An individual employee has very little power compared to his/her boss, on the RR or elsewhere. You're replaceable. The Union, in its original form, provided power roughly comparable to the boss's (the corporation's, these days) so employees wouldn't be easily abused. That's the principle. The practice, of course, has somewhat twisted resulting in some unions that seem to be more oriented toward the comfort of the union leaders than the well-being of the members (and the employers -- it's a 2-way street). The fact remains that the employer has most of the power in the relationship, since the employer can fire you; the union ultimately is there to make him/her follow the rules. Lack of unions only works in large organizations if some other agency (such as the government through labor laws, if they're enforced) takes the union's place. If unions go away completely, how long do you think labor laws will last considering who pays for the politicians?