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Milk for the Kids or Fuel for the Car? |
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Phil Hayes, Colorado Labor 2008 state director, talked with union members at a recent rally in Denver by working families, who tell him just how hard it is to pay for food and fuel in this nation’s economic mess.
Colorado union members, families and community advocates turned out in Denver to send a message to John McCain: Start supporting working families and saying “NO” to Big Oil!
At the rally, union members from AFT, CWA, GMP, IUOE, IUPAT, NATCA and SMWIA had a clear message: It’s time to turn around America. Oil companies are making out like bandits, while skyrocketing prices at the pump are battering working families. Manny Flores, a union member from Laborers (LIUNA) Local 720, puts it this way:
This is ridiculous. Two months ago, I spent $30 per week on gas for work. Now I have to pay over $60 per week. You have a choice—fill the tank, or buy milk for the kids. If I have $50, I spend $20 for gas, and the rest for bread, eggs, and milk. With this economy, you can’t live on what you make.
It’s clearer than ever that we’re headed in the wrong direction.
Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 9 member Angela Kent has had it with McCain and Big Oil.
Gas prices are outrageous. With what I make, I used to take my kids out for little extras, to the movies or to dinner, two or three times a month. Now it’s only once every three months.
Flores is feeling the same financial pressure.
We stay at home a lot. We don’t have extra money. There’s no money left. It doesn’t matter where—the park, theater, restaurant—there is no money to get you there.
Bush, McCain and their rich oil friends may not be struggling, but most of us are just trying to make ends meet. Steve King, a member of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT) Local 79, knows “gas prices are too high for everybody,” and he’s doing something about it.
We have to stand up and let them know we don’t like it. McCain’s all about big corporations and doesn’t care about the working family.
2 Comments
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While it’s true that we need to shift over to fuel efficient vehicles and more use of public transit, bikes and good fashioned walking, those alternatives will take time to implement and are not practical for everyone. In the meantime working class people need relief from transportation costs now.
For working class people in rural areas, outlying suburbs and small towns, public transit may not be available now and may not be practical in the future. They need immediate relief from rising transportation costs the most of all.
As a nation we need to commit ourselves to a long range shift over to alternative energy personal vehicles as well as to a massive investment in rail and bus lines.
Moving to an alternative energy economy will not only save our planet, it will provide jobs and improve our overall health.
In the meantime, let’s work out a plan so that working class people don’t have to shoulder the heaviest burden as we make this necessary transition.
The BobboSphere
So, you want fuel to be back at $0.35 per gl? How about telling GM, that if there going to shut down 4 plant’s that were building SUV’s/pick up’s. RE-TOOL them in to building the new HYDROGEN MOTOR”S ANT BUILD THE TRUCK”S THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN BUILDING. Make them so one can fill them up at your home’s hose bib, and then watch the price of oil go down to $0.35 pg. Till we get off the GAS well keep getting the ASS SPANKING that we deserve! When you have had enought PAIN thing’s will change!