. It’s not. If we want good employees who take pride in their work, they must be respected.
That reminds me of a photo my dad showed me last time I was home. It's of my grandfather with his CCC company in the 30s, and despite the conditions of their work, none of 70-odd men looks defeated or overwhelmed.
They were - and still are - called working class heroes for a reason. I’m proud to be a descendant of them, a wife to one who was glad to be one for a time, in a union he was glad to be in, at good wages and good benefits. Here’s to all of them who are working all around us, doing work we cannot do, greatly respected and for a very good reason considered the backbone of our country.
That’s a great statement. I am one, too.
Unfortunately, as my piece points out, stone arch bridgebuilding is a lost art.
From my own perspective, and I spent twenty-two years laboring in an academic environment as a tradesman, we are not respected at all, outside of our groups of co-workers.
In my take-home box when I retired, I brought a photo from circa 1920, of a lot of machinists lined up in a factory setting for a group photo. All were wearing shirts and ties. Today the people who come to work dressed like that, proud of what they do, do so in China.
To the extent that this may be changing, I am ready, ever so ready, to applaud.
I’m not sure why anyone wouldn’t recognize the skill - not to mention the sheer nerve - of men (and now women) who make a living with their hands, their backs AND skill and the brains to accomplish building - or saving lives, or competently repairing infrastructure, drive machinery, build it, repair that machinery. Economic trade is driven by working people who deserve not only our respect but the respect of management.
Perhaps it’s just me but I see a shift from the 1990s greed is good culture that’s bled the heart out of a generation. Recognizing that not everything good comes from cynics and a culture elevating deals as opposed to honest work, properly paid by employers who might think wages need to be low for profit to be high enough to provide excess to the ownership class exclusively. It’s not. If we want good employees who take pride in their work, they must be respected.
That reminds me of a photo my dad showed me last time I was home. It's of my grandfather with his CCC company in the 30s, and despite the conditions of their work, none of 70-odd men looks defeated or overwhelmed.