insp89,
It depends on your specific skill set and the industry you're in.
Way Way back in 1973 when I first started working as a Pressman in the Printing Trades I got a union job that paid $5.10/hr which was damn good. What shocked me was TOS was only like $6.50/hr.
I hated the job and took a different one in a non union plant for $4.00/Hr with all kinds of incentives. By the time I had been there 6 months and gotten competent AND fast I was able to hit all the incentive gates and earned roughly $7.00/Hr.
So it really depends on the industry. It's also a personal decision to work union and some don't like being forced to join a union