jmoon@gannett.com; @josh_moon

We have a problem with nuance around here.

There are no shades of gray in this state. (Well, except for the 50 Shades your wives are reading.) Everything either is or it isn't. It's yes or no. Dirty or clean. Good or bad.

That's true with most conservative political positions.

You can't begin a sentence with, "Sure, the Obamacare website rollout was bad, but …," because there is nothing that can follow that "but" that will convince a conservative that Obamacare isn't the worst thing since slavery. (Seriously, that was said by a guy who has announced that he's running for president.)

And so it also goes with unions.

It is impossible, as a pro-union guy, to admit that unions have experienced some issues, done some bad things, not been the best advocates at times for the dues-paying members they're supposed to protect, but then also argue that unions are good for America. And that they're particularly good for Alabama workers.

But that's the truth.

You can scream all you'd like about the corruption of unions, about how they force dues on workers and yada, yada, yada, but the simple facts are these: union workers earn nearly $4 more per hour than non-union workers for the same work. They have significantly better benefits and retirement plans. And they receive raises and bonuses more frequently.

Additionally, unions keep the gap between worker pay and CEO pay closer and they reduce the amount of tax dollars spent on employee training and re-training, because the unions usually ensure its members are properly trained.

These are facts.

Yes, unions sometimes are infected by corruption, and sometimes the voting members elect politicians who implement silly rules that stifle competition locally and lead to higher prices for consumers.

But compared to an entire state filled with low-wage workers who are being hosed by company after company on benefits, higher pay and job security? There is no comparison.

That hosing, that's the life of an Alabama worker.

We have a state filled with low-skill jobs and low-skill workers. We've seen a number of companies that received astounding tax breaks and straight-up payouts from our lawmakers fail to deliver on long-term promises. We have some major manufacturers employing an increasing number of temporary workers.

And that's why it was so good to see the workers at the Golden Dragon Copper plant in Wilcox County take a stand for themselves.

Over objections from Gov. Robert Bentley, the workers at GD voted to unionize earlier this month.

And when I say that Bentley objected, I don't mean that the governor mentioned in passing during a regular press conference that he'd rather that the workers not unionize. No, Bentley took the time to write a letter to the workers and lay out his case for them not unionizing.

Among his reasons: the vote might discourage other companies from locating to Wilcox County or Alabama altogether.

You know what? Good.

I don't think it will be the deterrent Bentley claims it might be, but if it does discourage some bottom-feeding company from swooping in here to suck up free money in the form of "economic development" while dumping a bunch of low-skill, crappy-benefits jobs on the people of this state, good.

Maybe it will force the leaders of this state to finally figure out a long-term option. Maybe it will force them to look into why it has to basically build the plants for incoming companies and agree to train every potential employee before new businesses will locate here.

Maybe it might actually force someone in a leadership position to look out for the workers of this state on the front end.

By fixing our broken education system so the schools of this state attract companies. By expanding Medicaid and keeping hospitals open, so any potential companies don't worry that their employees might die before medical care from two counties away can get to them.

These are the real problems affecting employment in this state. Not unions. Unions might be the only hope our workers have at a fair wage and a decent living.

And that's as black and white as I can make it.