re: Is joining a union the way to go?

I'd argue that Union greed and ridiculous wage/benefit structures for uneducated and minimally skilled workers robbed American companies of their ability to compete in a global economy. As a result, those "middle class" jobs you refer to have been shifted overseas. In addition, those Union practices increased the operating costs of those companies which is ultimately passed along to the consumer by means of inflated pricing. Unions are not only bad for business, but also bad for the economy as a whole.