(Sorry in advance for this rant but after seeing some of the election results tonight... ughhh. How broke do we all have to be for the people of this region to wake up!?!?)
I guess I better start by saying "my name is Erik and I'm a union member". I choose to be ONLY because the (notice I don't say "my") union tells my employer that they have to pay for my health and welfare benefits, which happen to be far superior to what I (or my company) could purchase at just about any price. Selfish I know. However I (not the union) negotiate the rest of my compensation package because I (not the union) decide what I am worth. As workers we have the ability to make choices which allow us to bargain for ourselves. Am I willing to produce at a level that justifies my cost? Am I willing to do what it takes to constantly better myself? Are my interests aligned with the company's? There will always be the BWPs of the world that keep the top rungs of the ladder free by striving to be no better than average and bitching that they should have more.
The bottom line is this- whether you're democrat or republican, for business or for the worker- if the business does not prosper, there will be less opportunity for the worker. Companies operate for one reason- to turn a profit. Unfortunately, there are at least 3800 workers in the Puget Sound that won't get an opportunity at all thanks to the machinists. Unbelievable! Unless they change their ways, there will be much more to go.

I know how we could help those that want to work and see business prosper in this state. Let's package up Gregoire, labor leaders and their brainwashed brethren and all the rest of the bleeding hearts and buy them one way tickets to SC.