The topic came to me when I was reading Mike Gunderloy's super-good blog. The link to the original entry is giving me some 404 business, so you'll just have to trust me. Ultimately, the link went back to Sam Gentile, who was the inspiration for Mike's post.

Anyway, I'm guessing that this is one of those subjects that is often thought about, and often discussed, but in my absence.

I'm not saying that anybody's obligated to wait until I'm in close proximity to begin talking about anything important, but I do want to apologize in advance if this is topic has already been beaten to death. If it has, I wasn't invited to the funeral, and so still have some questions.

Question number one would be this: Why don't we have one?

It seems like programmers are prime union meat. We totally lack job security, and we're tossed around like pogo sticks in one of those extremely dangerous (but fun) inflatable castles that arrive for any event where there might be beer, music, and really bad stand food.

There is no R-E-S-P-E-C-T.

Am I wrong here? Honestly. I don't understand why we don't have a union.

I can think of some counter points. For example, if it weren't done right, it might just encourage companies to ship as many jobs abroad as humanly possible. This would be bad for those of us who live in the states (but good for people who live in other countries and who have every right to make a living - still, though - gotta look after my own skin).

The counter point to that counter point, I think, is this: Pharmacists.

Yeah. The grumpety-wumpetykins who measure out our pills. They have a union, and that's why they're still doing what they're doing. I know - I can hear you say: "But, Rory - You can't ship pharmacist jobs abroad. It's a bad comparison."

It's true - You couldn't easily ship them abroad (not everybody wants to order their Viagra over the internet). But, you could easily just get rid of them. I don't mean to sound disrespectful, but the job of a pharmacist is basically the job of a fancy vending machine. If a bunch of tanked college students can build a box that mixes drinks, then I think we probably wouldn't have much a problem building one that measures out drugs. Sure, I'd occasionally get bladder-control medicine instead of Xanax, but we have to make these sacrifices in the name of modernization. I wouldn't want to stand in the way of the Bulldozer of Time. Would you?

Which brings us back to the question: Why don't programmers have a union? (actually, the segue was terrible, but I'm tired, so it'll have to do)

Why?