Having been a state worker while I lived in Montana, I've experience being a union member first hand. I've paid my dues, and I've also had it affect me negatively - the agency I worked for was part of the Director's office in the Department of Public Health and Human Services. We were small (just my supervisor and I), but our impact across the state was large, mainly due to effective leveraging of AmeriCorps*VISTA members. When I started as a state employee, we had to get union approval for my pay exemption - my supervisor was willing to make this a 32 hour/week position, while paying me the full amount in the budget for the position. I considered re-applying for this position a few years back, but the union would not approve the pay exemption then. So, even though the union didn't help me then, I still support collective bargaining (even with all the abuses of the system).
Anyway, rad story in the NY Times about supporting the protesters. The Facebook page to donate is here. I just made my donation and fed lots of protesters. Definitely not tax deductible, but a cool way to support the protestors and their cause, as well as a local business, which "has had to increase its daily staff to 19, from its normal eight."
