Wrong analogy. The successes of European labor were made possible because they could have political representation (social democracts) courtesy of the proportional representation system. This country dores not allow that option - it arguably the most exclusionary and undemocratic system among the developed countries.
Without political representation - unions and civic groups have no chance of make any meaningful impact. And the political representation by any party but Dems or Repugs is precluded by design in this country. Hence your only choice is to either stick with the Dems for whatever it is worth or be totally exluded. You can also work to overhaul the tyranny of the winner-takes-all system but I would not hold my breath to see that happen.
I always believed that the US is the Disneyized and McDonaldized Nazi Germany - ein volk, ein partei, ein fuehrer - with cartoon character parades instead of goose-step marches.
wojtek