In the beginning unions did serve people well in promoting better working conditions, increase wages, etc. However now they exist primarily as means to an end for politicians. My focus here is on public unions. compare identical private to public jobs and you will see in most cases that public jobs pay substantially more have extraordinary benefits and you can't fire anyone.
It is an oxymoron to consider bargaining rights for public workers because the people vested to bargain with public unions are your duly elected representatives and they of course have developed a quid pro quo relationship with unions (ie you vote for me and I;ll vote for you.
You can't fire incompetent government workers teachers, etc Meanwhile the liabilities on future benefits pensions etc are so out of synch that its sinking everyone. and who do you think will pay the pied piper taxpayers of course.

As to core operations such as longshoreman, and the home/ commercial building, auto industry do unions help or hinder?

Why doesn't Silicon Valley need unions? do you believe a toll and die maker in this day and age needs a union to help boost its market value?

Personal Best Regards: