A Hopeful Holiday Season to You and Yours

Let me begin this column with all the best to you and your families for a most joyous and blessed Holiday season.

As we reach the end of 2009 and reflect back on the accomplishments and incompletion of the past year, it is with hope and frustration that I write this column.

This has been an extremely difficult year for many in our nation. Unemployment, economic crimes by the mega-wealthy, home foreclosures, and many families concerned for members involved in military actions on the other side of the world, it can be difficult to look forward with hope towards our future.

The economic depression that our world is currently experiencing shows few signs of ending. This is a period that will test the will of all of us, as a nation and as a society.

But as with the great depression that this nation endured in the 1920’s and 1930’s, we as a community will band together and try new ideas and innovations that will improve our nation’s situation. However, we must make certain that not one person is left behind. We need to strive for equality and benefit for all.

All who read these words must put aside past differences and work towards the improvement of our society for the future. As a proud union member, I stand united with ALL my brothers and sisters striving towards a better world for all of us.

In the hope for our union, I hold out the hope that all of us as members will understand that we must pose a united front, without divide, in order to form a force that will not be ignored.

In the words of Jane Darwell who played the character of Ma Joad in the film “The Grapes of Wrath”; “I ain’t never gonna be scared no more. For a while it looked as though we was beat, good and beat! Looked like we didn’t have nobody in the whole wide world but enemies, like nobody was friendly no more. Made me feel kind of bad, and scared too. Like we was lost, and nobody cared. But we are the people that live, they can’t wipe us out, and they can’t lick us. We’ll go on forever cause we’re the people.”

Or the words of Henry Fonda as the character Tom Joad in the same film stated as he said goodbye to his mother for the final time knowing they would never see each other again; “Wherever there’s a fight so hungry people can eat, I’ll be there. Wherever there’s a cop beatin’ up a guy, I’ll be there. I’ll be in the way guy’s yell when they’re mad, I’ll be in the way kids laugh when they’re hungry and they know supper’s ready. And when the people are eatin’ the stuff that they raised and livin’ in the houses they built, I’ll be there too.”

I’ll end with a plea, to everyone who is aware of this column, please spread the word about these words. Urge the members in your facilities to read them and contribute to it. I know that with contributions from others, this column can become a work of change and power that can move this union forward, instead of being mired in the past.

Only the best wishes for all in SEIU. Let’s all work together to make 2010 a banner year for change and power for all of us involved in the labor movement in America.

Blessed Holidays and Happy New Year to all, and as always…

Solidarity Today, Solidarity Tomorrow, and Solidarity Always…

In ALL Ways!

Mark Freeman
SEIU Member
Methodist Hospital


Look forward to my next column on grievance procedures.