How is it that HN'ers look at entities like the UAW or various state teachers' unions and think, "Yeah, let me get some of that."?
Is there an example of increased union-ization of a U.S. company leading to better outcomes for customers?
I think there's a difference between saying "Amazon is bad to intimidate its workers" and "Unions are good". It's totally fair to agree that Amazon have been acting very poorly intimidating its warehouse workers while also thinking those workers would be better off voting no to joining a union.
Ultimately the workers should have a free vote to determine what they want for themselves. You don't need to be pro- or anti-union to believe that.
The poor are the most exploited people because they literally can't accept anything else for fear of death, and I want better for them. If a union can bring that, then I rejoice for their chance to try out a union and get their deserved wages.
Even if you are in a union, you are undoubtedly the customer of many unions or would-be unions.
edit: clarification 'a' refers to a singular union and isn't a comment on the quality/nature of said union(s).
The problem at hand is that 100 people are forced to fend for themselves against a company when they could act as a block and have leverage. One problem at a time
The lower class is not a bunch of animals to be exploited as much as possible so middle class people can have cheaper shipping
Also most workers are not in a job with a candidate shortage (and candidate shortages don't last forever, better have a union while you have the power to make it happen then when you become a throwaway widget for your company)
I've also negotiated in non-standard vacation packages, like a fixed 2 months off every year.
That simply doesn't happen in collective bargaining.
I've hardly ever been a throwaway widget in any job and even when I was working shitty jobs I was the type to get promoted quickly. The only places this never happened were my 3 union jobs. And in each case I was forced to work for the union -- I wasn't seeking it.
Last week tonight on union busting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gk8dUXRpoy8
When a union does not work or is corrupt, we fix the union, we don't give away the collective power to the opposing side of the negotiation: oh no, my lawyer is not doing my best interest he's only trying to rake up the fees! you know what? I'll let my opponent's lawyer represent me in court instead!
I'd say yes to that.
Here's an example of the great value they're delivering in the U.S.:
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2009/08/31/the-rubber-roo...
Around plenty of municipalities, teachers' unions are just trying to get teachers slightly closer to living wages, and trying to best advocate for their students. That's the impression I've gotten from being vaguely around during a lot of bargaining meetings.