Labor unions make big promises but at Toyota we put our workers first | Opinion

Team Toyota

Born in Harlan County, Ky., I learned the values of honesty and hard work early in life. I carried those values with me when I joined the U.S. Navy and when I entered the civilian workforce at Toyota in 1990.

Over the past three decades Toyota has repeatedly shown up for its team members. In 2008, when U.S. taxpayers bailed out other automakers and thousands lost their jobs, Toyota did not waver. It stood on its promise to team members — not laying off a single full-time employee.

Labor organizations promise big increases when times are good, but they have no proven ability to secure stable employment through industry challenges. Unfortunately, it’s workers who face layoffs.

At Toyota, “Respect for People” is a core value; it defines who we are as a company. Every decision we make is with team members and customers at the forefront.

Outsiders are coming into our community to discuss what they think is best for Toyota team members. Let me be clear: Our team members have the power to speak and advocate for themselves — they do so daily. This ability has served them well over the past 36 years. Toyota team members know this company, and they know this community. They’re the heart of Toyota.

Kerry Creech, Toyota Kentucky President, Georgetown

Baby graves

I would like to thank the person or organization that placed a bow on every gravestone in the Baby Land section of the Lexington Cemetery. I have 2 sons there and have been coming to visit for 32 years. This is the first time in all those years that every little person has had a decoration.

I always try to take care of the ones near my boys, but it has been sad to see the ones without anything. I know sometimes it is a challenge to come and that age or personal circumstances may make it impossible. It was definitely an uplifting experience. I hope, whomever took the time from their busy holiday schedule to do such a touching symbol of caring, will experience the joy and peace it has given me and I’m sure, others.

Kim Mullins, Paris

Barr’s support

Once and for all, for all the letters criticizing U.S. Rep. Andy Barr’s (R-Ky.) support for Israel; Barr IS representing the will of the people in this district. The vast majority of residents in this district support Israel and not the terrorist group called Hamas. And while we’re at it, it may help the radicals who keep demanding a ceasefire to condemn the mass rape of women by Hamas and to also call for the release of hostages...neither of which I have seen them do.

Doug Reed, Lexington

Antisemitism Task Force

There seems to be a fear by elected officials, especially non-Jewish ones, in being called “antisemitic.” And there are certain people that take advantage of that fear in order to give themselves credence.

Gov. Andy Beshear’s “Antisemitism Task Force” not only puts a target on every Jew in this Commonwealth as well as encouraging antisemitic acts, but worse tells every Muslim, every Asian, every Hispanic, every minority that any hate speech and violence against them is trivial.

If we as a commonwealth only focus on one religion, only one event, we are then negating and trivializing the horrors of the past and the injustices of today.

No one holocaust, no one genocide, is more important than another. And that is exactly the message of Eli Wiesel.

Honi Marleen Goldman, Louisville

Police support

In regard to Lexington’s shortage of police officers, if you expect officers to work overtime, and they work nonstop, it doesn’t matter what you pay them. They and what they support are going to break down. What happens when it all breaks down? Inexcusable.

What push has there been around the country in recent years related to local law enforcement? Improving police and civilian relations. Rapport. Building trust, from children to adults. Being active in the community. Was that a pretense? More than helping civilians trust officers, I suspect it will help decrease illicit police activity. Right now, Lexington only has enough officers to respond to calls, if that.

Maybe superficial, short-term, and cherry-picked financial statistics are more important. Feels like a continuation of a downward spiral to me.

Back the Blue! Raise taxes!

Bear in mind that $100.00 in January 2019 had the same buying power as $122.23 in October 2023 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That is an increase of 22.23 percent.

As to the Urban Service Boundary expansion: What a terrible idea not even considering that the police are already stretched too thin. I’m looking at you, Lexington Planning Commission!

Joseph Richey, Lexington

Public retirees

All Kentucky state and local government retirees participate in a defined pension plan that is long overdue for a Cost of Living Increase, or COLA. The last one was in about 2012. My family has lost about 27 percent of our purchasing power since then.

The problem continues even as Kentucky’s fiscal condition seems to be improving. We need a commonsense way to address the impact of inflation on public retirees.

In 1994 I retired from Lexington-Fayette Urban County. I then went back to work in State Government in 1999, and retired again in 2012.

Inflation has taken much of our savings for unexpected replacement of appliances and home upkeep. We recently replaced our HVAC system and it was a huge strain on our budget. Other daily expenses keep going up.

An increase in retirement funding would help with our increasing need for health care as I am 80 years old and my wife is in her 70s.

All public employees desperately need your support in the critically important 2024 legislative session. The state has a record rainy day fund and new revenue from legalized gaming.

Now is the time for an increase in benefits for ALL public retirees!

Russell Casey, Lexington

Costco and Calipari

I’m wondering if the basketball announcer’s comments ever get them in trouble. The two that announced for the UK and Louisville game should be, in my opinion!

When they showed Coach John Calipari at Costco and made fun of him looking at a pair of $14.99 jeans; they were really having a great laugh about it. Do they not think people less fortunate than themselves would really appreciate a pair of those jeans? I’m ashamed of them for doing that and thinking it was cute of them to laugh about it!

Coach Cal does a lot of great things for lots of people and charities. Maybe that’s what he was doing, but it doesn’t matter if he was buying them for himself, does that make him any less as good as you ? They should at least give an apology for saying what they did. They really offended me and I’m sure I’m not the only one. Maybe they should be sued by Costco !

Marilyn Packard-Johnson, Mitchell, Ind.

Iranian terrorists

Iran has killed more American soldiers than any other nation during the last 40 years; using surrogate terrorist groups in numerous vassal states, Iran declared war on the U.S. and Israel long ago. The Mullahs have been punished, by some American presidents, using the most asinine of all policies ... give them more money. It’s like giving Jesse James compensation for robbing banks.

Luckily the world has a friend who doesn’t cuddle terrorists and kills them on sight - three Iranian general as of today. America has tolerated this evil behavior since 1979 and Iran has remained openly hostile; now, their oil income has grown exponentially with President Joe Biden’s war against the U.S. fossil fuel industry. Iran now has far more money to sponsor increased worldwide terrorism. Let’s pray Israel continues to eradicate the worst evil since Nazism — Hamas!

British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain proved during the 1930s that appeasement is a weakness that breeds foul results. Let’s arm Israel to the teeth, support her every effort, arrest anti-Semites polluting our universities and pray she does what America has failed to do... protect our national interest!

The Roman philosopher Seneca stated it plainly, “All weakness springs from weakness.” God Bless Israel!

Robert Adams, Lexington

Aiding our enemies

When is the GOP going to stop aiding and abetting our enemies?

U.S. Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.) disgraces himself and Kentucky with his single-minded goal of discrediting President Joe Biden, while totally disregarding that former President Donald Trump and his family did everything he accuses Biden of doing.

Meanwhile, the GOP refuses more aid to Ukraine to fight Russian President Vladimir Putin. They obviously want Trump’s demigod to win. I guess the GOP will gladly hand over Alaska when Putin decides he wants that back.

What’s happening with China and Russia have no bearing on the southern border. If the GOP succeeds in deporting all the non-citizens (and citizens) of South American decent, the rest of us can pretty much bet on a scarcity of food on our tables. Who will plant and harvest the crops and fill thousands of other poverty-wage jobs?

And with the GOP’s non-existent healthcare plan, they will get rid of the ACA, Medicare and Medicaid and leave us all sicker and/or in debt. Neither Trump nor any GOP member has shown us an actual health plan. Don’t believe they have one until they provide it in full and not just Trump’s “greatest plan of all time” talk.

Glenna Brouse, Lexington

Money talks

Lately, I’ve been hearing some activists say that “money is speech.” That’s shocking to old-timers like me. Many of us still see money as brute power, not speech. It’s the power to frame our public agenda; especially for issues the voters do not know very well.

When I asked a few activists why they believe “money is speech,” they replied that they need to solicit money in cosmopolitan states to advocate their key issues in largely rural states like Kentucky.

There’s the rub. We’ve gotten accustomed to relating speech solely with advocacy and advertising campaigns. It doesn’t occur to us that these campaigns speak but seldom if ever listen. There’s no conversation.

No wonder some of us are confusing money with speech.

Tom Louderback, Louisville

Compiled by Liz Carey