What to do with union stuff

Many people don't realize it, but librarians are often members of unions. And as members of unions we often are involved with picketing, rallies, and the other exciting activities that a union card entitles one to participate in.

Today, rallies are much better choreographed than the days of yore when hand written signs and tattered jeans served as the accoutrements of a demonstration. Today we get sandwiches (bread and cheeses from union shops one presumes) and "stuff". Presumably to wave when the tv helicopters hover over us.

My problem is what to do after the event. A loyal union member acquires a full assortment of hats, cheeseheads, hands (note photo) fire engine red tee-shirts, and the like. They could conceivably be all worth a fortune some day, like old Beatle wigs, but I tend to doubt it.

You have to be careful where you wear such things. A tee shirt emblazoned with "We earned our benefits" may not be well received in a bar full of Rush Limbaugh or Jim Gerhardt fans. "Support workers rights" may hit the wrong note at a four star restaurant.

One possibility is to put them on our children. However, a young tyke with a red tee-shirt saying "hands off our pensions" may seem threatening to a grandparent as the child crawls out from under the Christmas tree. There must be a cottage industry of people who convert union slogans to sports slogans. A little spray paint and "don't touch our benefits" becomes "we love our Jags".

The best idea I could come up with for getting a second life out of the hands (see photo) is to use them at church services. When the priest says "We offer each other a sign of peace" we can put on the hand and shake hands with everyone in the next pew.