My problem with unions is they breed mediocrity.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
I sometimes think that unions don't understand that we live in a free society, and people have the right to not select union representation if they don't want it.
Unions inherently create an 'us versus them' dynamic that makes winning against a company's management the top goal, not serving customers, innovating, or in the case of education, teaching kids.
There is nothing that says unions have a God-given right to be there. We have to work at it and make ourselves relevant to every section of the workforce.
Well, I'm not trying to get rid of the unions, but I am saying that they appear to be an antiquated concept in today's economy.
Unions, by and large, are democratic organizations with freely chosen leaders and policies determined by the membership. They concern themselves with individual dignity not only in their aims but in their method. We have no better example of what is worthy of emulation abroad than the workings of a good union.
Public unions are big money.
Unions can play a valuable role in large organisations where it is difficult to talk to a thousand people. They can negotiate annual pay awards with management, represent grievance cases, and explain and advise on complicated changes in employment or pension law.
That's what unions do. They can get money, they can get support, they can get manpower.
Unions go hand-in-hand with a strong middle class.
This is the crux of the problem: because the Republicans and the right wing have been successful in almost eliminating unions, everyone else has suffered as a result.