The Life of a Guard

I found an article that demonstrates modern-day parallel to the bad working conditions situations we have been discussing in class. Recently, a group of life guards in New York joined the Teacher's Union, seeking a voice, a better pay, and improved safety in their jobs. "New York State United Teachers announced today that state-employed lifeguards who protect pools, lakes and beaches from Lake Erie to Montauk are affiliating with the 600,000-member union. The NYSUT Board of Directors will formally vote to accept the new local union — known as the New York State Lifeguard Corps — on Saturday, ending a nearly six-year legal odyssey that started when lifeguards began seeking better pay, improved training and safety equipment, and a voice in their working conditions." After 6 years of petitioning, it is great that these lifeguards finally took action. Tom Donovan, leader of the new statewide lifeguards union, said, “After so many years, I’m thrilled to have a union that will work with NYSUT to improve conditions for all lifeguards across the state." This is truly a significant movement if it is able to improve working conditions for lifeguards in the entire state. Hopefully, it will be successful and able to spread to other states where lifeguards are faced with poor working conditions.

It is ironic that a lifeguard's job is to save other peoples' lives, but nobody considered the safety of their own working conditions. I consider a lifeguard to be a very important position, and it upsets me to hear that they have been mistreated for so long. NYSUT President Richard C. Iannuzzi believes lifeguards “deserve what all working people deserve — fair pay, a consistent discipline process, good working conditions and the right to sit down with management to discuss their concerns.” This reminds me of the many deaths caused by Triangle Factory Fire. Bad working conditions were ignored, and it ended up resulting in a catastrophe. Something similar could happen if the bad conditions lifeguards work in prevent them from saving lives.