My original reservations from before the two-day strike

Unlike my prior posts, which were comments mostly on atmospherics and tactics, this post goes into some of the particular points where I disagree with the union.

Back in February, before the two-day strike happened.  I wrote a wordy letter describing my objections to the union, its demands, and the strikes.  I am reprinting it here.  I apologize about the clunky format:  I haven't figured out how to embed links to PDF documents.  If anyone wishes to have a more readable, PDF file of the same thing, please email me at uicufdissenter@gmail.com ( uicufdissenter at gmail dot com )

I have changed my mind on some of the things I've said in that letter, and I am probably slightly more sympathetic to the union now than I was then.  In a subsequent post, I will go over where and how I have changed my mind.  But in this post and as a preface, I will point out the following.  I had originally intended the letter to serve as part of an intra-union conversation and not a public conversation.  I had given it to an acquaintance in the union, and he or she distributed part of it (or perhaps all of it) to some of his or her fellow union members. If any of my readers recognize some of what I write here, it is because they may have seen the part forwarded by my acquaintance. 

I am obviously going back on my then provisional pledge, stated at the end of the letter, not to make the letter public at that time.  But I want to dispel any suspicion that my acquaintance is responsible for or endorses this blog.  I have informed him or her that I am writing this blog, but I do not speak for that person and he or she probably disagrees with many of my points.  He or she, as I understand, is a strong supporter of the union.  Therefore, if you have seen this letter, or parts of it, before today, it was forwarded not by me, but by someone who is not responsible for this blog and therefore does not necessarily endorse what I say here.