Part of me agree's honestly.  I think the motive to pay living wages is fine and I believe in collective bargaining, but it has to be mixed with financial smarts and reasonable expectations.    

Considering part of the private sector is getting away wtih paying workers sub poverty wages and rewarding their shareholders, who are total 'non value added' (contribute nothing to the direct poduction of the product or service), it's easy to see free market capitalist have huge leverage over wage control that keep labor cost down, management share price up.    

Just look at it practically, most people will not be a part of ownership.  It's a reality.    Collective bargaining for share of profit is a lot wiser that fixed benefits though.   

In govenement work though, profit might ideally be zero, so wage negotiation has to be smart and flexible and well managed.   Don't blame the workers, blame the supervision.  

Conservative Republicans have had every opportunity to make their case