[knucklesandwich]

This notion that there is a wide distribution in engineer competency has come under a lot of criticism for many reasons (not the least of which being that its often used as a cover for discrimination on the basis of gender): https://lwn.net/Articles/641779/ If you believe there to be such a wide distribution in talent and that salaries at your company are commensurately paid, I suggest you ask your employer if they will disclose every employee's salary and the justification for them.

Even if this we take this for granted, its completely untrue that all unions commoditize a trade by flattening pay. There are plenty of unions that have chosen not to put standardized salaries in contracts or have advocated tiered salary agreements or merit pay. Whether or not these are good things, they are things that unions have done and should dispel with the notion that unions are inflexible towards these concerns by workers.

As for your concern that unions "force employers to do things", well I suggest you consider all of the ways your employer can coerce you to do things and whether you actually have a mutualistic relationship. Many workers don't feel that they do.

[jasonlingx]

Rock stars don't need unions.

[Frondo]

Sounds like someone hasn't heard of the American Federation of Musicians.

[jasonlingx]

Those aren't rock stars...

[flukus]

Or the RIAA, even the mega crops of the industry have a union.

[chimeracoder]

> Or the RIAA, even the mega crops of the industry have a union.

...which hardly can be said to be acting in the best interests of either small-time musicians or big stars.

The RIAA actively seeks to withhold royalties from musicians and intentionally makes it very difficult to collect them. A number of big-name stars sued them over this some years back, unsuccessfully.

[vkou]

No, but they act in the best interests of their members.

[slidemodern]

No, but they do need industry-savy managers and agents working for them to ensure they get the best deal.

[jasonlingx]

Yes, they have their own union. Which is the opposite of a union.