If you think that Government driven OSHA & EPA is going to look out more for the American worker than Unions then you need to take your pills and get some rest.
The government organizations dont look out for anyone that doesnt have large enough group to make them (or enough money to buy them). Nanny State is more instrument of Socialism & Communism than Labor Unions ever were……
While the original Unions spawned by Industrial unions in both UK & US did have certain amount of Marxism driving them (more so UK than US) – it didnt survive in US when mfg moved out North (Chicago/Detroit/ect) and into South. In fact it was the dual problems of race (not accepting black workers) and consertaive & individuality of workers in southern states resulted in big drop of union workers from 1/3 workforce down to todays 13-15% or less at periods. You only have read about conditions at beginning of Unions and before WWII to know how much unions helped free all of us from growing power of big companies: 12-14 hour shifts at starvation wages with children working & dying in coal mines/railroads/ect due unsafe working conditions, beside thier parents instead of getting an education. Unions forced Government to fix the problems not the other way around my friend.
An old Labor song goes:
We mean to make things over;
We’re tired of toil for naught
. . . Eight hours for work, eight hours
For rest, eight ours for what we will.
Today’s HS Grad needs close to $50/hr (before taxes of course) as blue collar worker to live a life in US without welfare given the value of todays dollar compared to one in 1980’s when unions began to shrink in power …… not because thier Union members brought Detroit to its knees with thier demands but because the Government let Foreign companies dump products in our back door below cost and then let them open US plants in the South where Unions had made lot bad first moves in organizing.
This is continuing today – where Efficient more savy and productive US workers cannot compete with companies that dont have to invest in thier plants for emissions, and only pay 1/4 fuel cost to deliver & ship out products or worry using child labor or about unsafe working conditions or host of other reasons that our Governmet lets these countries like China and India get away with despite WTO member rules.
I give you that we gave up on unions and that they gave up on us and are but shadow of “Knights of Labor, United Steel & Tin workers, AFL and others that led all of us hourly and salary workers alike out of hell that first stages of industrial union put workers …….. but it isn’t over yet/Fat lady has sung yet/ect.
If your interested here are couple sites that have good background on Unions history & its loss power:
Ideology in History Labor Unions @ http://www.shmoop.com/history-labor-unions/ideology.html
Decline Unions Power @ http://economics.about.com/od/laborinamerica/a/union_decline.htm
The End of Labor Unions America (& decline Middle Class) @ http://www.theboldpursuit.com/jwts-journal/2011/1/24/the-end-of-labor-unions-in-america.html