No, I don't think it's anyone's job to simply "get the best deal", at least not from an ideal-social standpoint. I think employers (whether government or not) s

No, I don't think it's anyone's job to simply "get the best deal", at least not from an ideal-social standpoint. I think employers (whether government or not) should adequately compensate their employees. And I think employees get a much fairer shake in negotiating that compensation when they have the backing of a union. What is "adequate" I can't say, but without knowing more I'm not prepared to simply swallow the line that $400k is somehow totally outrageous. A lot of less useful people make a lot more money for a lot less work and personal risk. Anyway, $400k was only the last year of salary this guy made. The article is suspiciously quiet about what his compensation was over the course of his whole career.