What do unions actually accomplish for people these days?

Unions are responsible for two things.

1) Bargain for benefits / working conditions for it's members (through a contract), and

2) Ensure members rights are not violated by

a) enforcing the contract, and

b) represent members in disciplinary matters

Not ANY job will give you fair benefits and fair wages (implied non-union companies). Take a look at companies like Wal-mart. They continually make their dept. heads work 50-60 hours a week, and pay them for 40. They will have part time workers to avoid health benefits, but then have the "part timers" routinely work full time hours.

As far as your 3 aquaintences that were caught drinking on the job, they probably fall under some contract stipulation which requires certain action be taken under certain circumstances. Either that, or the company did not follow the proper procedure (which is spelled out in the contract which they signed) in order to terminate those employees. Happens here all the time; employee is fired (improperly) and through legal action, employee is reinstated by court action, with full back pay and any benefits. Is it wrong ? especially when the employee admittedly f**ked up? absolutely !!

As far as the 55 YOA broom pusher. I am sure he has other tasks at the company, or has been at the company for many years - thus his high salery. May be a light duty position due to an on the job injury?

Dues for us are around 2% Small price to pay for "job insurance"

I was union, and it was awesome to get my pay almost tripled, get full benefits free, and if I had a problem at work, someone to stand up for me, which I could never do on my own. I paid like 250.00 every quarter my earnings flexuated, as it was a seasonal work, you could be brought in for a one 8 hour shift or be hired on for 9 months or more, we had pay scales depending on the work. It keep people alive in my indrustry and many dangerous things are done in film production. One movie of the week, the team wasnt strong enough to argue to stay iwthin terms and we had a man killed by a large peice of equipment on him crushing him. Unions save lives. They make sure the employer shares the wealth. Thats my take on it. I had no previous knowlege about unions except the child labor laws and old time unions the we learn about in history. For me, it saved my family for a few years while there was work.

Now I live in a nonunion state, my son works at a grocery store, that union forces people to join, they do help with hours being cut and other things, but they lied, his dues were not tax deductable only people who file the long form can use them as a write off. So that was totally unfair. They are not worth being in, in non union states. Many families would be working for 8 and hour if there we no unions, trying to raise a family etc. It balances out pretty well. The auto industry produces more product than needed. They pay their executives too much, they killed their own industries, not thier workers, their working conditions are dangerous too, in many areas.

The workers just paid for a posh party for the Union bosses, in Miami?

Shut up you face.

Really, I lived through their destruction of the railroad, the steel, and coal mines. Now the autos.

Too much detail to post.

Unions had a significant purpose at one time. They went bananas.

The Union bosses are the only winners now....maybe not for long.

Here are some interesting union facts.

yes

the show the way to the unemployment office