I want to unionize.
I am a Canadian who works in a poorly regulated trade (Tree work/Aboriculture). I love my trade to bits, but I am getting fed up of the constant drive for production, the skirting of safety rules, and the fact that for an incredibly high-risk profession we get paid unacceptably low wages.
I have no clue where to begin, I am not versed in labour law at all. I also anticipate the following challenges:
1) Local unionization at my companies branch, if we all went for it, I suspect they'd try to fire us. I work for a large company that we joke has more lawyers than it does trucks, too.
2) The culture of my trade has been, in my opinion, curated into being anti-union. Most tree workers take pride in productivity and overcoming adversity; the belief is that unions creating excessive down time, idling, and a lack of drive. They also fear the idea that seniority will supercede skill for advancement/authority – one of the appeals of my trade is if you have the skill/aptitude you can progress very quickly (until you hit the wage ceiling, of course).
3) To my knowledge my trade is not unionized anywhere in Canada, and only a few places in the states.
I feel as though if I were to attempt this, I'd just lose my job and get blacklisted by large companies. However climbing 1`00ft+ trees with a chainsaw for 30 dollars an hour isn't enough. I risk my life & I am beating up my body, to make someone in an office rich. Its not right.