That's not completely true, although certainly the unions were a factor in initiating some changes. People who work non-union jobs now are not working 90 hr weeks, and only a part of that is due to the history of unions. * Btw, I am in the Teamsters, and pay dues, but I also have a job as a pharmacist (non-union). The union job is very low pay compared to the pharmacist work -- although I do like the idea of 'protection' of union (if it were there).