1491
X revokes paid blue check from United Auto Workers after strike called
(arstechnica.com)
This is a most excellent place for technology news and articles.
the union doesn't defend worker rights, workers do, the union is an organizational structure to assist and organize the striking workers both inwardly facing and externally facing, and part of that external facing is paying $7 to have the blue checkmark.
and you certainly don't "hire" a union