I was once a pawn between two warring managers. I kept my head down and they both got fired. So it all works out in the end.
This isn’t even two factions of management, it’s co-workers, two of whose are union reps but all of us the same union. Working there is like being in high school again, if high school drama were taking steroids. So, screw it, I’ll take the summer off.
Rising through ranks is all about how much shit you're willing to put up with. Some people just want to work and not think about it again, which is reasonable and probably the better choice. No one knows what the fuck they're doing in any position.