I'll say something as a union employee, of which I don't think there are many on the forum. Unions were created for damn good reasons. They paved the way for safe and fair working environments. They led to the creation of an established work week that still exists. They won numerous benefits for their workers. They fought for and were granted contract wages that folks could not only live on, but build a future on. With a family. These are great things. It's a glorious history that I admire and support. With that said, in speaking of my own union, none of these essential principles of union membership apply much anymore. If at all. Labor and safety laws are established and written in books today that can fill a bookshelf. Health insurance, life insurance, 401k, profit sharing, etc....they're everywhere in the non-union American working world. Many of these things are standard practice among full-time employees. But, the union protects you, people say. The union has your back when the "company" treats you wrong. This is true. Without any teeth. The real watchdog of my railroad is the HR department. They act quickly and their actions bring results without a process. I can keep going with all of this and I might as the thread goes on. I'm just describing it as it actually is. As a long time union employee.