NewsOK member benefits

Labor violence has long, ignoble history

The Oklahoman Editorial | Published: December 19, 2012 Comment on this article

NewsOK Related Articles

Call to overhaul county government in Oklahoma makes fiscal sense
12/19/2012 THE Oklahoma Academy has called for abolishing or consolidating county governments in Oklahoma, saying the “current 77 county system is antiquated,...
Rich Lowry: Act on mental illness
12/19/2012 Newtown is the latest locale in America to become synonymous with senseless slaughter. The shock and the horror are so intense, it almost guarantees that...
Oklahoma lawmakers should reject effort to limit new parole law
12/19/2012 Oklahoma voters made it clear in November that they believe the state Pardon and Parole Board can do its job without the governor serving as a backstop on...

Union apologists will note that the history of labor strife is rife with violence inflicted on striking union members rather than by those members. This is true. Such violence led to laws increasing worker rights to organize.

As unions grew in strength, a tide turned and the balance was tipped toward labor. Efforts to restore some balance — such as right-to-work legislation — are being met with fierce resistance. When that resistance includes thuggery, labor has gone too far.

Public officials, starting with President Barack Obama, need to unequivocally state that union violence in any form is an unacceptable means of pursuing or opposing political change.

Page 2 of 2