What is so great about unions?

im in the roofers union local 33 out of boston, mass. does anyone know if ive made the right decision?

Are you working? That will tell you if the union is any good. Normally you make a few quid more when you are in a union.

you would have to answer that question.

Don't worry. Six months on and six months off you'll collect all the data you need to arrive at a real decision.

about onions? ONIONS ARE GREAT!

I'll bypass the pros and cons of union membership for now, but I will point out these basic points that will make a difference to you in day to day working -

Number one, Safety. Work conditions will be under the scrutiny of OSHA on a union work site. God forbid you have an injury, but insurance claims will hinge on a "you say, they say" adherence to safety measures. The "you" part becomes stronger if somebody has your back. No union, you're on your own.

Working outside your area of expertise - This isn't a "lazy mans clause." Do you want to be sued for a faulty job completion because a supervisor told you to do a job you had no experience in? With no union protection, you could be asked to do work that you may not have a lot of experience in doing, but will be held accountable for.

You can pay union dues, or pay for private insurance to cover your butt. It's your call. Put up either your home for collateral, or the unions insurance fund.

Job security - Miss a day of work because of a funeral or either a partner or children get ill? Without a union, there may be no job to come back to. There are lots of other roofers happy to fill your shoes at a moments notice.

It's your call on the risk you want to take. Just be sure to weigh all the pros and cons, and keep asking questions till you are satisfied with the quality of answers.

I hope you get some info and answers from knowledgeable folks.

The reason of the existence of unions is what its name means "UNION" the union of people is strength.
That is why people who worked in certain specialties rallied around each other to protect their rights.
With time the objectives of this unions became more sophisticated but the initial objective is still there and that is, to protect its members.

Of course you took the right decision.

Unless you are in a crooked Union that also exist and their only object is to milk its members of their monthly quota. This you will have to analyze yourself.
Find out if there are cases in which the Union has effectively defended its members when necessary.

They are good at making American businesses uncompetitive in the world market.