Superfluous might not be the right word. The union is not superfluous to the employees- it is the only thing negotiating on their behalf in a power-imbalanced,

Superfluous might not be the right word. The union is not superfluous to the employees- it is the only thing negotiating on their behalf in a power-imbalanced, often exploitative situation. The union is not superfluous to the employer- it is actually a hostile counterparty in terms of wages and exploitation. Thats not to say the added bureaucracy is always welcomed- it sucks.