Stringer and Unions

[tvjason365]

Quick question for all. I shoot in Northern California (Bay Area) fairly full-time. I've been approached several times by various people (cam ops, producers) at stations I work with asking why I didn't go union. My question is, besides the usual health care discounts, etc--are there any benefits to this? Any cons to it?

Thanks in advance!

[Icarus112277]

Benefits- you have someone looking out for you that is supposed to find you work and stick up for your rights

cons- it doesn't always work, you have to pay, and then you don't get to negotiate your own rates and it is harder to learn differnet things