Julia Walsh

DOB: 2/26/1998
1419 Gerard St.
Rockville, MD 20850
The Affect of Unions in My Life
The labor union movement has played a significant role throughout my life.
This is because my father has been a member of the Newspaper Guild, part of the
Communication Workers of America, since 2000, when he moved to Los Angeles to
work as an editor for Reuters America. Our family moved from my birthplace of
Canada when I was 2 years old where he was a member of the Canadian branch of
the CWA since 1992. Because the union represented my father and his colleagues,
our family was able to enjoy a high standard of living and avoid the insecurity of
unemployment. The union representatives in both countries negotiated collective
agreements that ensured regular pay increases and good benefits, including
excellent healthcare, life insurance and protection from arbitrary firings. As a result,
I have been lucky enough to live in good neighborhoods in the Los Angeles and
Washington DC areas, so I could attend highly rated public schools and enjoy high
quality city services. Additionally, the knowledge that my fathers job has been
secure has allowed our family to avoid the stress of an uncertain and at times
depressed economy enabling us to enjoy a happy home life. The union has made an
even more important difference in the years since 2008, when Thompson acquired
Reuters and introduced less worker -friendly policies. It is reassuring to know that
the union has my familys back and will continue to.