Not exactly the simile that comes to mind . . .

While some of my closest friends are members of Unions . . . this simile--offered by a NASA scientist in an article about America's "Phoenix" Mars Lander (here), seemed to miss the mark:

Mission co-scientist Ray Arvidson of Washington University in St. Louis was pleased with Phoenix's progress so far.

"Like a union worker, it went right to work," he said.

Is this scientist trying to get the Democratic Party nomination for something?