I would bring my issues up to my general foreman about work. The only one I knew that took me to all his job sites and would tell other foreman’s I was his apprentice because he got me first. At some point after sitting for so long, I stopped going to school and started searching for private sector work. That was when my company started trying to reach out, and then notified the union that I wasn’t responding or showing up to work. It triggered a committee meeting but by then I just wanted to find work. Any work. Because unemployment wasn’t enough anymore, and I had already sold off everything of value that I owned to stay afloat. In essence, the poor man’s bankruptcy. No one believed my story, not even the training director. It ruined me. I’m choking up and almost crying as Im typing this because my ignorance to the rules as an apprentice cost me in the union. Meanwhile, I saw people shield themselves because their protections as a union worker. I had almost 4 years experience, and they were only willing to make me a 40% apprentice. They laid off everyone around me because “that 5th year can barely pull wire, and this 1st year is flying through pipe runs.” Now, everyone thinks I couldn’t make it in the union, and I’m stupid for going private sector.