[icantdrive55]

Off the top of my head, try being a non-union Electrician, Plumber, etc. in San Francisco for a day.

At the end of that day, you will drop to your knees, and thank god for those lefty unions. At the end of a few years, you just might be able to afford a house.

Actually San Francisco has a lot of union jobs, and they arn't moving to China.

Personally, I think people in tech will look back, and wish they had some Union protection. It's the one profession I'm shocked hasen't completely moved overseas.

What's the better alternative? America is better now because got rid of a lot of unions? Yes--a lot of products are made where your boss can get maximum ROI. They are made overseas for a lot of reasons, including lax laws concerning every aspect of that widget. Employee health/happiness/economic viability--who cares. Enviornment--who cares. Ability to pay taxes--who cares. Who cares as long as it's cheaper. Sometimes the cheapest is not the best for society as a whole?

[bogomipz]

As far as the union jobs you described, its not actually possible to outsource manual on-site performed labor to overseas. Is that really an accomplishment of unions?

[tunap]

Very possible to import immigrants, illegally or through visas, to labor for below market rates.

[ctlby]

If they're willing to labor for those rates, they are "market" by definition.

[bogomipz]

The OP's question was:

"of the advancements unions have brought to employees in the US over the last 10-20 years?"

Not what's possible. Also local trade unions are not really involved in federal immigration policy.

[hueving]

>What's the better alternative?

Let's look at the BART. It's one of the worst and most expensive transit systems in the US. It costs $4 to ride it from SFO to the nearest caltrain stop a couple of miles away. Part of the reason is that the train operators can easily rake in 6 figures with overtime for doing something that could easily be automated or made more efficient with centralized control at a minimum. The bay area has given up affordable/useful subways to subsidize a bloated union-based operation.

>Personally, I think people in tech will look back, and wish they had some Union protection. It's the one profession I'm shocked hasen't completely moved overseas.

You're gravely mistaken if you think unions protect jobs from moving away. Labor costs that greatly exceed the market rate are the primary reason the jobs move elsewhere.

>Actually San Francisco has a lot of union jobs, and they arn't moving to China.

Oh? Point me to all of the union heavy manufacturing jobs in SF. You will find that difficult because they don't exist anymore. The only union jobs that are left here are ones that have no competition because they are local (e.g. your electrician example).