by Michael Moore

They could have given the loan on the condition that the automakers start building only cars and mass transit that reduce our dependency on oil.

They could have given the loan on the condition that the automakers build cars that reduce global warming.

They could have given the loan on the condition that the automakers withdraw their many lawsuits against state governments in their attempts to not comply with our environmental laws.

They could have given the loan on the condition that the management team which drove these once-great manufacturers into the ground resign and be replaced with a team who understands the transportation needs of the 21st century.

Yes, they could have given the loan for any of these reasons because, in the end, to lose our manufacturing infrastructure and throw 3 million people out of work would be a catastrophe.

But instead, the Senate said, we'll give you the loan only if the factory workers take a $20 an hour cut in wages, pension and health care. That's right. After giving BILLIONS to Wall Street hucksters and criminal investment bankers -- billions with no strings attached and, as we have since learned, no oversight whatsoever -- the Senate decided it is more important to break a union, more important to throw middle class wage earners into the ranks of the working poor than to prevent the total collapse of industrial America.

We have a little more than a month to go of this madness. As I sit here in Michigan today, tens of thousands of hard working, honest, decent Americans do not believe they can make it to January 20th. The malaise here is astounding. Why must they suffer because of the mistakes of every CEO from Roger Smith to Rick Wagoner? Make management and the boards of directors and the shareholders pay for this.

Of course that is heresy to the 31 Republicans who decided to blame the poor, miserable autoworkers for this mess. And our wonderful media complied with their spin on the morning news shows: "UAW Refuses to Give Concessions Killing Auto Bailout Bill." In fact the UAW has given concession after concession, reduced their benefits, agreed to get rid of the Jobs Bank and agreed to make it harder for their retirees to live from week to week. Yes! That's what we need to do! It's the Jobs Bank and the old people who have led the nation to economic ruin!

But even doing all that wasn't enough to satisfy the bastard Republicans. These Senate vampires wanted blood. Blue collar blood. You see, they weren't opposed to the bailout because they believed in the free market or capitalism. No, they were opposed to the bailout because they're opposed to workers making a decent wage. In their rage, they were driven to destroy the backbone of this country, not because the UAW hadn't given back enough, but because the UAW hadn't given up.

It appears that the sitting President has been looking for a way to end his reign by one magnanimous act, just like a warlord on his feast day. He will put his finger in the dyke, and the fragile mess of an auto industry will eke through the next few months.

That will give the Senate enough time to demand that the bankers and investment sharks who've already swiped nearly half of the $700 billion gift a chance to make the offer of cutting their pay.

Fat chance.

Yours,
Michael Moore

The New Hampshire State Building and Construction Trades Council wishes you a holiday season filled with peace, joy, and happiness and the love and comfort of family, friends, and neighbors.

Sadly, we're well aware that, for far too many working families, this 2008 holiday season is also filled with rapidly increasing economic uncertainty and anxiety. So, what we really wish, for workers and working families everywhere, is hope for the future – hope that comes from economic security – hope that's spelled G-O-O-D J-O-B-S.

So, our number this week is 8 – eight because of the eight letters used to spell GOOD JOBS.

At a time when banks, the insurance industry, and Wall Street get billions in taxpayer-funded bailouts with no strings attached but blue collar union workers caught in the crosshairs of the failing economy are under irrational and misplaced attack because they've managed to negotiate good wages for their labor, the NH Building Trades Council encourages us all to take a step back and think about what "good jobs" really are and why good jobs are so critical to our communities.

• Good jobs mean that workers get paid a wage through which they can sustain their families – including adequate shelter, food, clothing and something left for transportation, health care, education, and other basic expenses, and maybe even some savings.
  
  
• Good wages mean workers can afford to pay the taxes and fees that are used to sustain local schools and public services.
  
  
• Good wages mean working families have the money to buy goods and services from local business – so those local businesses can also provide good jobs.
  
  
• Good wages mean working families won't be forced to default on their mortgage and face the risk of foreclosure and even homelessness.
  
  
• Good health insurance benefits mean both children and adults in working families can get the preventative health care they need to keep them well and the medical treatment necessary if they become sick, injured, or disabled.
  
  
• Good health insurance benefits for workers mean struggling community hospitals and health clinics can stay open because working families have the health coverage necessary to pay for their services.
  

Good jobs sustain the fabric of local communities. And creating and sustaining good jobs will, and must be, at the heart of our economic recovery in 2009 and beyond. Good jobs are our hope for the future. So this is the New Hampshire Building and Construction Trades Council's wish to you and to our state and nation: a good job at a good wage for every worker.

The New Hampshire Building and Construction Trades Council is made up of 19 local construction unions representing more than 5,000 NH workers from all construction specialties and crafts. For more information or to contact the Council, email nhbuildingtrades@comcast.net.