Recently, I have witnessed a demonizing of unions in America and I am usually confronted with the same argument: “It’s the unions that are destroying this country by demanding too much money, too many benefits. We’re all suffering and it’s time they sacrificed, also.”

It seems that many people feel that if they can’t have benefits and a decent wage, than neither should anyone else.

There is a trend now to discredit unions, and many feel that we no longer need their protection.

This has been reinforced by anti-union campaigns run by organizations such as ALEC and Fox News, which claim unions are exploiting laborers and stealing their dues from the pockets of the little guy.

I recently read that 58 percent of the voters of Michigan would support a Right to Work Law. But as it has in other states, a Right to Work Law would only lower wages, create disunity and sponsor unhealthy job competition. This would have devastating affects upon blue collar Michigan.

Meanwhile, corporations continue to make record-breaking profits without creating more jobs. Last year, the average CEO made 12.14 million, 231 times more than the average worker made. The top 500 corporations made $824 billion in profits, up 16 percent from 2010. Unemployment remains about 8.6 percent with 30 percent of the workforce underemployed.

Companies are not hiring because they don’t have to. Instead they are making the workforce do more for less. Only unions can stand up to them.

Americans need union protection, but they blame their lack of prosperity upon the institution that could provide them that protection.

As long as we are divided over this issue, the average worker will remain weak and left out of the current prosperity.

We need to stand up to the GOP and we need unions to keep the middle class and America strong. We can all live the dream if we stand together.

www.southcountydems.com