2 ms·

Not sure they are that great anymore... For sure they played a huuuuge important role in the formation of basic workers' rights. That can't be discounted. But i

Not sure they are that great anymore... For sure they played a huuuuge important role in the formation of basic workers' rights. That can't be discounted. But in practice in 2016, I have yet to see where they actually shine, and I'm a bleeding heart liberal with teachers dotted all over my family. That said the one place I can still see some importance is for police - mostly in available representation in legal matters.

InclinedPlane 11y ago
Shine? I already said they were terrible, why would you expect them to shine? But there are definitely areas where they are missing. Consider the tech industry, for example. There are tons of workers in the lower tiers who just get chewed up and used by the industry. They work 50,60,80 hour weeks on salary without getting significant equity or even job security. Or they work hourly at far below what they're worth. Or they work through contract agencies and get mistreated by everyone (with the contract agencies taking 1/3 or 1/2 of their pay with almost nothing in return except access to working at a big company). And it's even worse in game dev. Or, not far off, look at the visual effects industry. Hollywood is a rough neighborhood business wise, and they've had tons of practice sharpening their cutthroat skills. Everyone in that business who earns a living either gets paid cash up front plus a percentage of the gross (the "stars" and powerful producers and directors etc.) or is unionized and gets paid a standard, decent, wage. With the exception of newcomers like the VFX industry, who didn't have the clout to demand cash up front and tried to play around with competitive bidding, with the result being a ton of them going bankrupt and lots of VFX employees getting screwed over. Unions wouldn't solve all the problems there but they would swing the pendulum in the right direction at the very least. It's the same with minimum wage laws. Also horribly flawed and broken, but when other more effective mechanisms don't exist currently you have to use what's available.

InclinedPlane 11y ago

Shine? I already said they were terrible, why would you expect them to shine? But there are definitely areas where they are missing. Consider the tech industry, for example. There are tons of workers in the lower tiers who just get chewed up and used by the industry. They work 50,60,80 hour weeks on salary without getting significant equity or even job security. Or they work hourly at far below what they're worth. Or they work through contract agencies and get mistreated by everyone (with the contract agencies taking 1/3 or 1/2 of their pay with almost nothing in return except access to working at a big company). And it's even worse in game dev. Or, not far off, look at the visual effects industry. Hollywood is a rough neighborhood business wise, and they've had tons of practice sharpening their cutthroat skills. Everyone in that business who earns a living either gets paid cash up front plus a percentage of the gross (the "stars" and powerful producers and directors etc.) or is unionized and gets paid a standard, decent, wage. With the exception of newcomers like the VFX industry, who didn't have the clout to demand cash up front and tried to play around with competitive bidding, with the result being a ton of them going bankrupt and lots of VFX employees getting screwed over. Unions wouldn't solve all the problems there but they would swing the pendulum in the right direction at the very least. It's the same with minimum wage laws. Also horribly flawed and broken, but when other more effective mechanisms don't exist currently you have to use what's available.