Some public works roles are union-based, whereas others are not. This may depend on whether the opportunity you are pursuing is at the federal, state, or local level, or a contracted private sector company. The majority of public sector jobs are represented by unions. Few public works jobs are offered by the private sector, mostly applying to utilities, or on rare occasions where an understaffed agency requires outsourcing.

For many, the topic of unions can be a divisive subject. So take care when expressing opinions that might not align with those of your potential employers or their representatives. Try to stay neutral on such subjects, sticking to the facts. Be exhaustive in your research on whether the position you are applying for is a union job. If so, learn all you can about that union as well. Feel free to pose any questions you have, after you've made every effort to answer them on your own, to get a feel of their tone on the subject.

According to OpenSecrets, a non-profit pro-democratic watchdog government group, "Public employee unions represent workers at every level of government, federal, state and local. Since contract negotiations for these workers are dependent not on private corporations, but on the size of government budgets, this is the one segment of the labor movement that can actually contribute directly to the people with ultimate responsibility for its livelihood."