My young friend, let me introduce you to our industry. If you have a union, you then get to negotiate a "collective bargaining agreement" known as a contract. The Railway Labor Act. Found here: http://www.nmb.gov/documents/rla.html
It is the source of managements advantage. Given by federal law from 1926 and applied to the airlines. For a wiki view: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Railway_Labor_Act

Now for the airline pilot,
http://www.nmb.gov/mediation/factsheet_thru-fy07.pdf and pay close attention to page 6.
Now look at the record found here: http://www.nmb.gov/publicinfo/airline-strikes.html
As you can see by this govt. data. Management clearly uses the "amendable" contract to their advantage. It is extraordinarily difficult to get to a strike. The law is rigged against the employee to strike for the good of the public.
This has some good info from the union I belong: http://www.ipapilot.org/media/rla.as...20Labor%20Act?
Hope this clearly shows why management has the advantage.