When Platoon was in theatres, a Vietnam veteran invited me to watch the movie with him. He had already seen the movie several times; he wanted me to see the kinds of things to which he was subjected during his several tours of duty. With great emotion, he quietly narrated the movie to me. There were times he was moved to tears; at other times, he could hardly be constrained. Most memorable was a scene where a soldier went to pick up a stuffed animal. Aloud, my friend warned the solider that the toy was not what it appeared to be. Without any military experience, I had no idea that the stuffed animal was a trap. Of course, there was an explosion. From that point on in the movie, I had a new perspective regarding the perceptions and reality of danger for any soldier.

Similarly, Duluthians ought to understand that when the city council proposes something that is supposed to be beneficial to everyone, it is not always the case. Far too often, policy is passed and sold to the public as something it is not. One such policy is Councilor Stover’s proposed ordinance 06-042-0.

This ordinance, aimed at any hotel or restaurant entering into a development agreement with the city, will require the proposed business to bypass federal law regarding the process of union organizing and open its doors to the crudest form of unionization (Card Check Neutrality Agreement). This involves bypassing the ability of the employee to cast his or her vote in secret when voting whether or not to unionize. Purportedly, the ordinance’s purpose is to eliminate the ability of any business large or small to intimidate workers. According to testimony given at the city council on October 10, 2006, the federally recognized process, approved under the Democratic administration of President Truman and upheld by the
US Supreme Court Linden Lumber decision, is unfair to the worker. Labor peace, then, is the union’s mantra and helping low wager earners out of poverty is their motive. We should be aware that the actual solutions to this complicated problem most likely have less to do with union organization and more to do with improving social and economic policy.

In 1996 under President Clinton’s leadership, the process of helping the lower-wage worker was started. In the last ten years, welfare rates have fallen from five million cases to just under two million. The poverty rate of single, married, and never married working mothers has all fallen. Wage subsidies (earned income credit) and child care support has also been introduced to help lower wage workers to start ascending income levels. However, much work remains to be done, including expanding opportunities for those at the bottom of the income scale and making sure real educational opportunities are available for them to improve their skills, thereby making them employable wherever they choose to work.

Finally, Councilor Stover wants to make businesses accountable to the city for any public subsidies from which they might benefit. The Chamber agrees. However, the city council is the one who willingly enters into these agreements and they already have the ability to vote against such initiatives. If Councilor Stover and his elected colleagues want to avoid such things, all they have to do is vote – a city ordinance superseding a federal law will not help
Councilor Stover or any of his colleagues think more clearly when presented with such proposals.

Councilor Stover has been on the council for over six years. If he cannot offer more constructive ordinances than this, he should reconsider a third run for city council.

Take a moment to let the city council know what you think; the council can be emailed at council@ci.duluth.mn.us.