I have to control my temper and emotions when unions are brought into a discussion.

I have personally met Richard Trumka in a professional manner back when he was the president of the United Mine Workers of America. My then husband was breaking his back as a steelworker and member of the UMWA while Trumka stepped on him and other union workers to rise to his present -day position as president of the AFL-CIO - making more than $238,975 in annual salary (not to mention benefits and perks and his hefty promise of retirement benefits).

We paid union dues even though my exhusband drove hundreds of miles and spent weeks away from home to work at non-union jobs. His loyalty to the union was well bred and well intended, although I doubt he'll ever have enough hours working union jobs to get any benefits from paying the weekly dues.

The history of the labor union where I grewup, the UMWA, was paved with the best intentions for the safety, health and well fair of good, decent, honest, hard workers. It's turned into a greed infested cesspool of double talking suits with offices in DC. Sorry, but that felt sorta' good.

The number of union members has dropped so dramatically that the union leaders are fighting in other countries, IMHO not to help workers but to help themselves keep positions of influence and keep large salaries.

Sorry, but that felt sorta' good. Now, if you wanna know how I really feel about unions in New England....