This seems an example of how the US approach to unions is completely broken. In the UK, unions exist that cover pretty much every single industry. Membership

This seems an example of how the US approach to unions is completely broken. In the UK, unions exist that cover pretty much every single industry. Membership is, however, entirely optional. If the union has a sufficient sized membership (percentage based, I think), then they have to be involved in various types of management discussions, but that's it. If you don't want to be in a union, you don't have to be, and you don't have to make payments out of your wages.