Good post of that important analogy.
The beginning part reminded me of the early unions that ended up modifying a little by the 1960s but still were for the taxing of the achievers and sharing the wealth of entrepreneurs who provided their own employment opportunities to be union members.
In the 1960s the opening of the Dem presidential campaigns included giant rallies in the street in Detroit and elsewhere of union members shouting support for JFK, LBJ and the rest.
In the 1970s and 1980s the crowds were less important.
One observer said to the Dem strategist: “How come the crowds are so much smaller for the union rallies here now?”
“Well, a lot of the members are at their second homes up north at the lakeshore and they don’t come to these any more.”
Poor, downtrodden, exploited workers owned second homes.
What you described was actually said by the Pres of the ILA Teddy Gleeson in 85 or 86. He was asked why the ILA no longer marched in NYC’s Labor Day Parade. He said, “ My guys are busy closing up their summer homes out on Long Island or down on the Jersey Shore. They can’t make it here on Labor Day.”
Interestingly the NY Unions changed the date of the parade to the Saturday after Labor Day.