The way I’ve always seen it is that unions counterbalance the necessary need for businesses to run efficiently as possible. Now with efficiency can come things like cost controls that can and do lead to things like poor and unsafe working conditions, low wages, poor benefits like healthcare, time off etc. collective bargaining brings some balance to that. Another point is that nothing is perfect. Not employers and not unions. Both can be and are shady but again there is a balance. It would be nice if a third party actually reigned in both but if we took away unions then corporations would be the remaining party able to influence politics, putting workers at a significant disadvantage. We often say the good old days, etc but the truth is before unions the good old days were not very good for workers, especially blue collar workers. There’s a reason why we have unions (even as they are in decline) and it was hard fought for too. The Battle of Blair Mountain comes to mind when thinking about how hard it was to get worker’s rights in America. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Blair_Mountain It is important to remember America is more than an economy and Americans are more than just labor.
Easy, because Musk is such a media figure. Recalling my work with unions, I had to deal with some of the most vile human beings I'd ever encountered in my life. Stereotype vulgar bullies. But those will never be in the media.
The world really just comes full circle. Elon Musk is building a classic “company town.” Wouldn’t be surprised if he ends up owning all of the stores and creates his own currency. For anyone not in the know, these company towns ravaged Appalachia and systematically impoverished its population that lasts to this day.