Goal #91: Leave IATSE

I almost forgot about this one!
Here's the background: I worked my butt off to get into the union. I mean, I worked HARD. It was like bootcamp, but in the end I don't have the skills to kill a rival assassin with a dishtowel or a hardcover book. Instead, I got to pay the union even more money. I was a little pissed off that after a year and a half of slugging it out for minimum wage, my "upgrade" fee was over a thousand bones. I had to cash out part of my union-sponsored group RRSP in order to pay it. And, of course, my quarterly dues went up substantially. But it was worth it--when I was working. When I was stressing about my next gig and my next paycheck, it all seemed a little useless.
When I finally decided to change careers (like, I got a new job, with a regular paycheck), I naturally stopped paying my union dues, and I sent my local chapter of IATSE a letter telling them kindly and professionally that I wanted to leave, or rescind my membership, give up my privileges or whatever. Although I hadn't worked a union gig in over a year, they responded by telling me that in order to "honourably withdraw", I had to pay my outstanding fees. Um... No. Dishonourably discharge me then, I thought. I kept getting requests to pay my dues, and I was on the verge of calling on Ken the Axe, my buddy and labour-negotiator extraordinaire, when I finally got their version of a "final notice" letter, letting me know that I would soon be suspended for non-payment of dues. It's a crummy way to end things, especially since I tried to do it properly. But if neglect is the only thing that will let me reach my goals, so be it.
I'm out!
I think.