By William Zack, August 2, 2017 — I was working on a railroad in Missouri, and I was a painter’s helper. They had an opening for a first class painter. I applied for it because I was a painter’s helper and I had seniority. Anyhow, a man from Arizona was a member of the union in Arizona, but that wasn’t our union, but because he was a union member, they gave him the job. I wasn’t too happy about that so I went down to my union and told them I bet on that job, and I have authority because I’m a union member here, and he’s not. They said, yes but he is a union member. I said not our union though. I argued with them. They said they cannot do anything about it. I said, well I can. I went to the library, and took six books out online enforcement cases relevant to my case. I took two weeks, and I made up 14 copies of a grievance to the 12 members of the board, and I kept an extra copy. Our union was in Chicago, and I was down in Missouri. So I took a two-week vacation and I stayed with my sister-in-law and my brother. I presented my case to all 12 members, everything that I had typed up, they asked me if I would leave the room so they could make their decision, and about a half hour later, they told me that they felt that I should be awarded with the job. They told me they would pay me for two weeks vacation and the travel pay, and my housing pay. So I got the job too! So I went back to Missouri and went back to the paint shop. I told them I got the first class painter job.
