Once again Richard L. Tucker and his friends with ABC have missed the bus when it comes to this supposed “skilled-labor shortage” as written in “A Measurable Plan Can Improve Labor” (ENR 09/1 p. 47). The truth is, there is no shortage of workers, only a shortage of pay and benefits.

I worked nonunion before I was organized into the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. The difference was black and white. I am not an officer of the union, but a blue-collar, hard-hat wearing worker. When I worked open shop, the pay was dismal. I had to pay for my health insurance and had no retirement whatsoever. In the union, I make $22.00 per hour, have paid health insurance, 13 paid holidays, three weeks paid vacation and a pension into which I don’t have to pay.

Keep in mind I make all this in the heart of ABC country, in the right-to-work-for-nothing state of Texas. Even in San Antonio, where I live, many of the skilled trades are union. Go to any union hall and see if there is any shortage of applicants. Most unions only take applications once or twice a year because of all the people trying to get into the trade.

Until the contractors are willing to increase pay and benefits, and stop this race to the bottom with pay, they will continue to claim there is a shortage of skilled labor. Contractors need to learn they are not going to keep good help by throwing a barbecue once a year. The new baseball hat at Christmas is nice to a nonunion worker, but he would rather have decent benefits and pay.

Charlie Hinders
IBEW Local 500
San Antonio, Texas

Don’t Forget

As we reach the second-year commemoration of the terrorist acts of Sep. 11, 2001, I continue to sit in amazement of the press and television coverage and remembrances (ENR 9/8 p. 12). While the World Trade Center attacks killed more people than the other terrorist targets—Flight 77 at the Pentagon and Flight 93 in Pennsylvania—it is as if none of those other events occurred.

The heroism of those on Flight 93, surely saving many lives, and those who continuously entered the flaming inferno of the Pentagon are not remembered and essentially continue to be unnoticed.

The efforts of those 4,232 patriotic and heroic “hard hats” and military personnel who rebuilt the Pentagon under the Phoenix Project mantra are ignored, as if their efforts were expected and were non-efforts compared to the World Trade Center.

Allyn E. Kilsheimer
President
KCE Structural Engineers, P.C.
Washington, D.C.