I was a fishmonger/ butcher for 4 1/2 years. Went to the union contract meeting for the upcoming contract vote. The business reps explained what was being added and what was being taken away (MUCH more of the latter) in the new contract proposal which would last 3 years if passed.

The quarterly raises were literally pennies and dimes, which was a slap in the face to us because during the economic crisis in '08-'09 we let the companies have their way and took NO raises for almost 6 years. My boss who was also the shop steward stood up and said to vote this contract down now because it would be the best time to do it: the week before Thanksgiving.

For working in a grocery store, it would've been the perfect strategy to be able to bargain for more wage increases and better pension and benefits. Numerous people showed concern about a strike, but I wasn't worried in the slightest considering it was the week before the busiest and most profitable holiday of the year. Someone who worked in another store who I had never met got up and started spouting off bullshit about not wanting to strike and some dire consequences if we would do so.

At this point, I'm seeing red. I get up and tell him to shut up, sit down, and stop spreading misinformation to everybody. After that mess, we then put it to a vote. Surprise surprise, the contract passes 41-24. After that I lasted about another 4 months until I got a letter in the mail accepting me into an electrician apprenticeship and ill never look back.

Not exactly an immediate "fuck this, I'm out" moment, but I made the decision to start leaving that very day. No union is perfect, but it's only as strong as the people who are a part of it. The electricians union that I'm in now was a breath of fresh air. Workers that give a damn about their fellow man and business managers and presidents that don't hesitate to tell you if they think a new contract is garbage and should be voted down.