Let's talk Unions

Welcome to the SB Welding & Fabrication website. So to start this off I would like to thank you all for visiting my site. I will be updating this page periodically to upload pictures of projects I have completed. In addition to that, from time to time I will also share some insights and thoughts on welding and fabrication. My hope is to enlighten those of you that have little to no understanding about the subject matter. And I will start today's post with a common misconception when discussing welders... unions.

For the last three years I have been lucky enough to share my knowledge and expertise in welding by teaching classes at a place in San Jose called TechShop. This is a place where do-it-yourselfers pay a membership to have access to equipment that most people don't have the money to buy. Things like laser cutters, CNC tormach, wood routers, mills, lathes and MIG and TIG welders. To use the equipment, members must take a safety and basics class so they understand the risks involved and the in's and out's of how to use each machine. From time to time at the end of one of my welding classes, a student or two will stick around to ask a question specific to a project or in some cases about a career in welding. While talking about careers, inevitably the topic of unions will come up. The conversation usually goes something like this...

Student: "So where do I go to sign up for a welders union?"

Me: "Nowhere... technically there is no such thing as a welder union."

Student: "Wait, how is that possible?"

That is not the right question... the question is not HOW that can be possible, but it should be WHY... why is there no welders union? Don't get me wrong here, there are plenty of welders in all types of various unions. From the association of machinists and aerospace workers, ironworkers, plumbers and pipefitters, boilermakers, to the united automobile union all have welders working in their ranks. But if you went looking for a specific union that includes all aspects of welding in its general sense, you will be looking for a REAL long time and with no luck. If you did do a search, you may find a link to a ironworkers or a pipefitters union but you will not see anything related to a welding union.

Again, it begs the question... why? The answer is pretty simple actually, and it all comes down to power. What kind of power? The type of power to bring this country and every other country on the planet to its knees. The type of power to bring all forms of transportation, from cars to buses to airplanes, to a complete stop. All things powered by fuel, natural gas and any other types of chemicals would stop functioning. Power to cause the agricultural industry to be brought to a halt where the markets and stores that you go to have all the food disappear from the shelves, and on and on it would go. It would be a snowball effect of gigantic proportions, and all it would take is a simple decision... to go on strike.

Don't get me wrong, I do believe that unions are important to protect the workers of various occupations. I also believe that welders should join unions that I named previously. But if a Welders Union was established, that union would have the type of power that no one group should ever have. If such a union existed and all the welders collectively decided to go on strike, they would inflict suffering and strife to the masses on an unprecedented level and it's membership would be negotiating from a position of inconceivable power. And that is the reason why there is no such thing as a welders union.

Even if there was one, I would not join.

Thanks for taking the time to read this

-SB

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