[computronus]

> demand all kinds of ridiculous accommodations that you could never have reasonably asked for on your own

The union oughtn't seek "ridiculous" accommodations then. It should seek at least reasonable ones, and possible aspirational ones, and negotiate it out from there. The problem we're seeing now is that even demands that most would find reasonable are cast as ridiculous by management. And if a union has trouble getting employers to listen, there's no hope that someone on their own can.

I've personally lost faith that a typical employer is capable of recognizing the value of an individual employee. So many of the recent layoffs have not accounted for individual performance or criticality to the business (Twitter's being a good example). So my own value isn't as strong of a bargaining chip.

[CamperBob2]

So many of the recent layoffs have not accounted for individual performance or criticality to the business

And you think a union will?

Unions make more sense when the workers actually are interchangeable. Are you?

[computronus]

It doesn't matter, if my employer would treat me as interchangeable anyway.

And even interchangeable employees deserve reasonable accommodations. I do think a union can highlight those needs more effectively than individuals (especially for interchangeable ones, to your point).