Like several others here, I was brought up in a "union" household. I understood the need for the union when I was only a child. Here's a story: my Dad worked for the municipality (now called a "city" but it's the same entity). When he began working there the employees were paid in cash at the end of every week. After the union was certified (which was another whole story!) the first "demand" the union made was to request that the employees be paid by cheque every 2 weeks or twice a month, whichever the employer preferred.
The city comptroller replied: "Cheques!!! Do any of these stupid bastards actually have bank accounts?" He said a lot more, but that's verbatim.
Never mind that paying by cheque served the employer's interests at least as much as the employees'. No need for the armed guard bringing the bags of money, etc. Simpler book-keeping, no need to count out amounts like $42.17, etc. No, the employers saw it as a power struggle. Eventually they had to give in, of course, even then there weren't many employers still paying out cash on paydays.
Every single innovation was fought for. Every one. Medical insurance. Sick pay. Vacation time. Seniority. Every single one. Were and are there abuses? Of course there are. We are talking about human beings here. So, dump the unions? Not bloody likely. The economic times we're in for will see to the reduction of "too much union power" quick as quick. I just hope they don't go too far and that the fight has to be fought over again.
I wouldn't call GM's employees "greedy" unless you are willing to call GM "greedy", too. The point is, those union contracts were made in a time when businesses like GM thought the gravy train was going to run forever. They were wrong. They had their warnings when Toyotas first started selling in the US. Did they heed the signs? No, they did not. This mess is because simple business sense took a back seat to blind arrogance and ignorance of the real world. Sux.
The only power the working man has the threat to withdraw his labour. That's it. Take that right away and you have tyranny.