Unions can be very good at propaganda. For example, most people think teachers are "underpaid," based largely on decades of union propaganda that makes us think teachers get paid next to nothing, when, in fact, they make pretty good money.

I'll agree that long term teachers are making 'good' money, but nothing compared to what people in the private sector make, especially considering years of service.

My wife is a teacher in Massachusetts, and I've looked over their employment contract. Entry level teachers start around $43,000 a year, and only after 14 years of service and a paying/earning a PhD can they make it to $90,000. In the private sector, someone with 14 years of experience and a post graduate degree would earn far more.

However, the 'problem' of teachers earning relatively little isn't because the school systems are greedy; its that there are tons of new teachers willing to teach at these rates.

It's the same thing with many low skill / no skill retailer jobs. There are countless people willing to work these jobs for low wages, so there is nothing pushing wages up.