Please do not take this the wrong way.  But you are doing what is called " Biting off your nose despite your face." You are going to lose a job (maybe not you due to your side work but your brothers) because you do not get what you want.  I do not know the extent of your contract.  But their is always wiggle room for both sides.  My company just signed a new one year contract, that worked for both us and them.  We get to work and keep are benefits plus a dollar an hour raise across the board and they get to keep their doors open.  Now we do not make your type of money nor does our company.  As a level 2 welder I make 16.32 with the hopes of in a year or two of getting up to 20.00, now with the cost of living in NY that is not good.  So having the opportunity to make twice that seems like a no brainier.  I am sorry if you feel that you are unable to make a good living and save ( and retire) with that kind of money.  Your ideology seems just like the problem the big three are having.  They feel it is owed to them.  But instead of looking at the big picture they look at the new truck/ new house / big screen TV/ and any other toy they have to have and are or are trying to pay for.  If you can not live on taking home around a grand a week, you would not last a week in NY.  Where welders do not even make that before taxes.  I understand that the giving or taking on their part has to stop at some point.  But what is the lesser of two evils.  A good paycheck or no paycheck ?

Sorry I will now get off my soapbox, and hide from all the flames I am going to get.