Welding Tips and Tricks

I am considering a move to the seattle-tacoma-everret area of washington state. Does anyone have the skinny on the working conditions up there? Union dominated market or not? Are the working conditions allright? Is there work at all?

If anyone has lived or worked in the area, please let me know.

I live in Norfolk, Virginia now, which is predominately non-union and most work has a strong dependence on one of the many local shpyards.

thanks,

-Rick