I just read the article in the Electrical Worker (January 2012 Electrical Worker) about the Potosi group and their challenge to become union members. What a great story! I am so impressed with the diligence and commitment that these people have given to their community.

It seems that unions have been given such a bad rap over the years, and they did an amazing job of winning over their city. They care about where they live and it shows in a very positive way. It is nice to see how much time and effort they put into the seniors in Potosi. Nice article, nice story line. Tell them that Minnesota is very impressed, and proud to call them union brothers!

Wendy O'Neil, Local 160 member
Minneapolis

The article "Big Lessons for Labor/Community Alliances in Small Missouri City" and sidebar, "NECA/IBEW Family Medical Care Plan Key to Potosi Success" stated, "The city's savings under the FMCP helped convince more bargaining unit members to become dues payers and persuaded the city to sign the strongest type of agreement possible in right-to-work Missouri."

Unless those sneaky Republicans that control the state legislature ran one by Governor Nixon and the citizens of Missouri, I believe Missouri is NOT a right to work state, yet!

Jim Lacy, Local 124 retiree
Kansas City, Mo.

[Editor's Note: Brother Lacy is right indeed. Our mistake. Thanks for calling us on it, Brother Lacy and the others who also wrote in about this error. Please make sure to watch our video on the subject, at www.YouTube.com/TheElectricalWorker.]

If you vote for the Republican Party because you agree with one issue, then you get the Republican Party's whole agenda. If you think the rich 1 percent job creators deserve a big fat tax break, then ask yourself, "Where are the jobs?" Overseas! Do you think the job creators would work in those sweatshops for lower wages?

Do you think our rich Republican representatives need to get paid for serving us? Do they need big fat pensions and lifetime health care? They don't want unions or the 99 percent to have a voice in America!

It's alright for big business to take millions in corporate profits or dividends and lobby for certain politicians. But if a union misspends one nickel, then red flags and sirens go off. They want to cut our Social Security and Medicare.

It's not my fault that our politicians spent our entitlement money. They want to privatize them, too! Trust in Wall Street and they will invest your Social Security money for you. They want to take away our voting rights with voter ID cards. Bush already bankrupted our country. The Republican Party wants to start more wars. So buy those defense stocks because they will pay big dividends. The Republican Party seems to have a bunch of hypocrites. Management deserves raises, not its workers. Is that the American dream? My mother used to say, "The Republicans are for the rich." They need to get rid of that elephant and replace it with a big fat pig.

George O. Curry
Local 126 member, Philadelphia

If we don't strive for greatness, growth and better market share, then the possibility remains that we can fail, and be overtaken by the ones who fight so hard to make us extinct.

The labor movement needs help and can't afford to not get it. With the creation of our gun club, the appointment of our VOC chair and vice chair, the appointment of our 440 golf club chair and vice chair, the start of a domino tournament at our picnic, the first annual poker tournament in January, we have the chance to have great times, build solidarity and represent the word "brotherhood" in the International BROTHERHOOD of Electrical Workers!

With the occupy movement, the state of our current economy and the amount of good solid work about to finally break, we have the chance to grow and to grow strong. But we need dedicated, educated and willing members to participate. Our founding fathers called us to progress the movement for the betterment of ALL ELECTRICAL WORKERS, and our quality of life as well as the quality of our communities and families. I heard this phrase at the Membership Development conference: "It is not our motivation that will produce results, it's OUR ACTIONS!"

Bernie J. Balland, Local 440 organizer
Riverside, Calif.