Everyone seems so worried about how much these guys make. Does anyone wonder how much the negotiator for the company representing the (mostly foreign) companies makes? Probably in the high seven figures. He never even has to get his hands dirty, and his job isn't dangerous either. I would say that he's paid pretty well.
I love to see American workers making a good salary, union or not. The foreign companies would love to have slave labor on the docks, and if they could, don't think for a minute that any of their savings would be passed along to us in any way.
Let's say a Company 1 makes a product. The consumer needs this product.
The company wants to sell it for a certain amount, but the consumer doesn't want to pay that amount and wants to find another source for the product.
Company 2 determines that it can provide the same or better product for the amount that the consumer is wanting to pay. Both the producer and the consumer will benefit from this.
However, Company 1 sends a bunch of goons with pipes to stand in front of the store where Company 2 is trying to sell its product. Company 1's goons beat up consumers and the owners of Company 2. Company 1 uses the government to keep Company 2 from selling the product.
It's obvious that Company 1 is using physical force, threats, and the government to enforce its monopoly of selling the product. Would any of you union guys think this was wrong? Is this called a monopoly by some?
Now, what if this product was skills, talent, labor, and risk?
What if Company 1 was a Union and Company 2 was the free market labor force?
Your skills, talent, hard work, and risk are just another product for sale in the market. If someone else is willing to sell theirs for less, you have no right to disallow them from doing it.