"I am very happy that you are able to negotiate your own employment contracts. Most folks don't have that luxury though and that is where the union comes in."

Depends on what you mean by "negotiate". If you are working in a non-union workplace, your own productivity is your negotiation. Placing your value to your employer in the hands of a union negotiator puts your productivity on the exact same level of the worst employee doing the same job. It encourages mediocrity. Just do enough to get by because you won't get paid more for being an over-achiever. I see no benefit in rewarding mediocrity, not from either the employer or employee side of the workplace.

Bob (in Raleigh NC)