A
Suggestion for Newspaper
Editors:
Add
a weekly LABOR
SECTION to the paper
Consider these facts:
1) Mondays
present a content problem for every
newspaper’s business section because
the stock markets were closed all
weekend, so this would be a good place
for a section devoted to labor news.
2) A survey
will find that many more newspaper
readers fall into the “labor”
category than the “business”
category when it comes to employment.
3)
All major newspapers have a business
section, but few, if any, have a labor
section. This would be an area to
become a leader in journalism rather
than a follower.
The main goal of the Joe Martin
Foundation for Exceptional Craftsmanship
is to promote good craftsmanship, and, in
doing so, make the general public more
aware of the magnificent work that
craftsmen and tradesmen do daily without
fanfare. I believe the reason that labor
topics aren’t covered in
newspapers is that the people who decide
on and produce the content know little
about the trades. Journalists are
usually the people who got A’s in
English in school. They don’t find
what labor does interesting, so they
don’t write about it. A good labor
section would need a reporter who
understands the challenges and rewards
of working in labor and the trades.
Expert financial and business writers
have spent a lot of time learning about
those aspects of business, but in most
cases they just don’t understand or
appreciate the
intelligence it takes to be a good
craftsman and what good craftsmen are
capable of doing. Henry Ford was a
craftsman long before he was a
businessman. The businessman who owns
the army of road graders, dump trucks
and concrete laying machines
constructing the interstate highway near
you most likely didn’t start with a
degree in business. He probably started
with a wheelbarrow and a pickup truck
doing quality work.
I believe
that labor deserves it's own section at
least once a week; however, after 30
years of business experience I realize
the resistance to trying something new.
Once a month would be a major
improvement. It's just the right thing
to do. September 11, 2001 taught America
that the “heroes” in this country
are not the movie stars, baseball
players and CEO’s that we used to
glorify. Regular people doing their jobs
extremely well, like the local policeman
or fireman in New York, came into much higher regard
once people saw firsthand what their
jobs involved. If you think they are the
only people who risk their lives daily,
try sending a reporter to follow the
typical day of an ironworker building a
bridge or skyscraper.
That brings us to the obvious
question of what this new labor page
could contain. Here are some
suggestions:
∙ A feature story monthly
about one of the trades. The article
would detail exactly what these
tradesmen do, how they coordinate
their work with other trades, wages
for average workers, physical
requirements, length of
apprenticeship, working conditions,
safety considerations, a list of local
unions and availability of employment.
∙ Stories about the small,
local businesses that are selling
craftsmanship; such as shoemakers,
bakers, cabinet and furniture makers,
custom auto paint shops, welders,
masons, sign painters, machinists,
etc. These would not be just anyone in
these businesses, but the ones who
make extra effort to be the best in
their area or offer something special.
∙
Unions shown in a positive
light. In my life I have never read a
story explaining how the large
building contractors benefit from
unions. For example, a contractor may
suddenly need 300 skilled employees to
complete a project they were awarded.
Unions will supply the skilled help
needed until the job is completed.
Think about how union workers pitched
in and saved the day during the 9/11
crises. How about the union workers
who worked seven days a week after the
Northridge earthquake to replace
collapsed bridges in record time?
∙ Union happenings,
promotions, social events
∙ A
listing of labor jobs that are
available locally and the skills
required
∙ Accidents
that happened to local workers or
health concerns of different trades.
What will be done in the future to
prevent these problems
∙ Local stories about the
graduation of an apprentice or sons or
daughters following in their
parent’s footsteps in the trades
∙
Stories about seemingly simple
jobs that take a special skill, like a
waitress who takes a complex food
order for ten people on a scrap of
paper or by memory (an engineer would
need 100 pages to convey the same
information), or how field workers can
handle heavy items for ten hours in
105 degree heat by pacing themselves
These are just a few examples of
the type of interesting articles that
could be written about labor using a
little creative journalism that many
readers would enjoy. At the same time
your newspaper would be better serving
your local community because we can’t
all be businessmen or journalists. It
would give the labor segment of the
community at least one day out of seven
when their efforts could be documented
and appreciated. Some positive stories
would be a nice change after six days of
bankruptcies, crooked CEO’s and
corporate scandals.
As an additional consideration
for newspaper editors, the advantage of
this type of article is that most do not
require a short deadline. General
interest articles could be prepared well
in advance and used when appropriate.
Any portion of this letter may be used without
mentioning its author, Joe Martin or the Foundation as long it is used in a
positive manner. My goal is to make the public aware of the work done by the
great craftsmen of the world, not Joe Martin. Comments or suggestions regarding
this letter can be addressed to The Joe Martin Foundation, ATTN: General Manager, 3190 Lionshead Avenue, Carlsbad,
CA 92010, or email mecm@craftsmanshipmuseum.com.
Thank you for your
consideration,
Joe Martin
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