For American workers, given the choice you already have, would you rather pay to work in a for a union shop, or keep your earned money and work for an independent shop?

Independent shop. I'll negotiate my own contract, thank you. I know I have my interests at heart, the union has their own interests.

I'll stay where I'm at thank you. I already get better pay and benefits than union members for the work I do and have a good relationship with management. Why pay for the 'priviledge' of being told what I can/can't do in my job, lower pay and benefits, and turning a friendly management relationship into a battlefield?

Of course, if some of the buffoons I work with have their way it will happen anyways. It amuses me as these same people are the ones who say 'we have no voice with management'. No, YOU have no voice because you are lazy and argumentative, I get along just fine with the boss since I do my job and then some. Same reason I am paid better than you, I earned it by doing extra and being dependable. I do not whine and cry about how little I am paid and then bitch even louder when they ask me to do some overtime, which is why they ask me and NOT you to do the OT since they know what your answer will be already.

I can see where unions can be necessary and beneficial, particularly in the early 1900s/late 1800s they were very much needed as work conditions and pay were appalling, however, I think that in many industries (automotive comes to mind) they have become a liability. I've no problem with everyone making as much as they can, however, if your company is on the verge of collapse maybe you need to take a pay cut. I'd much prefer we all take a cut rather than the company go out of business and then no one has a job. I'm not anti-union where its needed, its just not needed where I work.

Non-union (independent) shop. There are enough labor laws, on the books, to survive without a labor union.