How are the Detroit automakers, which are the only unionized ones meant to compete with the companies that completely ignore fair wages and don't even have unions begging for them?

I'm not against paying people fair wages but automakers aren't exactly train companies that run at a loss and for the public good (being propped up by the government)

I guess we could prop up automakers with tax funds and pay fair wages and somehow ignore all the other market forces but... Why? We already prop them up with subsidized roads and infrastructure...