Don't get my wife started on how she wishes for her union to go away (we're talking a "public service" union for the schools). This IS where the old-heads use seniority to plop into the cushy jobs with the best, and most, hours so that they can ease away their senior years doing as little as possible. On the other hand, my work duties include being a hired gun to report construction project progress to railroad management. In this, I work alongside the required railroad flagmen at the sites. At one site, the assigned flagman (who will retire when this project is done) is an old-head MOW eomployee with top seniority. This man will still sweep the site, tamp a tie, pick weeds, etc--anyting to keep busy and productive during slow periods. (Standing ovation). At another site accross town on "the other railroad", the assigned flagman (20 years or so YOUNGER) has been known to sleep the day away in his truck and wouldn't touch a tamping bar if it jumped into his handb by itself.
My personal summary--SOME unions are worthless. Some employees within the good unions get carried along by the ones who care. That SHOULD tick-off the guys who care. Sorry, but unions should NOT gaurantee a job for the brothers and sisters who are slackers, but you hear about too many instances where they do--and blame it on a management which only wants to cut costs. I'm sure that they could cut costs by eliminating waste. Just don't say that "seniority" gives a license to kick back. When I hear about ANY union protecting somebody who NEEDS to be fired, it makes me sick. Paying dues in exchange for being protected is kind of like how the mob used to operate.