[tharkun__]

Then you are lucky (as many of us in software are) that you had enough pull for that.

Where unions or worker organization (even without a formal union and dues and such) come in is if this doesn't work because individual pull is not enough.

Your case you were lucky, in many an organization you would just have been told "you gotta take one for the team, we cannot make exceptions, then everyone wants one" (note that I don't agree with that but seen/heard this too many times)