"why aren't unions bigger in the US?"
a few reasons
the Homestead strike of 1892
imagine going to work that day know the union is about to negotiate a new contract with your boss. production is up so a raise seems to make total sense. but your boss says no, he's going to pay you less (22% less) and fire half of the union workers
so, as it is done, you and your coworkers go on strike. your boss calls in strikebreakers (people to cross the picket line and do your work). in this case, the Pinkertons. your coworkers (and the town you work in) fight the Pinkertons off, but people die or are injured due to the gunfire exchanged
so then the state militia comes in (National Guard) and seizes your workplace. your boss refuses to negotiate and just keeps bringing in more men to work. some of the men brought into work are Black and a race riot breaks out one day
and it all comes to a head when some random anarchist from new york you've never fucking heard of shows up to shoot and stab your boss. your boss survives, the anarchist goes to prison, and union support has been destroyed bc of some dude you don't know who tried to stab your boss
it wasn't at all uncommon for state militias or the National Guard (which state militias were all renamed to in 1903) to be called in to handle strikes
in 1914 the Colorado National Guard fought a tent colony of striking miners and at least 26 people were killed. this was at a rockefeller owned mine and the demands including being paid for all of their labor. 11 of those killed were women and children (miners' families) burned alive in a cellar by Guardsmen. this is known as the Ludlow Massacre
in 1877 a strike of approximately 100,000 railroad workers started the Great Railroad Strike. initially, only the state militia was called in and 20 people were killed. then the president sent in about 3000 federal troops and by the end approximately 100 were dead and 1000 were in jail. why were they striking? their wages had been cut 3 times that year. the last cut was 10% and it was specifically made to increase profit dividends (aka more money for rich fucks)
in 1894, the Pullman strike received an even larger federal strike (12,000). workers lived in company towns and their wages were cut 20-30% before the strike. federal AG richard olney received $8k/yr for his salary but $10k each from multiple railroad bigwigs to break the strike. after getting illegal injunctions issued didn't work, president cleveland sent in the troops and claimed the strike violated Anti-Trust laws. the state governor demanded they leave and the president refused. at least 30 were killed, 70 were wounded and 80 million in property damage was done
the state and US governments have gone to great lengths to protect corporate interests and intimidate workers, including murdering them and their families for demanding things like safe working hours and pay for all labor
people died to protect their union rights and in return they try and convince you a union due is the real problem
can you hear the bullshit over that knife sticking out of your back?
