Example, back then in the late 1970s I had a summer “engineering job” with a coal company. The company was going to move its “field warehouse” (meaning warehouse close to the mines!) to another location. It was going to be done on 12AM to 8PM shift. I got asked to be the “management” present for that. I came in and the shop steward brought me a soft drink escorted me to the main warehouse office where there was a TV & radio etc. He told me there were more sodas in the fridge and to just stay in the office and “Everything will be fine!” The suggestion that I stay in the office was said with an inflection of ‘I really should do that!’. To make a long story short “they guys” robbed the company blind in the move! I was beside myself when I met with the senior management when I went back to my “regular duties”. It turned out they expected it and didn’t view it as a big deal. What I thought was weird about it. Stuff was stolen that no household would use, nor a small business like a carpenter, plumber or electrician. Even selling it on the “black market” would be a problem. Clearly people stole stuff just because they could it and it was “sticking it to the man” in some way.
I had a neighbor back then who was a Teamster. You never wanted to know where he got anything. It always “fell of the back of a truck”.
His union newsletter used to crow about how they could prevent you from being fired no matter what egregious thing you’d done.
I knew another guy who was a union electrician. I think every light bulb in his home had been stolen from the mill. He ran a side business stealing cable. For 25 bucks he’d come and climb the pole, take out the little filter that blocked HBO, fry it with his arc welder and put it back.
Both of them felt fully entitled. “Economic Justice” dontcha know.
sorry 8AM =8PM