I notice a lot of anti-union comments in the responses. I believe in unions, but union members have a responsibility to stay involved once a contract is signed. I have seen unions fail for several reasons: (1) when it is time to renew a contract, some union members agree to lower benefits for new members in exchange for not having their own benefits cut; (2) some members want the benefits without participating in the planning, so that they rubber-stamp a powerful leader's decision without doing their homework and actually reading the contract; (3) scabs cross the picket line and union members go back to work out of fear of losing their jobs, rather than holding firm. The glory days of forming and winning a union are great, but union members must continue to be vigilant against corruption. My Dad was a cop, and he went to jail for forming a union (The International Brotherhood of Police Officers not to be confused with the FOP). He and his group of 8 men prevailed to form the IBPO.