Democracy not dependent on unions

We live in a democracy that has done quite well for over 200 years, regardless of union membership.

Congratulations to the Water District 19 employees who secured a union contract. They will receive more benefits and the water district should be able to attract needed help.

I take exception to Bob Powell’s hyperbolic statement that “Unions are key to democracy and social justice.” Social justice, perhaps; democracy, definitely not. We live in a democracy that has done quite well for over 200 years, regardless of union membership. The United States elected its first black president at a time union membership was falling from 20% in 1983 to 10% in 2019. Private industry union membership is less than 7%, the lowest level since 1932, and yet our democracy continues.

As a point of information, in a former life, I was a member of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and my son currently is a member of the WEA, where he previously served as a shop steward.

— Scott Harvey