This isn't union - this is just how huge corporations work. I worked for Verizon and they did the same thing - everything was locked down and you had to file a Remedy ticket to get anything done (ugh).
I'm no hardcore anti-unionist, but this particular situation seems like a very plausible late-stage union failure mode.
Also, culturally the aerospace industry is very rule and procedure heavy, for good reason.
Sometimes you can't change a light bulb at a small company, sometimes at a big one you're first job is to assembly you're own desk.
It was a POS system the finance director brought and caused no end of problems at one point we were unable to cut a BACS tape for over 6 months
Sometimes because of unions. Others times for "security reasons" or "3rd party contract" reasons, etc.