This is a post for my daughter who is carrying on a fine family tradition. She has been voted by her co-workers to negotiate with the employers for the new union contract. Her grandfather, my dad (Joe) was a union organizer in the early '50s her great-grandfather (Leo) was also involved with unions in the '40s and her grandmother (Verna) was a pioneer for women's rights in the union movement in BC in the 60's to the '90s. My wife and I were both union reps in the 70s and strike captains when we were forced to walk the picket line. My daughter will do us proud.
The song is sung by Pete Seeger, in Australia, you can hear it here.
There once was a union maid, she never was afraid
Of goons and ginks and company finks and the deputy sheriffs
who made the raid.
She went to the union hall when a meeting was called,
And when the Legion boys come 'round
She always stood her ground.
Oh, you can't scare me, I'm sticking to the union,
I'm sticking to the union; I'm sticking to the union.
Oh, you can't scare me, I'm sticking to the union,
I'm sticking to the union 'til the day I die.
This union maid was wise to the tricks of company spies,
She couldn't be fooled by a company stool; she'd always
organize the guys.
She always got her way when she struck for better pay.
She'd show her card to the National Guard
And this is what she'd say
Oh, you can't scare me, I'm sticking to the union,
I'm sticking to the union; I'm sticking to the union.
Oh, you can't scare me, I'm sticking to the union,
I'm sticking to the union 'til the day I die.
You gals who want to be free, just take a tip from me;
Get you a man who's a union man and share his union card.
Married life ain't hard if you got a union card,
A union man has a happy life when he's got a union wife.
