Is a Teabagger Welcome in a Union Shop?

I was just recently hired on at Chrysler. Can a conservative work safely and soundly in a union environment — in a shop filled with union workers, activists, voters and life-long supporters of the Democrat Party? You betcha..

Yes, I have a website that puts out conservative news. Yes, I am part owner of a gun company. Yes, I’m a Republican who was cast into the limelight for having the temerity to confront Barack Obama on the question of redistributing wealth… But I’m a working man and I’m working.

Since I became part of the zeitgeist I’ve been called a sellout many times — as if the Republican Party sends me a check every month for towing the Party line somehow — but anyone familiar with my online or public activism knows I could care less about either Party and for the most part, they want nothing to do with me. I’ve always found a way to make my way, and now I’ve had the fortune of being hired by a great company — Chrysler Corporation — one of the original Big Three.

I’m no different than anyone else working at this company in that I want to fix my house up, pay off some bills, provide a secure future for my family and that doesn’t have a Party affiliation as far as I know. So, like many Americans who want more, they get out and do more. I wasn’t hired because I’m Joe “The Plumber” but on the other hand, if that’s who people know me as, so be it — that I can’t control. There are a few other things I can’t control either:

In order to work for Chrysler, you are required to join the Union, in this case UAW. There’s no choice — it’s a union shop — the employee’s voted to have it that way and in America that’s the way it is. I have lived in Toledo, Ohio off and on throughout my entire life and I have plenty of friends who are union members. Sometimes we agree politically and sometimes not, but it has never kept us from being friends. I wondered if this would be the case at my new job, so..

I had three days of orientation, and now I’m “on the job” over here at Chrysler and on Day 4, I’m outside on a break smoking a cigarette and right on cue — some guy calls me a “teabagger.”

Now, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that Democrats and liberals, who are supposed to so tolerant and enlightened regarding homosexuals have for three or four years now, have been using a gay slur to describe people who they think are associated with the Tea Party. “Tea Bagger” has traditionally been a derogatory slur used to intimidate, put down, humiliate and otherwise taunt, smear, bully or just discriminate against gays — usually gay men — based on a sex act that gay men apparently made popular.

Decorum prevents me from describing it — they got this thing called “Google” now for that — but suffice it to say that the double-standard for what Democrats can say and what conservatives can say continues unabated, but still I thought to myself, did this guy think I’m gay, or was he making a statement of my political affiliation? I tried talking to him, but he went off about how he was a “journeyman” and started walking away.

I asked him if he recognizes the training we receive in the military in the trades as legitimate, but he didn’t seem interested in a serious discussion and just rushed off…

No biggie. I honestly don’t think he meant any real harm and probably is a good guy. Most people are in this world and the fact is, the people who work at Chrysler are the same as the people who work everywhere. They want the same things, and so what if they disagree politically — it’s healthy. Teabagging is another thing though. Yikes!

Then I got to thinking about walking a mile in his shoes: My website,: JoeForAmerica.com: put out an article about the Volkswagen auto plant in Tennessee rejecting the UAW and choosing (through a private vote) to stay union free. Because of this article, it was put out at the plant that I hate the UAW. No one asked me my opinion or talked to me about it other than to spread that little tidbit of information.

bigcarBut there’s a big difference between private unions and pubic unions and I have never made it a secret that I do not like public unions because taxpayers are never properly represented at the bargaining table. People need to be educated that, in fact, it was President Jimmy Carter who ended collective bargaining rights for Federal workers because of this very fact. President Carter knew it was not in the best interest of America or Americans and he is an icon of the left.

Private Unions, such as the UAW, is a choice between employees and employers. If that is what they want then who am I to say you can’t have it? It’s an American worker’s right to unionize for sure, but that being said don’t expect me not to point out when or if Union leadership takes advantage of union members.

And if a union member wants to complain about their union or the upcoming 2015 contract — it’s also their right to do so — would anyone argue with that?

Anyone who knows me would never dare disparage all members of unions because they know I’d rip into them. Most Union workers have not been been mean and quite a few asked me questions, and talked with me and are cool with me. To say that all union members are one way or another is absolutely ridiculous and flat out wrong. I am happy that Chrysler has given me a job, I only hope the UAW lets me keep it.

I’ve always prided myself on being myself and I intend to do so going forward. : Now who really will be tolerant or not…… ?

Sincerely; Joe Wurzlebacher

This post was used with the permission of Joe for America.

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