the ALAEA and Sp are not the only association/ Union who represent engineers . In fact the ALAEA was born out of those who broke away from the old AEU / ASE /ETU and formed ther own union to. Ame's are the unsung heroes .
Mate, after being an AME for a few years out of my time, then becoming a LAME, I can say without a doubt, my union fees are much better spent with the ALAEA. The AMWU and the AWU signed off on an A and B scale arrangement which suited the incumbents and screwed everyone else over, including myself at the time to basically minimum wage.
If you truly are 62 and are still an AME, there is no need to be bitter at the LAME's and the ALAEA, just because they could see that there is no future being unlicensed, doesn't make them the ones who shat on you. I'd be bitter too if i were a 40 year veteran at Qantas on level 13 AME rates, only at myself but.