The Cost of Brotherhood -{3}- Crossing the Line
Picture a break room in a Detroit auto plant. A worker, call him Mike, announces he’s opting out of union dues. The room goes quiet. Eyes turn. By week’s end, he’s stuck on the graveyard shift. His toolbox is “misplaced.” Old friends pass him in the hall without a word.
This is the cost of crossing the line.
In Parts 1 and 2, we examined how unions can hollow out cities and fracture workplaces. Now, we turn to the personal toll of dissent, when questioning the union, opting out, or walking away turns the brotherhood against you. For those who dare, the price is steep. But for many, the clarity is worth it.
The Cost of Brotherhood -{3}- Crossing the Line
Picture a break room in a Detroit auto plant. A worker, call him Mike, announces he’s opting out of union dues. The room goes quiet. Eyes turn. By week’s end, he’s stuck on the graveyard shift. His toolbox is “misplaced.” Old friends pass him in the hall without a word.
This is the cost of crossing the line.
In Parts 1 and 2, we examined how unions can hollow out cities and fracture workplaces. Now, we turn to the personal toll of dissent, when questioning the union, opting out, or walking away turns the brotherhood against you. For those who dare, the price is steep. But for many, the clarity is worth it.
When Loyalty Is Mandatory
Joseph Arnold just wanted to work. At a Meijer store in Michigan, he was told: join the union, or risk your job. After Michigan passed legislation in 2023 to repeal its right-to-work law, set to take effect in 2024, unions regained the ability to require dues or membership as a condition of employment. Arnold filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board, arguing that affiliation should be a choice, not a mandate (NLRB Case 07-CA-312374, 2023).
According to the National Right to Work Foundation, 21 states still lack right-to-work protections, impacting an estimated 60 million workers. While the Foundation advocates for those laws, its figures align with Bureau of Labor Statistics state-level data. In these states, workers can be excluded from jobs entirely if they decline to join.
Loyalty, in these environments, isn’t mutual, it’s mandatory.
Retaliation for Speaking Up
Crossing the line doesn’t always mean leaving. Sometimes, it’s just asking questions.
In 2019, a senior official with the Northeast Regional Council of Carpenters filed a whistleblower lawsuit after being dismissed for reporting financial self-dealing, accusing union leaders of mismanaging funds and awarding themselves bonuses (Carpenters v. Capobianco, 2019). The response wasn’t reform. It was retaliation.
Similar stories exist across sectors. From teachers questioning contract terms to autoworkers opposing political endorsements, pushing for reform often leads to isolation or job reassignment. One public 2024 post from a Chicago teacher read: “I asked why our dues fund candidates I don’t support. Now I’m ‘not a team player.’” In many workplaces, silence becomes the safer path.
The Social Cost of Opting Out
The fallout isn’t always formal. Since Janus v. AFSCME (2018), public sector employees can legally opt out of union dues. But doing so often triggers subtle consequences: undesirable shifts, lost promotions, or exclusion from social and professional circles.
In many metro areas, unions dominate public construction contracts. Project Labor Agreements (PLAs), common in union-dense states, frequently require union participation for bidding. In 2023, The Wall Street Journal profiled a New York carpenter who opted out of union membership and soon found himself without work. He wasn’t fired, just quietly cut off through contractor word-of-mouth.
Even in right-to-work states, word travels. As one Michigan welder posted publicly in 2025: “Left the union. Now I’m a ghost to guys I knew for years.” For many, it’s not just a job they lose, it’s a community.
Why Some Still Cross the Line
Despite the risks, people walk. Some, like Joseph Arnold, do it out of principle. Others see a better path, starting businesses, joining merit-based workplaces, or rejecting systems that no longer reflect their values.
I was one of them.
I left a union job after realizing that the harder I worked, the less it mattered. Seniority, not effort, not experience, dictated everything. I watched coworkers sleep off hangovers on the job while I was passed over. I had more experience, but it wasn’t union experience, so I was placed at the bottom. My voice didn’t count. So I left.
That story isn’t rare. It’s just rarely told.
A 2023 Manhattan Institute report found that opt-outs in the public sector rose by over 10% since Janus, with workers citing political misalignment, rigidity, and lack of voice as their top reasons. For each opt-out, there’s a story of frustration, and a hope for something better.
The Real Cost of Brotherhood
Crossing the line isn’t just about picket fences. It’s about choosing independence over conformity. And yes, the cost is real—jobs, friendships, even reputations. But so is the clarity.
The word “brotherhood” suggests unity, shared purpose, and mutual protection. But when that unity demands silence, and protection is only offered to those who fall in line, the question isn’t whether to cross the line—it’s whether the line itself still belongs in a free workplace.
From the union’s perspective, dissent can threaten collective bargaining strength. Loyalty is often emphasized to maintain leverage during negotiation. But when loyalty begins to stifle autonomy, the balance breaks.
If you’ve faced backlash for walking your own path, share your story at TheMiddleGroundProject.com.
Sources
- National Labor Relations Board. (2023). NLRB Case 07-CA-312374. Retrieved from nlrb.gov
- National Right to Work Foundation. (2024). State-by-State Right to Work Map. Retrieved from nrtw.org
- Carpenters v. Capobianco. (2019). Whistleblower Lawsuit. Reported via Reuters
- Janus v. AFSCME, 585 U.S. ___ (2018). Full opinion available at supremecourt.gov
- The Wall Street Journal. (2023). Union Opt-Out Consequences in Metro Trades. Retrieved from wsj.com
- Manhattan Institute. (2023). Post-Janus Trends in Public Sector Union Membership. Retrieved from manhattan-institute.org