Well mookiemoo you may think you live in the "real world", but i can assure you, the real world involves things outside your closeted view of Thatcherism.
In the real world Trade Unions, especially on the railways, but elsewhere too, still operate as the voice of the workers.
They still protect through collective bargaining, a concept obviously annoying to yourself, those workers rights.
I fully expect an anti union rant from yourself, but you must accept that many ordinary people dont share your view, and as many many times i have been told, by anti union people, if you dont like your job get another, if you dont like your job, in your "real world", get a job where you can join a union, where colleagues stand together, and fight for rights that benifit the workforce, i.e you.
You obviously dont know the ins and outs of this particular dispute, and probably couldnt care less? So if you want to debate in an adult fashion, please do, if not go and talk rubbish elsewhere, or is that too much to ask?
Good luck to the RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) members, whatever they decide democratically!