Are Unions bad for America?

Unions are not bad for America if the Union is truly representing the best interests of the workers, as opposed to creating a new crony leader. For example, a union that doesn't consider outsourcing of jobs when pushing for wage hikes is not a truly representative Union at all.

In contrast, some unions are not batting for the worker and are in bed with the managers for special immunity and this is yet another example of union crony behavior.

A representative worker union is a truly good thing.

They won't necessarily increase profit numbers, so the people who worship economic indicators tend not to like them.

But they're certainly good for the general well-being of the population and history does show that.

Depends.

Is the meaning of life to become the biggest, strongest kid on the bloc, or is it simply to live the good life?

If the answer is the first, then the authoritarian, top-down, anti-union American model works great and nobody argues America has big harms and impressive buildings.

But what's the purpose of all this?

If they act in the true best interest of there members, and work with management to reach positive agreements and contracts for both sides, than no they are not. If they use power to hurt companies, make profit hungry judgement, or use there power to inflict poor policies than yes. Of course remember many of the original needs for unions are gone with government laws and intervention. (labor laws, OSHA, etc)

Well, without unions we would not enjoy such benefits as over time pay, child labor laws, vacation time, and many other laws that protect today's workers.

With that being said, I do think that their current model has out lived its usefulness to today's world. But I do think there are industries where unions are still very needed to protect the workers.

I think they're bad. The only decent pay I ever got in my life was when I worked in a steel mill that was non-union and we were paid for our productivity.

Public unions are. All tax dollars and no responsibility. No answering to the REAL bosses. You and me. Plenty of free labor and tax dollars flow into political coffers.

Yes they are and now as corporations and right-wing politicians chip away at workers rights they are needed more than they have been needed in the past eighty years.

If by America you mean the wealthy, then yes.

yes