Three reasons unions will probably not catch on among programmers are
(1) Programmer productivity varies greatly, making a common pay scale a bad fit.
(2) Programmers often work remotely. It's not like a factory where striking workers stand outside and intimidate replacement workers.
(3) Unionization in the private sector has fallen steadily in the U.S. as unionized companies have tended to be less competitive. For example, GM went bankrupt in 2009. Foreign companies building auto factories in the U.S. have located them in right-to-work states.
(1) Programmer productivity varies greatly, making a common pay scale a bad fit.
(2) Programmers often work remotely. It's not like a factory where striking workers stand outside and intimidate replacement workers.
(3) Unionization in the private sector has fallen steadily in the U.S. as unionized companies have tended to be less competitive. For example, GM went bankrupt in 2009. Foreign companies building auto factories in the U.S. have located them in right-to-work states.