Aye...there's the rub. How do you help two opposing sides at the same time? Muy difficile, no?
You assume they are opposing sides. I say they aren't necessarily opposing sides. They certainly aren't in Japan.
What if unions took over the healthcare responsibility? Certainly a national union would have more clout with insurance companies than a single firm. This isn't unheard of here in the states -- both the Screen Actors Guild and Actors Equity offer excellent health plans as well as retirement homes for aging thespians.
Unions served a purpose when conditions were awful, eg, child labor, unsafe conditions (Triangle fire), etc. They have outlived their usefullness, IMO, and should just go away. Unions are now run by thugs and their hangers on (remember Jackie Presser and Jimmy Hoffa?) and have brought about the demise of American industry along with their own jobs.