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> a competitive manufacturing industry that would be allowed to reward competence rather than seniority.

Because that's how it was for labourers before unions?

Yes, life with unions sucks. But life without unions sucks even more.

Is there any real evidence of this that's not from conservative talk radio?

It's amazing how workers, who got fired by the hundreds of thousands, voluntarily gave up pensions only to lose their jobs, dealt with numerous health issues and cancers working in horrible conditions, even in modern times, and still get blamed.

Yeah.. and if it weren't for unions most of us would've been working from the age of 7 or so in a country with no safety regulations. Imagine how competitive those businesses would be though, oh boy! Sorry if the unions in your particular area/industry don't live up to your expectations, but unions have done far more good than bad, and it's been over a lot longer than decades.