Yup, Albert Einstein belonged to Local 552 of the American Federation of Teachers.
We mention this because we've been hearing a lot of "union thug this" and "union thug that" lately. So we thought we'd bring to your attention some union thugs you may not have been aware of.
Several Nobel Peace Prize winners were union men, including former Poland President Lech Walesa, who founded Solidarity, and diplomat Ralph Bunche, who belonged to the American Federation of Teachers. Vice President Hubert Humphrey and philosopher John Dewey were also AFT members.
Walter Cronkite was an active member of the Newspaper Guild. So was Eleanor Roosevelt. Any number of Newspaper Guild members have won Pulitzer Prizes.
Chicagao Cubs great
Ernie Banks was a Teamsters organizer. Cleveland Indians Hall of Famer
Bob Feller was the first president of the Major League Players Association in 1954. All MLPA players since 1968 have been covered by a union contract, so pick your favorite union thug from the players over the last 43 years. Same goes for the NFL Players Association, which was organized by Sam Huff, Don Shula and Frank Gifford. Two of last year's MVPs -- Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers -- are active members of the NFL Players Association.
Not a sports fan? Actors, actresses, screenwriters, novelists and musicians belong to unions. The Screen Actors Guild boasts George Clooney, Halle Berry, Tina Fey, Sarah Jessica Parker, Denzel Washington, Mel Gibson, Tom Hanks, Morgan Freeman...the list goes on and on. Most symphony orchestra members are union thugs. The American Federation of Musicians includes Yo-Yo Ma, Placido Domingo, Bruce Springsteen, Roberta Flack, Santana, Sheila E, Suzanne Vega, The Goo Goo Dolls, Willie Nelson, Branford Marsalis...that list goes on and on, too.
Ten years ago union thugs lost their lives responding to the attack on the Twin Towers. In 2009, union thug Chesley Sullenberger safely landed a disabled airplane on the Hudson River, saving 155 lives. He was a member of the Air Line Pilots Association. Just about everyone else involved in that rescue was a union thug as well. The flight attendants were members of Airline Flight Attendants-CWA. The air traffic controllers were members of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association. The ferry crews were members of the Seafarers International Union. The ferry pilots were members of the Marine Engineers Union. The police and fireboats were operated by members of the Fire Fighters and Patrolmens Benevolent Association.
And lest we forget,
Mickey Mouse is a Teamster.
