I am cautiously pro trade union, but sometimes they get ridiculous, just like any other human endeavor. When I worked at the Exxon Refinery on Powerformer 1 and Powerformer 2, which are each the size of several city blocks, the union (Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers - OCAW) made management put in a women's locker room at both units, even though I was the only woman, for safety reasons. I was very grateful for that twice, once when a benzene pump seal blew and I got benzene sprayed all over me, and once when a pipe carrying lye broke and sprayed caustic chemicals all over me. I was able to shower quickly and change into my spare clothes without having to walk half a mile covered in chemicals.
But when I went to work in the printing industry, I didn't join the union because as an apprentice, I was only allowed to work under the supervision of a journeyman, and there was no journeyman on the night shift. The union rep on the day shift tried to get me to join but someone pointed out that if I joined I'd have to quit my job! At that time, Louisiana had put in right-to-work laws so I didn't join the union and kept working. |
