So I find out today that the community college union where I work (NEA) somehow bargained away their ability to bargain over hours. Who in their right mind would allow that to happen? Basically the specific article in the contract which defines course load cannot be opened for negotiation unless *both* sides agree to open it for negotiation. Of course, the administration will never want to open it, so the union basically bargained it away.

In the US, unions have the right to bargain over three things (in a nutshell): wages, hours, and working conditions. The bloody NEA bargained away these poor workers' ability to bargain over 1/3 of what they originally had the legal right to bargain over, and, in addition, they agreed to a no strike clause, basically eliminating any teeth the union had left. So now, as teachers, the can basically only bargain over salary, and they have no ability to strike. Good luck. You might as well not be a union any more. I have had a number of experiences with the NEA, and every time they've proved themselves to be toothless panderers to administration. Union my ass.