"When union membership thrives, so does the middle class"

For all those private sector 9-5ers (lower level "bankers" - ahem - people that work for big banks but make little money) that like to hate on unionized employees and all their dental appointments, secure pensions, and summer vacations, this article by Antonia Zerbisias of the Toronto Star will make you think twice before you keep on throwing rocks when the glass house you live in has a huge crack in it.

Unions - whether you're in one or not - are pretty well the only defense the public has against corporate exploitation.  Well it was the only defense.  In all these attacks against teachers, we seem to have forgotten about what happened in London (Ontario) earlier this year when Caterpillar just up and decided to close its newly bought plant when it couldn't get its way with striking employees.  And I'm not even going to start on what's happening with Target in Canada.

Moral of the story:

Unless you're at the top of the capitalist heap, you're just like the rest of us.