[no substitute]

I'm sure Mikester is a good guy and a good worker, and I think he would be happier in a salaried field. Union jobs, however, are typically the best paying, so to complain about it rings somewhat hollow.
The healthcare issue is a real problem, as the increase in costs are real. The ultimate solution probably will be to have a national program. The healthcare for profit companies don't like this, which is one reason it hasn't happened yet. It could be paid for with your taxes (remember, it's your money, not the governments) instead of being used to pay for some of the questionable items currently being "purchased".
It's difficult to determine what is going on, from your link. I would want to hear the unions side directly, in order to understand the situation.
Sorry Wayne, but unions aren't to blame for cost structures. It's foreign competition at much cheaper prices from countries with low standards of living that are killing us. Globalization is fine, but economic patriotism (protecting American jobs, and thus our standard of living) is necessary in the meantime. Markets need to have time to adjust globally.
And corporate greed of the huge corporations is more to blame than anything. It was in the news recently, or one can read Arianna Huffington's book Pigs at the Trough.
Small businesses such as Wayne's ought to be the focus of business in this country, and incomes ought be such that we can afford to pay prices that allow Wayne a profit, and the ability to pay his employees a living wage.

Jim Chambers, I couldn't agree more with your statement brother.