Roles of Unions, Managers

I just finished reading the article by E. Scott Reckard on unions in Orange County (“Unions’ Goals Enjoy Surprising Support,” Nov. 11), and I really must take exception to the comments by Craig Rutter, a 26-year-old marketing analyst: “[The labor movement] takes qualified people and holds them back, and takes unqualified people and promotes them to where they shouldn’t be.”

What does a 26-year-old know about unionism or how it feels to be summarily dismissed without due process after working for several years for a company because there is no union to protect the employee?

The main reason the situation Mr. Rutter describes occurs is because management is derelict in its responsibility to manage. If an employee’s unacceptable work record is properly documented and progressive discipline is invoked with due process rights appropriately afforded the employee, the union will not prevail. Unqualified workers will not be promoted to where they shouldn’t be.

Unions represent all bargaining unit members: If an employee is remiss in doing his/her job, the person next to this employee who is now doing double duty is also represented by the union and should also be protected.

The anti-unionists always blame the union, when, in fact, the blame should be placed squarely at the feet of inept management.

Cherri Tompkins

Field director, California

School Employees Assn.