Picket signs once spoke
loud and clear of freedom
men walking along the
cobbled streets the soot
no longer rising from the
factory stacks where they
chose to fight for higher
wages and benefits for
growing families telling
their story again and
again heads held high
walking the picket line
Picket signs now tell us
who others are and who
everyone should be with
ideas pressing against
truths men and women fight
to bring about changes
fought for so long ago to
narrow a wide gap between
haves and have-nots in a
park or on a street corner
heads held high walking
another picket line
© October 2011 Renee Espriu
My dad worked for the Ford Motor Co and was always proud to carry a picket sign when it was his turn for ‘picket duty’ but he always managed to keep our family afloat by going down to the docks to find work. Then, unions accomplished far more than they do today, by fighting for increased wages and better benefits. In today’s world they are still fighting to achieve the same things but as most of these things were not even in place originally for most of the companies in the United States…giving the reason why unions were established to begin with…their fight is on a different level as companies generally have decent wages in place and benefits. But all in all companies that have unions for their employees are a plus as when a worker has a problem they have someone to back them up.  Â
reneejustturtleflight.com 
Hi Renee, so many more people now are feeling the pinch , and I think that more will join the picket lines, and demonstrate in general as people wake up to how Big buisness opperates.. And people are Wising up to the Banks and the Games at play..
Hope you are well my friend.. Sue.
LikeLike
I didn’t grow up with first hand knowledge of unions and picket lines … but I just returned from NJ visiting friends … and unions were a topic of conversation … I asked questions to get a better understanding of them in the modern years … to me there is much gray … and not just black and white!!
Have a great weekend ~~
LikeLike
There is so much about unions and many history books on them and why they were first organized and what they were for. Nothing is ever black and white because life is too complex for that. I only wanted to give a brief look at the surface of it because it goes so much deeper and really there is so little space for detail. Hope you get some of your questions answered. You, too, enjoy your weekend, Becca!
LikeLike
I’ve never crossed a picket line. I was raised Union Yes and told from an early age why unions were important. The union bosses, warned Mother Jones (hero of the union movement), should never be dressed all fancy, nor should they be sprung from jail before the rank and file. So the bosses of today are corrupt, but that’s no reason to demonize the workers. It’s like saying that, because a pastor abuses a kid, the whole church should go to hell!
Thank you for this spirited poem, Renee!
LikeLike
My dad would never cross one in all the years he worked for Ford Motor Co and did believe then it would bring about change. His views are mixed now he is older but in their day they were powerful organizations. Glad you liked it, Amy.
LikeLike
changing scenarios. it was so easy to trust leaders in old days, nowadays, we have to check their motives too.
LikeLike
You understood my intent perfectly, Trisha, and I’m happy that you did. You are wise beyond your years. Thank You!
LikeLike