It's telling that when shown overwhelmingly that private-sector unions in America are hopelessly broken and corrupt that the only solution the pro-union folks have for the problem is "more unionization".
I've been in three different unions and would never "join" one again [my participation was mandatory for the job in each case] and would change careers if my field unionized significantly.
I remember a local news story once where a baker at a local grocery store was caught on film urinating in the cake batter for the store's cakes. His termination was fought, successfully, by the union for violating rules they'd negotiated around filming. That's not a win for anyone.
There are so many horror stories about union employees who deserve to be fired but are defended vigorously by the union itself. Why does this happen? What do these unions have to gain by defending the actions of their worst members?
It's like lawyers defending horrible people. They are entitled to it. The issue that I have with it is I've seen plenty of normal terminations where the unions should have done something and didn't.
Of the three unions that I have been in, largely they didn't do shit for me other than take my money. The union didn't help me when I was being sexually harassed by my manager nor did the union help me when my time clock was being manipulated to short me pay.
Also, I've worked some of the shittiest minimum wage jobs America has to offer and I think it's a crock of shit that people _need_ collective bargaining to get a fair deal. It's entirely possible to negotiate a fair employment situation as long as we teach people about boundaries, the law and how to work effectively.
Since becoming a "grown up", I've been able to negotiate my salary and terms of employment quite well. And more importantly, much better than anyone collectively bargaining would be able to for me.
I've been in three different unions and would never "join" one again [my participation was mandatory for the job in each case] and would change careers if my field unionized significantly.
I remember a local news story once where a baker at a local grocery store was caught on film urinating in the cake batter for the store's cakes. His termination was fought, successfully, by the union for violating rules they'd negotiated around filming. That's not a win for anyone.