That sucks. I was layed off back in 2008 because I was near the bottom of the board. Of the twenty or so guys above me who were laid off, I was called back by the TM, perhaps others were as well, but in the end it was I and I alone who came back of the original group. I didn't need a union for that, I was invited back because in the short time of my first round of employment, I proved to my TM that I had potential and was the sort of employee he wanted. It's called merit. Unions encourage conformity.