Labor Day Off?

  It's Labor Day 2012. For many of you that means
an extra long weekend.
  Me, I'll spend it like most of the others I've seen
since 1959.
  I'll be working!
  If you're not already shocked by that revelation
consider the fact I've been "retired" since 2009!
  But about the time they pulled the plug on WYOU
News I began volunteering with Electric City TV.
   And since then I've been doing a weekly
Public Affairs program with Lackawanna County
President Judge Tom Munley.
   We do it every Monday come.......well you know
what "and high water." And that includes Labor Day!
    I once did a story on Channel 22 about people
who worked on Labor Day. People besides me!
    Most of them said they really didn't mind
working on the holiday.
    Of course most of them got extra pay for doing so!
    Strange thing about that too.
    When our station was unionized we got double tine
and a half for working Labor Day (and several other
holidays.)  After the union got "voted out" the holiday
pay went down to a time and a half rate.
    At that "rate" the union was certainly a benefit!
    A lot of people who aren't working and have
the day off are probably attending La Festa Italiana
in Scranton.
    With all the music and food booths set up
around the Courthouse I wonder how many will
pay any attention to the status of John Mitchell on
the Adams Avenue side of the building?
     Mitchell, who was know world round as a
labor leader became President of the United
Mine Workers of America. And though he wasn't
from Scranton he's buried there.
     His union led the struggle for the 5 day work
week and for a decent life for the men who built
our area by laboring underground in the coal
mines!
    Unions have come under a lot of fire over the
past few years.
    There's no question they improved the lives of
many working men and women over the years.
     But Labor Day isn't a time to salute unions.
     It's a time to remember the people who
labor every day to support themselves and their
families, our country and our communities!
     Give them an extra pat on the back! Especially
if they're working on Labor Day!
      Hope you enjoy your extra day off and that
all your NEWS is good!