Labor unions actually don't do any good for their members - any monopolistic attempt to artificially raise prices for a commodity such as labor will only cause the buyer (employers and ultimately consumers) to look for alternatives - such as overseas, automation, etc. It automatically leads to unemployment. I think the only way labor unions can artificially inflate the price of labor is with government force - for example protectionism - violating the rights of buyers.
That's BS. Though in some cases, unions do in fact protect lazy and/or incompetent people they shouldn't be.
Most industries or companies that have unions did something to cause significant labor problems, such as poor working conditions. The meatpacking, steel, and auto industries, for example, at one time or another treated their employees like crap. The employees were forced to organize in order to have any grievence procedures at all to provide a safe work place.
I agree that labor unions cause an anti-competitive labor market. Basically its a government sanctioned labor monopoly.
However, labor unions have been very helpful in providing safe working conditions.
Perhaps if labor unions were able to bargain working conditions, but not pay?
