To stay relevant, unions must do a better job of public relations, Shaiken of UC-Berkley said.
"The public has been inundated for decades by an anti-union message," he said.
If unions are to survive in today's competitive global economy, they must be willing to work with management in solving mutual problems, including recognizing that the health care costs are hobbling many employers, said Jules I. Crystal, a Chicago labor attorney.
"The unions have to go beyond the knee-jerk reflex that management is always wrong," said Crystal, a University of Michigan law school graduate who represents management in labor disputes. "They have to take a more flexible, innovative approach."
i always love this debate when it comes up. there is no mistaking which side of the fence someone is on. and the love... oh well, on to my point.
the above quote is from the original article that started this love fest. i defy anyone to argue its point: stay relevant or perish.
if the unions (and their members) dont come to understand that the world has changed, they will be left behind one way or another. that bit about the airline mechanics that were brought in to replace union guys could just as easily happen to CAW/UAW, except that it will be workers in mexico/china/timbuktu that are doing the work, and we will never see those jobs back in north america.