Just going to chime in on my experience on Unions since we are derailed anyways.
First of all I have never worked in a union. I have worked at a pretty big forestry company for over 11 years, including the last 7 as a tradesperson. We have union and non union mills and our is a non union mill. From what I can tell in my years of experience is that if you give it your all, don't take shortcuts, and in general give an honest days work you will be rewarded union or non union.
My only dealing working directly with union tradesmen was when I was doing my apprenticeship at NAIT. I got teamed up with a union guy on a project and me knowing the drill knew that if we finished early we could go home early. So I'm trying to get our assignment done (making hydraulic circuits) so I can go home and this Union guy was telling me to take her easy and lets just make this last the day....??? He basically stalled the whole assignment and instead of working with me he made sure we were the last group done exactly as class ended. It was infuriating and even just trying to reason with him was maddening. I just like to get stuff done and that was NOT his mindset at all.
And the union guys in our class, IIRC there was only 5 or so, where all the bottom of the class and barely scraping by. I am sure one guy did not make it. Another interesting fact is that all these Union guys were all on EI just scraping by while many of us non union forestry guys were being paid a full wage while at school, paid tuition, and a living allowance on top. I was treated very well despite not being union.
I know I have no idea how a real union works, but this is just my limited real life experience dealing with union tradespeople.
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