Defend the American Dream Rally in SLO

Rally was a big success (meaning the message was delivered and I managed to get through my speech with no major flubs). Local media coverage was as good as can be expected. Links to KCOY here and KSBY here. KSBY story here. The Tribune gave it about 104 words. [Nice going Tribune!!] Here's the text of my speech...

Thanks for having me here today, and thanks to Diane and Jim and Andrea for giving me the opportunity to speak. My name is [The Hornet] and I’m a public employee. I work in that building right over there and I want you to know right off the bat that, yes, I am a proud member of a public employees union. But I’m here today as a private person, as a worker, as a nine-to-fiver, who does his job, and who -- thanks to the sacrifices of lots of brave people before me – has a retirement plan, and sick leave, and vacation days, and a health benefit, not to mention an 8-hour workday, a 40-hour work week, a safe workplace, regular bathroom breaks and a comfortable chair.

It’s remarkable, when you think about it, what the labor movement has accomplished over the past 100 years or so. Workers didn’t used to have it so good, that’s for sure. But somehow, these days, even after so many advances, some people have decided it’s time to chip away at the rights we’ve achieved over all those years. Nowadays, it seems, they’ve managed to pit us all against each other. Private sector workers are upset because public sector workers have job security and benefit packages? Think about that for just a minute. Teachers are now the enemy? Policemen and firefighters are to be scorned? Public servants shouldn’t be rewarded for their public service? This kind of resentment raises only one question for me: What ever happened to the pensions and benefits of private sector employees? Where have they gone? It makes no sense to me, and it feels like we are going backwards.

So here we are, holding a rally in support of the rights of public employees: their right to organize and to bargain; to better their job situations and to have a say in their working conditions. And some people have decided to try to end all that, to break our solidarity, a solidarity that extends – or should extend -- not only to every public employee, but to every employee. This fight is for the future not only of every unionized worker, but of every worker. Period.

In a nation where 400 people – 400 people – have as much wealth as the next 155 million of us combined, this debate should not be over what benefits to take away from the many, but what obligations and responsibilities remain with the few.

So let’s stay strong, let’s stay united, and let’s support the right of every worker – public or private – to a safe workplace, a rewarding career and a secure retirement.

Thank you.