[color=blue][/color] PEF PEF, the union, was formed after WWII by eight state employees. One of the 'founding fathers' was a Polish-American (one of the virtues of cultural diversity is we identify ourselves with a prefix) from Watervliet. We will call this man Stash. Stash was a friend & neighbor of mine. Stash as a young man was 'offended' by the German invasion of Poland in 1939. Stash was 17, he wanted to journey to join the Polish Army in exile. Stash's father wisely talked him out of it, he told Stash that America would be at war soon. "Fight for America, you will get benefits after the war". Stash had a lung shot out in the Pacific, Stash's father was correct. Stash went on to become a NY State employee, he & others saw a need for a union. The union was formed. Unions like PEF were formed as a necessary 'evil'. Now the protector of workers, unions, holds workers back, stifles commerce & corrupts the political process. PEF does not reflect the spirit of Stash. PEF provides high paying jobs for a select few in the union chain of command. PEF brings out the worst qualities in union membership. The lifeboat mentality prevails in PEF ranks. The strong survive at the expense of the weak. The weak are fee to the sharks. The work force of the State of New York is a bloated mess, the politicians & union leadership in collusion caused this to occur. The workers are 'almost' innocent bystanders. If PEF leadership wanted to do it's membership & the tax payer a big favor, out every political appointee & unnecessary job. Such an act of bravery would cause everyone pain but it would be the just thing to do. Men like Stash are not with us anymore, a truly great generation in so many ways. What they fought for in war & peace has been corrupted. Ditto America. |