Are worker unions good or bad?

[Final-Fan]

snyps said:

Why is is it that unions are always found wherever things are screwed up? They have no interest in permanently solving things because then they’d be irrelevant. So how is that a good thing? If I ever got screwed by my school (which I have no reason to think that where I am) wouldn’t it make sense to sue them like any other company. Aren’t there ambulance chasers that would see a commission in that? Wouldn’t that stop bad practices from happening in the future. To me it seems like unions let the practices continue while fixing only for the vocal few. You know what I mean?

1.  I really have no idea what the first sentence is talking about. 
2.  Generally, unions want everyone in the place to be in the union, so as far as "permanently solving things", they'd want it to be a perfect place full of people paying dues to keep it perfect. 
3.  Nope, don't know what you mean.  It seems to me more like leaving it up to individual lawsuits is the one that fixes it for the few while potentially leaving bad practices in place (maybe the company figures a few maimed employees getting cash settlements is less expensive than fixing the problem).