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Back in 2006, the year my son was born, my family and I lived in Raleigh, NC.  We had moved down their in 2004 hoping for a better opportunity since we had a network of friends.  Well, it didn’t quite work out as planned.  We found that everybody has busy lives and mainly keep to themselves.  Another kicker was, although the construction job market was booming, the wages were not.  Financially we were struggling to keep our heads above water.

In the early summer of 2006 my wife and I agreed we needed to move back to New York.  So, I started looking for employment.  After sending out a couple of resumes, I was contacted by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers local 325.  Over the course of the summer I had to take a couple of trips to New York to take a placement exam, and various other meetings.  I was placed as a Journeyman Electrician, and signed the book (everyone signs there name for work, and waits their turn.)

That summer in Binghamton, NY there was a major flood that devastated the area.  With this devastation included an extreme amount of work for the trades.  The scheduled day of me swearing in to the union also meant I needed to go to work.  So I packed my clothes in the car, and kissed my family goodbye.  I had to leave them behind for a while until I found us a place to live in New York. This was very difficult because I had never been away from my family.

Working for about 2 months I found us a place to live.  So I packed up the family and made the trek north.  Once we were settled, and everything seemed cozy the hammer dropped…..

After only 13 weeks of employment, I was laid off.  Now in my line of work that is pretty common.  But this time was different.  We had spent our entire savings on moving, and I had a major delay (almost 6 weeks) before I got an unemployment check from the state of North Carolina.

We headed into winter, no income, bills to pay, kids to feed, and we were running out of fuel oil to heat our house.  This was a pretty hairy situation.  I could feel panic increasing.  I was angry, sad, depressed, and worried all rolled into one.  I did what I vowed I would never do.  We asked for public assistance.

“Why not get another job?”

That question is a good one.  With organized labor, we take an oath.  Part of the union bylaws, we cannot work for any company that is not a signatory company.  That means that any company we work for has made a collective agreement with the union.  Plus, we have to get employment through the union hall.  On top of that, we cannot do any electrical work for money on our own.  So, when you get laid off, you sign the book and you wait your turn.  Sound crazy?  It is, but, the money is good.

During that horrid winter, we scraped and clawed by.  I did whatever I could to put food on the table.  We were just barely getting by.  One Sunday I went to watch my best friend race quads in a winter race series.  At the track I ran into a guy I used to work with in the past.  The current electrical contractor he was working by was in desperate need of electricians.  This was great, I needed a job, they needed help, it would be a win-win situation.  The only kicker was….

They were non-union.  If I went to work with them, I could be fined, dismissed, punished by the union.  I was torn, and scared.  This was a difficult decision to make, until I seen my family.  I looked at them and knew what I had to do.

I went down and applied for a job with this new company.  They offered me a job on the spot and I accepted it.  The next step was to go to the union hall and resign…

Now I am not a confrontational guy.  I avoid it if at all possible.  The company I was going to work for is the arch nemesis of the union.  The union has been trying to get this company to join for years.  I knew if I told the union what my plans were, they would do anything in their powers to get me to help them convert this new company.  The conversion of a non-union company to a union company can be very ugly, so ugly it can resort to a hostile takeover if the employees vote to be organized.

My stomach was tied in knots.  What do I do?  What do I say?  I walked into the Business Agents office and proceeded to fabricate a lie on why I was resigning.  I told him a flat out lie which at the time felt like the right thing to do.  I said I was leaving to proceed on building a business in the music industry.  He was very understanding, and gave me a honorary withdrawal.  This type of withdrawal allowed me to still be a member, but I would not have to pay my working dues.  This meant that if I wanted to come back, I wouldn’t have to pay back any past dues.  Basically I could save money.  This guy was trying to help me out, while I was plunging a knife in his back.

Well, I took the withdrawal shook his hand and left his office.  I went to work with the new company, and never gave it much thought again.  Then down the road I was unemployed again, and had to drag my butt back to the union.  They obviously heard what I did, and of course they were not too pleased.  I was basically reprimanded and scalded.  All of which I deeply deserved.  Not to mention, I had to work with many of the guys who feel I personally attacked them by the stunt I pulled.

Now 4 years later, the wounds have healed, and people have forgotten, and forgiven me for my actions.  The only problem, I have not forgiven myself.  I cannot let it go, even though I try to justify my actions to feed my family.  I chose to give away my integrity, and I have to live with that for the rest of my life.  I will always worry about what others think of me, even if they are not.  It is like having a personal scarlet letter.  You can never shake the shame you have when you act dishonestly.  What I should have done was put my fear aside, state my case on why I was resigning, and told them sorry, I have to feed my family.  They would not have been happy, but I would of been viewed respect for my integrity, rather than a liar.

Remember:  It easier to nurse a bloody nose, than a bloody conscience.  -Larry Winget

Thanks,

Gerry