Unions were essential when they came into being... A lot of jobs were just one step short of slavery. But, like many good things there has always got to be a few who get greedy and have to screw things up for everyone!!!!!

A good employer will create a work environment that's both good for the company and good for the employees. It's what you have to do to attract and keep good help! If you ever wonder who the good employers are, just take a look at their turnover rate!!!! All the stories of Union and Company relationships seem to be from one extreme or the other with the truth being somewhere in the middle, I suppose. I worked in a union shop for awhile as a machinist. Our steward's main goal in life was to keep the membership informed of what job openings there were in the company, what you could and could not do in regards to difficulties with a supervisor, and a lot of other very worthwhile things. He kept the entire membership informed of what was going on within the company, what new things were coming in for us and the company, and resolved most every grievance that was filed at the lowest possible level within management. Our wages weren't any better then the non-union shops but we did have a much better benefits package then most companies.... I sincerely believe that the company and the employees both benefited from being a union shop. I suppose kind of a boring story, but just a case of a union doing what it could to help the employees without trying to take over management of the company and drain whatever profits there were to be made. I broke my leg in a totally non-work activity (sprint car racing) and when I went back to work the Steward was right there with me negotiating (not demanding) some special considerations from management til I got rid of the cast and was able to resume my normal duties. But, because of the way the company treated it's employees I probably would have received the same considerations from my Supervisor even if it weren't a union shop...

Anything, pushed to the extreme, isn't going to work out right for anyone involved.... Had this Union started making unreasonable demands there's not a doubt in my mind the company would have started hiring non-union workers. Yes, in a Right to Work state they can do that. As employees I'm sure we got a lot more goodies and raises out of the company because of the moderate approach then we would have ever got making ridiculous demands. Our production was always at or above company standards. If your's as an individual did not meet the standards you could expect a visit with your supervisor as well as your steward....