Union Payroll Adds Children of Members, Inquiry Finds
By KATIE ZEZIMA
Published: June 10, 2005
BOSTON, June 9 - Union longshoremen here have been placing children as young as 2 years old on their payroll for years in a scheme to secure jobs and higher salaries for members' children when they reach working age, the state attorney general said Thursday.

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The problem with this is that the old maxim, “Power corrupts, ultimate power corrupts ultimately” is once again proven true.

Unfortunately, the history major in me feels the need to point out something that is just as important. Before unions came along, the American worker had no rights. There was no such thing as an eight-hour workday, no overtime, no health care benefit, no benefits period. You were happy to have a job and you did everything you could to keep it because that was all that stood between you and poverty.

This was no secret, of course. The companies who employed American workers knew they had the upper hand and relentlessly took advantage. This led to outrage and protests, the union movement and strikes, negotiations and laws. Union workers pay dues to be members so that their best interests could be looked after.

Once you have someone in charge, though, it’s hello Jimmy Hoffa. Am I wrong to expect more from people, or, since it’s a given that human beings are flawed, should I simply accept that more is neither expected nor required?

Scandals will continue to break, over and over again until the end of time. Perhaps it’s safe to say that while mankind has the capacity for both good and evil, given the opportunity and the likelihood of gain, whether it is financial, political, or whatever, mankind will always choose evil.

Depressing? Yes. Realistic? Probably.