Ethics

The tumult in Wisconsin (and other states) over the rights of governmental employee unions got me thinking about concepts of rights and the responsibility of the individual to act appropriately. Today when I saw a news report that a firefighter in Arizona refused to respond to the shooting of his US Congresman I am even more concerned that we have lost our vision of morality and ethics. 

Over the years the varied levels of government have agreed to formalize many proposals put forth by their employee unions until now there are numerous employee privileges that could be described as “featherbedding”. The unions are merely perpetuating actions they took when organizing industry so it should come as no surprise to see them acting like a stepped on cat when the government asks them to assume some responsibility for the employee benefit programs they have pressured into being over the years.

I have worked for the government and on occasion represented the government in talks with the unions. Since most government employees are restrained from “job actions” the power of the unions at government level usually consists of persuading the legislators that their programs should be voted into law. All too often I had to sit back and observe the union do absolutely nothing to support one of their members who needed, or asked, for their help. From my limited viewpoint it looked like the only benefit received was by the union and its officers, the individual was merely a dues production unit, not a guy with an issue.

I actually do believe in unions, since they are more able to oppose bad management or work together with management to achieve a common goal. All to often management, union leaders and politicians forget that the people depend on them to act morally and to have a sense of ethical behavior if we are to have the type of society that Constitution envisioned.

John Wayne is quoted as saying “A man’s got to have a code, a creed to live by, no matter his job” and I have to agree with that thought. Recently I ran across an article that said the Montana State Senate had passed a bill that said it was the sense of the Senate that the state should operate under “The Code of the West”. I was curious and looked it up and found it in a book written by a Jim Owen called Cowboy Ethics and on reading I can see where we all would be better for it if individually and collectively we lived by this simple code:

            1. Live each day with courage                  6. When you make a promise, keep it

            2. Take pride in your work                      7. Ride for the brand

            3. Always finish what you start                8. Talk less and say more

            4. Do what has to be done                      9. Remember that some things aren’t for sale

            5. Be tough, but fair                                10. Know where to draw the line

Montana Governor Schweitzer has said he will veto any frivolous legislation. I guess he consider ethics "frivolous." He wants the legislature to focus on important things like jobs and a budget shortfall. He’s right that those things are extremely important. But the ethics and values deficit in this country is just as important as the fiscal and financial deficits…If life is just about dollars and cents then we are in bigger trouble than I thought.