My ancestors came from Luxemburg in the 1860’s. They settled in Minnesota. On my mom’s side my grandparents owned and ran a small resort on one of Minnesota’s thousands of lakes. In those days, people largely did what their parents did before them. They made a living and supported their family. They cut ice in the winter, by hand, and stored it in sheds, covering it with saw dust to keep it through the summer season. Hard work, long hours, but rewarding to them. On my dad’s side, my grandparents were farmers, running a small family dairy farm. The family in Luxemburg farmed also, and the farming genes came to America with them. Thus, my father was also a farmer. In those days especially, farmers had to do everything from building farm buildings to repairing farm machinery, to planting, tilling, harvesting, and storing forage for the cattle over the winter months. My upbringing did not endear me to farming, but it did teach me a wide range of skills, which I apply ion daily life even to this day. My union background grew partly out of this experience. We were a large family and everyone watched out for everyone else – much the same role as union leadership. We had to work together for the common good. We had to listen to each other and understand each other. We had to learn the best ways to do things – for our collective sake. Much of who I am came from that history, for which I am ever grateful. People who think unions are free-loaders, advantage-takers, and irresponsible need to take a close look at where union members came from, and then they will understand why we as a movement can be battered but never beaten. I am pictured with my wife Denise.
