Conservatives want the U.S. to be self-sufficient with petroleum. They want Europe to not have to depend on petroleum from Russia.
40 years ago leftists were having hissy fits about diamonds from the Union of South Africa. Petroleum is far more important and the Islamist and Russian governments far more dangerous.
But I thought the way it worked is a bunch of workers agree to strike if their demands are not met.
That's done by majority vote. If 49% of the employees want to work, they will often be prohibited either because the business requires most people to be working or the company can't run at all (think steel mill) or they'll be physically threatened.
"totally fair and level headed people". This is the "benevolent dictator" fallacy that is thousands of years old.
In the unlikely event that a person can be found that initially qualifies, it won't last. As Lord Acton observed, "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely."
In actual business practice, employees seldom negotiate their wages. They just take what they get. Those who do negotiate, do so with their boss, their boss's boss, and/or someone in personnel.
Unions are blind to individual merit. Those who want unions are slackers or people who see themselves as helpless victims.
In some states, in some companies, union membership is mandatory. Part of pay goes directly to the union. Of the union's portion, a small part goes to wage negotiation and other valid employee concerns, some goes to union thugs to make trouble, and some goes to payoffs to mostly Democrat politicians.
Legally mandated corruption.
"Stupidity, like virtue, is its own reward" -- William E. Davidsen