Nursing Unions

What is this trend in nursing today that practicing professionals need to 'pay" unions to speak for them? Why isn't the idea of professionalism promoted in today's practicing nurses. In order to change an undesirable behavior, be it from a patient, co worker, or practice; the environment that accpepts the undesirable behavior must be changed first. I am tired of nurses not taking responsibilty for their practice and expecting an outside force that is not based in nursing to solve a nursing issue?