For what it is worth, a private-sector union can do some good when it comes to promoting workplace safety.

nothing wrong with Unions if you remove the political Coercion and Cronyism!

Absolutely in 100% agreement.

I really think if a check and balances system of some kind is put in place with independent auditors (gov't) and the Unions are all volunteer -no dues, no union bosses, it might work in some cases but there would need to be total transparency with all activity volunteer and non-financial.

it might not be a bad idea to have a committee of employees work with HR to address some of the things that come up that require small policy changes. I prefer to reason with my employer and have change occur because my employer sees that it is justified than to try to force change. And that has worked there. But I also realize that some companies are not quite as responsive.

One thing to keep in mind is that here in Ohio one of the largest employers is Honda, a non union shop - it will never be otherwise and they make among the best if not the best overall cars on the road - you will be safe and your car will be well built - no unions - the employees are required to work....

I used to counsel workers laid off by GM in the early - mid 2000s and I heard over & over that they blamed the unions. they told me that people sat around doing nothing due to contractual items per union and almost all of them admitted problems & strife with the unions and they made some of the worst cars on the road at the time.....

so here, in Ohio, we got hammered by the unions and I doubt we'll be going back....the history of corruption and greed, crime and theft from the membership within the union is far worse than any issue I've seen from a non union American employer here in Ohio and I do not support going back to the traditional union days

if safety were the only issue what a wonderful world it would be. Actaully I 've seen very safe non union shops that were kept so tidy and clean you could eat off the machinst's bench....and the equipment was new & modern and they built a better product

I worked in a non union shop also we kept it clean because t hey made us and paid us to clean every day.

I also got reprimanded for using the closest fire extinguisher when an untrained maint man left a gas valve open to a draw furnace and he was down there and I saw flames shooting up through the grating. I grabbed the closest one a big cherry bomb and blasted the lower level through the grade, keep in mind that the sub floor was used for access to the gas lines and was a dirty oil soaked area with one way out.

They were mad it cost 200.00 to recharge and a smaller one would have only been fifty bucks.