If only unions had power

The facts as stated by David Darlow are beyond imagination (“Unions in control” – June 9). Claims that “unions are in control of all public sector and labor employees” is patently untrue. Public sector employees are not required to join a union. I worked in the U.S. Department of Defense for more than 30 years. That industry is forbidden by law to stage a strike or slow down. Wages are not set by the union, but are set by Congress and the executive branch. Nationwide, less than 20 percent of labor is union.

My wages in the Puget Sound region were set at 24 percent below prevailing wage in that area. From 1981 until today, the work “given” to contractors has cost taxpayers two-and-one-half times what it cost for that same work to be done by public employees, including benefits.

Darlow also fails to recognize employees in all the “right to starve” states, the so-called red states. Please research before parroting the nonsense.

Carlos Weber

Northport, Wash.