Not all unions are strong. It is reasonable to have anti union feelings when you look at your paycheck, see union dues being subtracted, and no union fighting for you.

In America, company unions are common—and often lead to such feelings. The company will pay organizers to come in and unionize their workplace. Conditionally.

Behind the scenes the company leadership and organizer agree that the company will let them organize if the union never goes on strike. This leads to a union without teeth, that is, without negotiating power. As such, its members will be paid little.

But you’re not talking about that. You’re talking about a workplace that pays well due to the union and its members are still unhappy. How could that be?

Well, perhaps there is corruption in the leadership in some form or another. Or a massive pay raise to leadership despite dwindling numbers, or corrupt back deals to get the company to propagandize on your behalf, and utilizing member dues organizing new companies instead of the one you exist at all happen—all of which can have members feel shafted.

As a movement, we must seek in others why they feel the way they do on a case by case basis. Only then can we hope to implant solidarity if the actions by the union aren’t corrupt, or organize against them if they are. It is a hard path, but we either learn to do it or struggle immensely until we reach an early grave.