Unfortunately, in some circumstances, unions are needed for workers to get a fair deal.
IMO - Also, and more unfortunately, unions are causing the downfall of a lot of companies. This is due to the larger, less effcient and in some cases less skilled (Less skilled workers can slide by because they don't have to do anything but work with the other guys that know what they are doing) workforce.
I had an experience like yours, Elfenwolf, at a once great Military contractor (maker of the 'Patriot' Missle system). Because of the union, a job that I could have finished myself in 15 minutes took over 3 hours to complete.
The Problem: A limit switch (electrical switch activated by a mechanical action of a machine) was not working properly.
The Troubleshooting Process:
T+0: I connected my PC to the PLC and found that a limit switch was not making contact when a conveyor arm went by.
I take out my multi-tool with screw-driver and am about to adjust the switch. A shop steward yells at me and asks what I am doing. I tell him the problem, at which point he proceeds to lecture me that this is a union shop and a union electrician will have to come over and work on things for me.
I tell him I am sorry and that I was unaware of the rules. He says it is ok and goes off to find me an electrician.
T+15: Electrican shows up and asks what the problem is. I explain what I think it is. He tells me to wait while he goes to get his tools.
Waiting for the union electrician to go get his tools so he could fix the limit switch (Of course he could have brought them when he came to go look at the machine, just in case he had to fix something. But he thought it would be better to walk all the way back to the shop to get them)
T+40: Electrician determines the limit switch is working properly and that the switch body must have moved on the bracket. To correct this, he adjusts the switch arm. The machine cycles properly and the Electrician leaves for coffee break.
T+50: The machine stops working again.
T+60: Electrician returns and determines the screws that hold the switch body in place were loose and this allowed the switch to move on the mounting bracket.
I ask him to put the switch back in position and tighten the screws. He tells me it is not his job, and the machinist will have to come do it.

T+1:15: Machinist shows up and looks at the bracket. Decides he has to go back to the shop and get his tools (Another one that doesn't bring his tools to a trouble call. Did he think we called him for no reason?)

T+1:25: Machinist returns with his tools. Tightens screws on bracket and then notices that the bracket is not totally square on the machine frame. Further investigation shows that the bracket is bent slightly outward.
I ask him to bend the bracket back to square. He tells me it is not his job, and the millwright will have to come do it.

T+1:40: Lunch time: Delay 1 hour

T+2:50: Millwright looks at machine and sees where the bracket is bent. After going back to the shop and determining that he has no spare brackets, he decides to bend the original bracket back into place.
T+3:15: Machine will not operate properly because the adjustment made on the limit switch arm earlier has now made the switch operate too soon, because it is now too far forward now that the bracket has been bent back into the proper position.
I ask him to adjust the limit switch arm. He tells me it is not his job, and the electrician will have to come do it.

T+3:35: Electrian returns to look at the limit switch. (This time he brought his screw-driver) The electrican adjusts the limit switch arm back to its original position. We test run the machine and it all works again.
T+3:50: I pack up and leave, two hours late for another appointment I had promised to make.
To make matters worse through this entire process, I had to explain to each worker what I thought the problem was and what steps were already taken to determine that. It also seemed that none of them wanted to believe my story and had to have me run several tests so they could see what was happening before they did anything to make an adjustment.
I think it is for situations such as the one above that unions get a bad name. I have seen too many where there is one or two hard workers in a group and the rest just go along for the ride, not really doing much or having much of their own skill.
Unions like that need to go.