These anecdotes are always fun but do they really provide much insight into the role played by a union? I've never worked a union job but I have family that do

These anecdotes are always fun but do they really provide much insight into the role played by a union? I've never worked a union job but I have family that do (railroads in US) and while they complain about these kind of things and wish they didn't have to be in the union, when something bad happens the union is basically the only thing keeping them from getting canned for something not their fault. My cousin got hurt on the job because of another worker just making a mistake but he was going to get canned for it anyways. The union prevented it and saved his job (and healthcare etc). But at the same time there are a ton of anecdotes about similar silly-sounding situations, so where is the truth? I feel like union bashing has just become part of our culture, just like complaining about state road crews (always 1 guy working and 5 guys standing around!) but the joke may be on us when we allow our infrastructure to be privatized and our unions to be killed and we realize that we work for the market, not the other way around.