since the union affords you protections

I rarely see this mentioned in the media, but another occasional downside of being a union worker is that a collective bargaining agreement can supersede worker-protection regulations -- in other words, your union leaders can leave its members with inferior conditions.

Here's one example I experienced directly. Normal California law at the time mandated minimum break periods and frequencies based on hours worked (e.g. 4+ hour shift = 1 rest break, 5.5+ hours mandated a meal break, 6?+ hours mandated a second rest break).

The union negotiated away all rest and meal breaks in our unit in return for either a shorter shift or slight shift premium depending on which shift one worked.