12 Dragon
#12 of Inktober 2019
Why yes, I do think kobolds should unionize. Why not?
They say dogs have owners and cats have staff. Dragons, on the other paw, have a union to support them. Dozens of kobolds, taking care of the dragon's every need and being taken care of in turn.
Given that a typical dragon will have hoarded more wealth than they can use even in their multi-century lifespan, it isn't a big deal to spend a generous amount of coin on having small, loyal creatures about. Though some kobolds may fetishize dragons to such an extent they'd work for free, most dragons learn that any skilled kobold is worth paying well.
Specialization becomes a real possibility for those kobolds in a union. They're given the chance to learn practical skills, including cooking, finance, mining, subterranean farming, and countless others. The academies are fine in quality: most surface dwellers would envy the training if they knew what they were missing. Naturally, some kobolds will tend to the dragon's more personal needs: such things are a trade as any other.
Really, one shouldn't be annoyed by kobolds. One should envy and emulate them instead.