The electrical union is not perfect, nor are any other of the hundreds of unions out there.
I worked non union electrical construction for 6 years, badly struggled to support my young family and thought of leaving the trade.
Worked first 10 years industrial maintenance of which 9-1/2 I was salary management. I got my fill of being abused there.
I worked close to 2 years for a good size employee owned HVACR contractor, which should of been the ideal situation, but that was plagued with cancerous employee problems.
Then at that point in my career I saw the value of collective bargaining and better opportunities for any chance at securing a reasonable retirement, working both construction and back to manufacturing.
And I have worked enough side jobs to know that contracting is not always all it's cracked up to be.
We all just want to support our families and live the American dream, and not have to struggle our whole lives.
Man......Wish I had a Mustang and my own dirt bike track.