> Under work rules, whatever your classification, you are paid the same wage as everyone else in that class with the same background.
Before unions the work “rules” were often whatever management said they were on that day. Unions were a natural response. Not saying everything they do is wonderful, but there are reasons workers banded together.
> there are reasons workers banded together <
Right you are. My (legal) immigrant grandfather worked in a Frick coal mine, and was badly injured in a cave-in. He was fired the next day. Ten thousand stories like that are one reason why unions were formed.
But like with most things, the pendulum has swung too far in the other direction. We’ve gone from greedy and corrupt companies calling the shots to greedy and corrupt unions calling the shots.
I understand that motivation, but work rules work both ways. Why did unions insist on having “coalers” working on trains with diesel engines? Unions were quite good with their own “feather bedding” rules.