Well, each union is slightly different, my union dues change depenant on seniority. I was talking with one of the guys in the highest bracket and his union dues were about $200 a month, so $2400 a year... of course he also typically makes anywhere from $125, 000 to $150, 000 and has seven weeks of vacation, complete health, dental and his prescription medication covered for him and his family, and knows without a doubt that if the company tries to pull shit on him the union has his back. $2400 seems like a pretty good deal for that, especially when (in Canada) your union dues can be deducted from your taxes. Food for thought people: if unions were really obsolete and did nothing for you, why would your employer care? Do you really think they're that selfless that they have everyone's best interest at heart?

Unions must be better in Canada. Here, they mostly keep companies scared with threats of strikes and lawsuits. They take their fees directly from pay with no option (if you're working a union job) to not be a member. The jobs offer higher than average pay and better benefits, but they also make it nearly impossible to get fired. My last union job was road repair, 12 years ago. Every morning we'd tell the foreman how many tons (60 to 100) of asphalt we thought we could lay that day. We didn't go home until we finished. So, with lazy co-workers who know the union will fight for them if they're fired, if I wanted to go home I had to bust my ass to finish. I averaged $550/week, 5-6 day weeks, 10-18 hour days.

Even non union workers in the $150K pay range get those benefits (perhaps less vacation, depending on the job), it goes with the position. The major problem in Canada is the fact that it becomes near impossible to be rid of underachievers, as their lack of work is expected to be made up for by their coworkers. That and the fact that tax deductible dues are used for extremely partisan political activities in a way that no other worker or employer group may legally do.

Seriously? Try getting a decent job without a college degree now. It was a lot easier years ago. Of course if you just get something like a philosophy degree or major in Latin studies, then what can you expect?

Nobody promised you that getting a Master's Degree would put you any further ahead in life. Sorry, but you can't blame someone else with a better paying job for you getting so little. Understand that your circumstances have nothing to do with him. So there's no point in getting so angry.

everyone wants manage how others work but no one wants to actually work. get a Hvac license or electrician license. you'll make more moneny with it than your masters degree.