re: Is joining a union the way to go?

Unions can promise anything, but have no obligation to deliver on their promises. By not joining the union things could be worse, better or the same as if you joined. The only certainty is that you'll be paying union dues. As the other poster pointed out, typically unions don't work very hard for non-union employees. I value having a direct line of communication between myself and my employer. Having a union intermediary doesn't work for me. Nationally, union membership is at historically low levels. The recent economic decline has really ushered in a new wave of union proliferation.