Are knock offs a good thing?

[Civicsman]

There was a time, not too long ago, when I thought unions might have outlived their usefulness. Relatively enlightened, civilized management and relatively benign government might have made them obsolete.

Now I think unions are on the edge of the largest resurgence in my lifetime. Governments (state, mostly, at the moment) are simply being bought outright by really big corporate money, and are passing laws designed to push the middle class closer to the bottom, and make sure everyone that is there, stays there. Coupled with the state of the economy, this is the recipe for a new awakening to the reasons unions came to exist in the first place.

"Union bosses", in the way in was meant, are not optimal, but not all unions have those cushy jobs with lack of accountability. It might be useful to learn a little bit about what working life was like before there were unions, and the benefits that unions brought to all of us.

I can say this: If I worked at Wal-Mart, I'd likely be better compensated and happier if I had union representation, "union bosses" and all.