The effectiveness of different unions varies quite a lot. I've been in two unions and I'd say it takes some getting used to...the being agreeable with the union positions and such. I would consider myself to have been sort of a bad union member in my first experience cuz I didn't understand how unions worked and such...but still, even in retrospect that was a pretty weak union. I'm a good union guy now, but not quite a unionista.

I've been though two strikes, one in each union. Strikes really test your conviction in being part of the union.