LETTERS: On Labor Day, celebrate unions

On Labor Day, let’s do more than attend a barbecue and lament the end of summer. Let’s talk about and commemorate the importance of hard work year-round and how our contributions to the economy make America work. Let’s recognize all of the men and women who are working for a better life, just as our forefathers did centuries ago.

Today, whether we are nurses, miners, firefighters, farmworkers, teachers or cashiers, whether we work the early shift or the late shift, we are the ones who keep this country running. We are all in this fight together, no matter what our roots, and we all strive for a better life for our children, for our children’s children and all who come after us.

Today, I want to honor the hard work of union members and pay tribute to all of the benefits that make our lives better, thanks to the working people speaking up together — benefits like an eight-hour workday, access to a living wage, decent benefits and job security. None of this would be possible without the existence of unions. Unions level the playing field and help create an economy where anyone can work for a better life, not just a few at the top, which is why I’m proud to be a member of Service Employees International Union Local 1107.

I have been a union member and belonged to a union local all of my working career. I started working in high school in 1952, and I am still going strong because I believe in unions for a better life.

On this Labor Day, let’s celebrate unions and all of the wonderful things they’ve accomplished, hand-in-hand with working families. Keep America strong and give our unions a thumbs up, a pat on the back and some brotherly love. God bless America and our unions.

Ben Carter

Las Vegas

More Cops tax

The Clark County Commission has just picked our pockets, with the help of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (“More Cops tax hike OK’d,” Wednesday Review-Journal). I’ve lived here since 2002 and remember that we passed a tax increase to hire more cops shortly after moving here. I figured it was a good idea then and supported the measure, hoping that was the last time our taxes would be raised for additional police hiring.

Since then, every sheriff has asked to raise our taxes, claiming that we need more police officers. Has there ever been a sheriff who hasn’t said we need more cops? Has there ever been an FBI director who hasn’t asked for more agents? Has there ever been a CIA director who hasn’t requested more agents?

When was the last time you heard of a new sheriff saying that we have too many police officers, and we need to shrink the force? Where is the sheriff who comes in and says, “We’re spending too much money, we can make do with less”? It never happens.

It turns out that Sheriff Joe Lombardo and the county commissioners (other than Chris Guinchigliani, who opposed the tax hike) are prototypical politicians. They ignore the will of the people and tell us what’s good for us, instead of listening to us and representing what we want. I recommend that every commissioner and the sheriff be voted out at the next election, except for Commissioner Guinchigliani.

Ray Murphy

Las Vegas

Little League coverage

The Sports section was terribly disappointing with its scant article on the Little League World Series championship game (“Tokyo overcomes deficit, grabs Little League title,” Aug. 31 Review-Journal). Relegated to the back page and considering the wire service origin, it appears the R-J staff has little or no interest in this type of entertainment.

The section had a hockey feature, a story on University of Southern California football and the usual two pages of baseball. Considering the attendance in excess of 40,000 at the Little League title game, it seems that Pennsylvania fans found it enjoyable.

Les Benafield

Henderson