In the earliest days of our country's history man was permitted to work at any job he was competent to perform and for which there was a need. His work was born of necessity either personal or national. A skilled workman could always find employment. In this manner the progress of our country was assured and accomplished. When the industrial revolution reached America factories were created to meet the masses' needs, and the workers organized to form unions or bargaining groups. The two ideologies, employers vs. workers, were often at odds with one another and many acts of violence occurred. Gradually unions gained in strength and in numbers and at one time over 20 million Americans joined collective bargaining agencies or unions. Today there is less union membership.

As a result many good things happened for the worker. However and unfortunately, the Mafia and other unsavory elements wove their way into the fabric of the organizations and the respectability of the unions was tarred and diminished.

Today, the opportunity for a workman to join a union should be a right, and always a right. The necessity of joining a union in order to work, however, is wrong and should be corrected. Every state should adopt a "Right to Work Program" and it should eventually be a national or federal program. There is legislation presently on the books which permits unions to commit violence and even death if in so doing they were working to enhance the objectives of the union! This is a disgraceful state of affairs and unions should be held accountable for their actions and for all their acts of violence. Unions should not be above the law!

If workers wish to join a union to seek certain objectives or benefits they should be free to do so. If, however, they have no desire to join a union they should not be forced to do so! Such an action is un-American!

The Taft Hartley legislation was a great step forward for the worker and the right to work without coercive unionism is yet another step forward.