Litebulbs,
Yes, unions do protect the lazy and incompetent. Take the NY Teachers Union as an example. A teacher fails multiple evaluations. They cannot spell, do math or English. You really have to wonder how they got a teaching certificate. The school district wants to let them go - after all, they are really hurting kids.
The union then fights it through every court and every hearing process they can despite the evidence. In the meantime, to limit the damage to the kids, all the dozens of NY teachers going through this process are housed every day in a district building away from kids but still drawing upwards of $120,000 in annual salary.
I will also say that unions protect the least competent because I have never seen a union accept a merit pay scheme for their members.
But one final comment, unions do have a role in the workplace and I think good unions can do great things for members and a business. However, when unions like BASSA (ok, I know they are part of UNITE) adopt personal or political agendas (CC89) then they cause incredible damage to their members, the company and the union movement.
TB