you know its funny, unions( atleast in the construction trades) use to mean that you got a skilled person. now days its a bunch of crap.
Hell the guy that signed off my GC was the head of the local union. After looking at my work and reconizing my name, he handed me my journymen statis. Turns out he was my grandfathers last apprentice. ( my grandfather was the head of the union before he retired, and busted his ass every day on the site, not like these professional union workers) he knew damn well the training I went thru and how it was far more extreme then what they would have put me thru.