[goldbeck]

I note that the two unions you bring up are public-sector unions. It's worth considering that public-sector and private-sector unions are different beasts. For one thing, private-sector unions are facing off against corporations - both trying to maximize their own value, and so one might hope a balance is achieved. In the public-sector, unions are trying to maximize their own value, but the government is (hypothetically) trying to maximize public good, so it's not really a fair balance.

Private-sector unions have been hugely helpful in the US. This article touches on it in an interesting way: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/19/opinion/nicholas-kristof-t...

[pdonis]

> the two unions you bring up are public-sector unions

He also brought up the United Auto Workers, which is not.

[jjoonathan]

Yes, but only his complaints about the public sector unions were reasonable enough to address.

[pdonis]

> only his complaints about the public sector unions were reasonable enough to address.

I don't understand. His complaint is basically that public sector unions and private sector unions have the same problems.