Learning Has Occurred.

Today came about pretty spontaneously.  Well, today didn't.  It was going to happen whether any of us wanted it to or not.  I guess I should say that this post came about all on its lonesome due to the actions of a plucky few.

Allow me to explain.  Trust me, it'll go a lot easier if you do...

As it turns out, I'm working in the high-rise district today, on a trade so I can go to the aforementioned Wilco show tomorrow night in Rockford.  As a result, I'm working mostly with guys I don't normally work with.  Except for one, Mike, who is also in on a trade.  This means I don't necessarily know the habits (quirks?) of the guys here today.

As we sat around the kitchen table this morning figuring out who was doing what and looking at how our day might shake out, there was a little discussion (as is typical) about (and, I might add, vitally important) meals.  The guys on Fightin' Medic 3, sorry, old habits die hard, Fightin' Medic 103, were tasked with meals which, of course, includes shopping for same.

Now, we have the good fortune of having multiple options for groceries in our still district.  We have, in no particular order; Angelo Caputo's, Trader Joe's and Jewel.  That's kind of nice from a shopping perspective, but there is a point or two I'd like to make here.

Eventually.

If you come by here at all, you've probably seen one or more of my rants on life around the firehouse, including what unionism has done to make things better in our jobs.  I take that seriously, far more seriously now than I did back in the day.  Back when I was too ignorant to heed good advice from my local's union leaders.  And that's one of the many reasons I spend as much time as I do preaching the positive aspects of unionism to the young guys around here now.  Kind of a "learn from my mistakes"  lesson.

But if you ask me, and, frankly, even if you don't, I'll tell you that I believe good union members don't look out only for the best interests of themselves and their coworkers.  Good union members look out for the best interests of union members everywhere.  And, indirectly, the best interests of everyone else in a "rising tide lifts all boats" kind of way.

So what do I mean?  I mean, if you're going to call yourself a good union member, spend your money in union shops whenever possible.  If you need a new car, buy one that's made by United Auto Workers members instead of something that was shipped here from overseas.  Need some electrical work done in your house?  Hire a member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.  And if you're buying groceries, patronize a United Food and Commercial Workers store.

Like, in the greater Chicagoland area, a Jewel store for instance.

I didn't make a point of mentioning this to the guys before they left.  Again, I don't have to say it to the guys I usually work with, they get it.  And, with rare (very rare) exception, they spend our money at the Jewels.  So, as I sat in the bubble this morning (the best spot in any of our firehouses to sit and think btw) contemplating what I would say to (and write about, because obvs) the fellas when they got back, you can imagine my delight when they rolled back to the station carrying...

Yup.  Jewels bags.

Go on, take a second and imagine my delight.

Cause let me tell you, my delight was significant.  And I pointed that out to them.  I was (still am) proud that they chose so wisely.  Of course, Al admitted to me that thinking about the earful I'd have given them had they not gone to the Jewels was what kept him on the straight and narrow.  Hey, any port in the storm, amirite?

I fully recognize people sometimes will overlook, innocently, what should be an easy choice.  I recognize that sometimes people will, unknowingly, make a non-union choice.  I also know that sometimes people, like my friend Erick (I haven't figured out if the "c" or the "k" is redundant, but one of them is), will make a deliberate choice of non-union brewed adult beverage for the sole purpose of getting me spun up for his own amusement.  But that's a story for another day.

So what am I getting at here?  In brief (Ok, the "brief" ship has long since sailed) I want to remind my brother and sister union members (and anyone else willing to listen) that we owe a lot to our unions.  In many cases the roof over our head, the clothes on our back, the food in our kids belly, etc. These wages, work conditions, benefits, et al were not given to us out of the generosity of our employers, they were fought for by our unions.  We should be proud of our unionism.  We should support our unionism.  And, if we want others to support us, we should recognize other union members need our support too.  When union jobs are lost; say, because we want to save a few pennies by shopping at a cheap, non-union store, we have no one to blame but ourselves.

Brotherhood is more than just a word.  It's a way of life.

At least it should be.

Peace

PS.  Can I just give one more tip of the hat to Al and Nate?  Not only did they shop Jewels, they brought back some chocolate chip and some double chocolate cookies.  And as we all know, cookies are good for the soul.