Heh heh
RJS said:
I asked a union carpenter once about the type of nail guns he uses, he responded by saying, "We don't use them". I was amazed and asked why? He said, "Because it takes a job away from someone else". I guess this is job security at its finest.
Yeah, there's one guy to hold the nail while the other guy hits it!
No seriously though, I was a union electrician for over a decade and I've been non-union as well so I 've seen both sides of the fence.
When I started and I was running jobs, I had guys avoid battery powered drills because it made a job take less time.
On a more subconsious and political level, and metaphorically speaking, the battery powered drill represents freedom and efficiency, a combination that strikes fear into the heart of die-hard union members.
Likewise, it was an absolute sin to bring
any tool of your own onto the job even if it made your day go more smoothly.
I was a complete moron because I used a large tool pouch that enabled me to have just about any tool I needed throughout the day.
My boss once told somebody that he saw me complete 4 days worth of work in an 8 hour day. I didn't do it to take work away from somebody, I just did it.
I could go on and on about the way the Union works in Chicago and other places. It has its good points for sure, but independency is not a crime and many would have you believe otherwise.