Where was Corbett’s concern?
Is it just me, or am I imagining things? Was Gov. Tom Corbett actually at the Rain Day festivities in Waynesburg? Did he actually commit to helping the soon-to-be-displaced workers at the Hatfield’s Ferry and Mitchell power plant workers? For that matter, how did he finally find Waynesburg on the map?
Oh, that’s right. I nearly forgot. He’s running for re-election. Probably the same reason he decided to be in Canonsburg’s Fourth of July parade.
But where was his concern for the thousands of school district employees, including teachers, who lost their good, family-sustaining jobs because of his draconian cuts to the education budget? Where is his concern for the liquor store workers, with good, family-sustaining jobs, that he proposes to end up as employees in some mini-mart, making minimum wage? Where is the governor’s concern for Pennsylvania Lottery workers, who also have good, family- sustaining jobs, and might be displaced? Where is his concern for all the state employees who have been furloughed in the last three years, again, because of his devastating budget cuts. Could it be that all, or most, of the public sector jobs that he proposes to eliminate are covered under collective bargaining agreements negotiated by public sector unions?
Unlike the governor, who is beholden to Fortune 500 companies for their massive contributions to his re-election campaign, we, the members of the Central Labor Council of Washington and Greene counties, will always stand with our brothers and sisters, not because it’s a good opportunity to get some free press during a re-election campaign.
Barry L. Andrews
Washington
Andrews is president of the Central Labor Council of Washington and Greene counties.