With today being Super Bowl Sunday, it's a sure bet several penalties will be called during the big game that pits the Indianapolis Colts against the New Orleans Saints down in Miami.

However, while reading two stories in The Buffalo News' last week on a Union organizer with Operating Engineers Local 17 who plead guilty to a variety of charges in Federal Court and a State Supreme Court hearing on what some anti-Union forces consider to be the pro-Union Wicks Construction Law - and the subsequent reader comments posted on-line - a referee was needed to throw numerous flags for those who took the opportunity to "pile on" when it came to bashing Labor Unions, their leadership and their individual members - as well as blaming all three for every problem that we all face during this lousy economy we're living in.

In fact, I found it truly is amazing how vile some of the comments were and the opportunity so many took to bash, blame and pile on Labor for every ill and evil under the sun. 

Despite the fact Union membership stands around 14.8% nationally, it seems as though Organized Labor - especially Public Sector Workers now - are the ones that have a target placed squarely on their backs these days by a number of foes.  And from the feedback read in the reader responses contained on the on-line daily newspaper, it doesn't matter which Union it is - every one of them is to blame for something or another.

But let's start with the Operating Engineers story. 

As we all know, in life we individually make decisions that have consequences. 

It makes no difference if you're Union or not.  That goes for everyone.

As such, the individual who plead guilty will now pay for his decisions and actions. 

But to paint an entire Union or the Labor Movement with the same brush is both wrong and unfair.

For example, is every financial advisor or investment firm guilty because of the millions of dollars Bernard Madoff and Richard Piccoli took from unsuspecting investors? 

I too was a victim of a Ponzi scheme.  I had nearly $33,000 taken by Guy Gane and M-One Financial in Amherst a couple of years ago, money I more than likely will never get back. 

But I ask you, is it fair to place all in one big basket? 

What about those who conduct themselves ethically and professionally? 

Do they deserve to have their reputations tarnished by others within the financial industry that have chosen not to do the right thing?

Operating Engineers Local 17 has 2,000 members.  Alan Pero, an official of the International Union who now oversees Local 17, told The News that none of the men accused in the racketeering case are currently in leadership positions at Local 17.   

"The international placed the Local under supervision twenty-two months ago to protect the interests of the members.  While we're saddened by the news concerning the criminal activity in which (was) engaged, the vast majority of the Local are law-abiding, skilled, hard workers," Pero told the newspaper.

WNYLaborToday.com spoke to a number of local Labor Leaders about the story and one responded: "That's less than one-half-percent of Local 17's entire current local membership who've been charged in this case." 

So in essence, the remaining 99.5% is now being forced to wear a scarlet letter, even though they had nothing to do with the charges filed against those in leadership who are now being held responsible and who will have to pay the price for the decisions they've made. 

But apparently people - as well as some readers of The News - don't see it that way.  And that's wrong.  Put them in the other shoe and I guarantee you they would be crowing a different song.

On that note, how many stories did you read last week of white-collar crime where a variety of individuals who took money from an organization or employer, or bilked others out of their savings, were spared jailed time or did not have to pay back 100% of what they took?

I don't know about you, but I have been reading too many of those reports as of late with the same results, which left me wondering aloud as to why these individuals were not going to jail or were not being forced to repay what they took? 

Remember - it's all about consequences for one's decisions - Union or non.

In regards to the Wicks Law, the usual group of anti-Union forces gathered together in State Supreme Court last week to continue their fight to dismantle the Law: the ABC (Associated Builders & Contractors organization), Erie County Executive Chris Collins, and the Buffalo Niagara Partnership (headed by Andrew Rudnick).  They opposing side was represented in court by Buffalo Attorney Michael Powers - who reportedly described the Wicks Law as a "job killing, criminally collusive statute."

For those who do not know, the Wicks Law was enacted back in 1912 to require multiple contractors on government construction contracts - which was done to help prevent corruption when it came to the awarding of the bids. 

Using the same old argument, Powers complained to Judge Joseph Glownia the law was pro-Union, since - in part - it requires bidders to have apprenticeship programs. 

The vast majority of Labor Construction Unions have apprenticeship programs, which is a good thing. 

The vast majority of non-Union contractors do not. 

Why? 

In essence, they don't want to invest their money into such programs which help train young and new workers for a career in the construction trades.  For the past several decades, they've complained to anyone within earshot that they are being shortchanged.

To his credit, Judge Glownia told those in opposition that their efforts would be better spent changing the law through the election process and having state voters make the decision.

This story too brought all those anti-Union forces out of the shadows and provided them with yet another opportunity to lob a variety of anonymous and negative verbal blasts that targeted Organized Labor on the newspaper's Internet site.

At the end of the week, all of Labor was either given a black eye or portrayed as a corrupt group that's squeezing the life out of anyone or everyone it is associated with or touches.

However, nothing could be farther from the truth.

To a certain degree, I believe these individuals who took the time to rant are also those who take the time to rant about anything and everything else they can. 

But instead of being involved in an attempt to make things better, they've taken the easy way out - anonymously under an e-mail name in order to bash and blame.

Maybe they do so because they're not represented by a Labor Union. 

Maybe the wages they make or the Health Benefits they have cannot compare to what a Union Member has. 

Maybe they don't understand the benefits of Working Union. 

Maybe they don't understand that Union Wages bring up the wage level for so many others.

Maybe they're envious of having an organization stand up for them in the workplace.

Maybe they are tired of being afraid to speak up for themselves in fear of losing their jobs.

And maybe it's time for Organized Labor to once again stand and speak publicly for what it stands for when it comes to situations like these that were reported last week in both the Federal and Supreme Courts.

Maybe it's time for Union Members, like the 99.5% with Operating Engineers Local 17, to begin speaking up and registering their on-line comments on those News' stories.

Make no mistake about it - those who violate the law will be held accountable and will pay the price for their decisions - Union or non.

And maybe it's time for voters - not those who have so much to gain from not being held accountable when bidding on a government-funded project - to render their decision.

In the end, we all need to think twice when it comes to placing blame and painting everyone with the same brush. 

Again, because it's wrong and unfair.

And those who have nothing to do with the decisions made by a few should not have to shoulder the blame.

Remember that the next time someone you're connected to someone who does something they shouldn't.