To get hired into a UAW plant as a skilled tradesman you must have either a UAW Journeyman’s card or documented 8 years of employment in the trade......
Job requirements for most of the unions are very restrictive. I remember a guy wanted to go to Alaska when they were building the pipeline. He had to take a year of classes to get an apprentice card, then he could be hired. Not sure what the job was.
He did get a job and raked in the cash for several years.