In many union environments, workers are conditioned—formally or informally—to distrust or even dislike their bosses. The culture often frames management as “the opposition,” creating an us-versus-them mentality that discourages cooperation and mutual respect. Instead of viewing leadership as a partner in productivity, union workers are frequently taught to see supervisors as adversaries who must be challenged, resisted, or second-guessed. This mindset can undermine efficiency, damage morale, and make it difficult for any boss to maintain a smooth, unified operation. When that mentality follows a union member into a non-union workplace, it can clash hard with the open-shop culture, creating friction with management and the entire crew.
In right-to-work states, every contractor needs to keep their eyes open. There’s a growing trend of union trade workers leaving thier high taxed states and slipping into non-union shops acting like they’re the gold standard of the trade—loudly bragging about their certifications, their “superior training,” and how they’re supposedly a cut above everyone else. But the truth is, many of these individuals turn out to be the scabs their own union brothers already consider them to be, and sometimes worse.
When a union member crosses that line and takes a non-union job, the unions sees them as traitors. Inside the halls, they’re called scabs. In private, some are regarded as outright scumbags for abandoning the very system that funded their training. And the craziest part? Many of them know it. They walk onto non-union job sites carrying that guilt, resentment, and bitterness like baggage, and it shows up in their attitude, their mouth, their work ethic, and their inability to function within a team.
They also know the risks: disciplinary action, repayment demands for training costs, and punishments that the union won’t hesitate to enforce. So they drag all that inner turmoil into your workforce—and it becomes your problem.
Contractors should take this seriously. Bringing in someone who is divided in loyalty, bitter about where they’re working, and viewed as a scab or scumbag by their own peers can poison the morale of an otherwise strong crew. Be selective. Be aware. Don’t let someone else’s internal conflict contaminate your company.
