[adrianN]

Unions form to prevent a race to the bottom. Individual employees have no power at all, so employers can keep pushing them. Changing jobs is not frictionless, even in a good job market. Most people who work in low-paying positions can't afford to miss a few months of pay because they quit their job to look for something better. Since people have to work to survive, especially in the US with its poor social safety net, you get situations where people are forced to take a job no matter how exploitative it is.

[CryptoPunk]

>>Unions form to prevent a race to the bottom.

There is no such thing as a race to the bottom.. This is a common trope from people who don't understand economics. Union benefits are zero sum rent extraction, and in the long run, inhibit economic growth and with it broad-based wage growth.

[AlexTWithBeard]

Individual employees have a power of moving to another employer.

There are professions when skill transfer is problematic, like a railroad engineer, but warehouse worker is not one of them.

It is indeed not frictionless and requires some effort, but it's certainly doable.

[SolaceQuantum]

> It is indeed not frictionless and requires some effort, but it's certainly doable.

You've just explained why this power isn't realistic to invoke. If you're a warehouse worker, can you afford the unemployment time long enough to find another job? Can your family?

[AlexTWithBeard]

I think yelling "I quit!" and slamming the door happens only in movies.

In real life most people first secure a new job and then resign from their current position.

To answer your question: no, my family cannot afford me not working for half a year as well. I believe this is the case for most of people not living with parents.