[uncitizen]

To enhance my previous comment for your benefit, i'd say that union wages have an effect beyond simply their own industry. They drive up wages on white collar work.

For instance, an educated electrical engineer is not gonna sit back and let an uneducated auto worker make more than he does. For that reason, engineering salaries go up.

[RnMomof7]

For instance, an educated electrical engineer is not gonna sit back and let an uneducated auto worker make more than he does. For that reason, engineering salaries go up.

Yep a rising tide lifts all boats..when the unions are all gone we can return to the $1.00 an hour minimum wage and an engineer making $20,000

It will be interesting to see how they will pay for the $250 thousand dollar homes and $50,000 SUV's

[FITZ]

For instance, an educated electrical engineer is not gonna sit back and let an uneducated auto worker make more than he does.

Then the educated superior one has the same motive as the uneducated inferior one ---they both want more money. I'm not pro-union but why should a CEO be able to demand $1 million or more a year and it's okay but a union worker shouldn't ask for $30,000 a year? It's not like anyone is the owner, only stockholders are the owners ---how do CEOs get by with their outrageous salaries?

[GGpaX4DumpedTea]

"For that reason, engineering salaries go up."

Engineering salaries go up (or not) based on supply and demand, to a great extent. It has been competition between companies in years past for available engineers that determined starting salaries. And it has been supply and demand in the market for experienced engineers that has affected salaries of engineers in later years, after graduation.

Another effect on engineering salaries is promotion and promotability. Engineers deemed promotable into management positions may fare better salary-wise prior to promotion.

It is not uncommon for engineers in industry to make less than union employees in the plant in which both work. One factor of course is overtime. Union employees receive overtime pay and engineers (exempt) generally do not, though they may put in much more than a 40 hour week.

[ffusco]

That's an artificial pressure on the wage structure. By Unions) setting a ceiling to a higher level they raise all other floors.