Let’s get together and end this strike

Let’s get together and end this strike
Date	June 24, 2004
Section(s)	Opinion
To the Editor: I have been reading the articles concerning the Maytag strike. There are several issues I would like to address. First, I would like to thank the Maytagers on the picket line. They felt they had to take a stand and are doing so. My family has Maytag ties. My husband worked for Maytag for 23 years. He went through the strike in 1971. He is now retired. My father also worked there for many years. My sister worked there as well as quite a few of her in-laws. We were proud to be Maytagers. It meant good wages and benefits for a job well done. Factory work is hot, noisy and dirty. Not everyone can do it. Does the Maytag name mean dependability as it once did? Probably not. Second, I would like to thank the Maytag Company for all they have done to better our community; Maytag Park, pool, donation of the DMACC building site, scholarships. Most of these date back many years. The best investment Maytag made was to invest in their production workers and their families. Long-time employees with lots of experience equals success for the company. Thirdly, I would like to point out that to belittle the job that the production workers have been doing and then try to take back benefits that have been won in the past is not a good bargaining practice. It leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Lastly, we have good people on both sides. The union has strong leadership. Maytag has reasonable people. There ought to be a way to meet in the middle. Right now it looks like the production workers are being asked to give up some gains while the company CEO and other management are still receiving huge salaries and some get a bonus. Let’s even this up a bit and drop the line that the workers aren’t doing a good job. Local 997, thanks for taking a stand. Let’s make it a two-way street, not a one-way street. Nancy Townsend Newton

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