... I’m wary of power and sway over things not related to the unions
I'm wary of power. Period. Anybody's: government, management, union, whatever. All people in positions of power should be carefully scrutinized and all books should be open.
I also feel the economy has to be made more cyclical which would assist in this.
We have to get away from the whole "line goes up" mentality. Eternal growth is not sustainable. It is literally physically impossible.