Correct. But unlike private businesses, I can not vote by taking my business elsewhere.
> The external accountability comes from you... Sure. It does via voting. Fair point.
> regardless if your elected official is dealing with a union or a private company
These are two separate things. The gov only affects private companies by regulating. It cannot negotiate benefits with the union or the private company. It is the neutral third party.
With public unions, the gov is both sides of the discussion and the mediator. There is no unbiased party in the negotiation, and seemingly no incentive to vote out pro union officials. I cannot understand why.
1. The gov doesn't haven't to turn a profit, so there is no alternative if prices are driven too high by union negotiations.
2. The union members get to vote on both sides of the table: both for their union wages and for the elected "neutral" party, that is obviously not so neutral.