> While I agree with almost everything you've said, I think you understate the usefulness of unions in modern society. There needs to be a balance between the powers of employers and employees (or, if you will, between Capital and Labour) for the benefit of both. Unions are important to ensure that employers can't return to the expoitative practices of the past.

I do see this as a very useful reason for unions to still be around, especially in certain areas. I also think Sam is right that many unions have formed *just* to grab power rather than protect the worker who is helping the company. Often, these unions don't need to exist but they have to do something to justify their existence and weilding that power is a way to show they are there and a force to be reckoned with. But this doesn't really benefit anyone in the long run, in my opinion.

I see Teacher's unions as mostly a good thing. With the way things are now, all it takes is a hyper-sensitive parent to blame the teacher for their kid not getting into college or not learning enough to move to second grade or whatever. The teacher benefits from the union who will work with her in these situations. But the teacher unions also have become pretty powerful and often misuse that power politically. These are the people who cry that things need to change and when change is suggested, would rather stick with the status quo if it means giving up something personally for the benefit the whole.

Ferrick