WELCOME TO RIVER DAVES PLACE

Any (blue or white collar) welders in here?

BHC Vic

cobra performance boats
Joined
May 24, 2014
Messages
24,742
Reaction score
18,407
how long does it usually take to get to journeyman?
It’s a 4 year program but you can get it done in 3. Technically a company can indenture your as a higher stage. So if they brought you in as let’s say a sixth period you could journey out in a year. There’s 8 periods. By the time you journey out doing the full program you have 32 college units.
 

BHC Vic

cobra performance boats
Joined
May 24, 2014
Messages
24,742
Reaction score
18,407
swctf.org
Swcarpenters.org

swctf.org will have the best info on signing up and the apprenticeship program
 

racektm

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2007
Messages
499
Reaction score
937
is it years or hours ( I thought I saw hours somewhere here), and what are wages during apprenticeship? how do I find an apprenticeship?
1620919600550.png
 

Bobby V

Havasu1986
Joined
Dec 20, 2007
Messages
23,300
Reaction score
12,842
California journeyman carpenters your total package is about 65 bucks an hour base. (Welders and foreman get more) I work over 2400 hours a year we are renegotiating our contract right now. July we take another dollar to your annuity and I don’t know what we are getting in the new contract I’ll find out next week at the delegates meeting
Our total package in So Cal is $77.64. Foremans rate is $4.75 extra. Contract is up again 9/1/21.
 

BHC Vic

cobra performance boats
Joined
May 24, 2014
Messages
24,742
Reaction score
18,407
Our total package in So Cal is $77.64. Foremans rate is $4.75 extra. Contract is up again 9/1/21.
That beats outs for sure. How’s your pension? For us a good year is 1800 hours and that’s a 100 dollar credit. Back in 08 that was good for a 200 hour credit. Supposedly we are 100% funded so our pension should be getting a little bump here shortly. I hope
 

Bobby V

Havasu1986
Joined
Dec 20, 2007
Messages
23,300
Reaction score
12,842
That beats outs for sure. How’s your pension? For us a good year is 1800 hours and that’s a 100 dollar credit. Back in 08 that was good for a 200 hour credit. Supposedly we are 100% funded so our pension should be getting a little bump here shortly. I hope
1600 hours for a pension credit. $110 a credit before 2005. We just got out of the red zone and have billions in the reserve. So they raised the credit to $135 for after 2005. Next year they may raise it again. Retirees get a 13th check. Good thing I waited to retire a few years. :)
 

BHC Vic

cobra performance boats
Joined
May 24, 2014
Messages
24,742
Reaction score
18,407
1600 hours for a pension credit. $110 a credit before 2005. We just got out of the red zone and have billions in the reserve. So they raised the credit to $135 for after 2005. Next year they may raise it again. Retirees get a 13th check. Good thing I waited to retire a few years. :)
Our has never been out of the green zone. That’s why a lot of members are pissed.

rumor is they are going to retro pay the years to 200. Lots of guys waiting on that to retire
 
Last edited:

evantwheeler

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 27, 2015
Messages
2,414
Reaction score
4,576
is it years or hours ( I thought I saw hours somewhere here), and what are wages during apprenticeship? how do I find an apprenticeship?

There are ways around apprenticeships if you have prior skills/experience. I've sponsored people into the Laborers union at multiple contractors for people that have proven work ethic/drive and prior work experience. The deal there is, they have to work 2 full years (based on hours) for the sponsoring contractor before they can work anywhere else, and no hours worked for me counts towards anything if you leave and go work for another company. We sponsor many welders into Laborers union as journeymen.

You would be surprised how low the wages are for a skilled welder as a laborer in SoCal. Right at $40/hr straight time. All of our guys have rigs and get rig pay on top of wages (they supply their own fuel, equipment, and consumables on most jobs), they also get per-diem and travel time pay when working out of town. Like I said earlier, you don't get rich working hourly. Guys have to love the work and be willing to travel a lot. They do make a ton on overtime pay throughout the year as we do lots of shut downs that are 12+hr shifts and work through weekends, otherwise it wouldn't be worth it if we were strictly working them 8's.

Don't know your age or your experience, but you articulate like someone older than what I would envision an "apprentice" if we are talking laborers union. I've had 50 and 60 year old apprentices before out of the laborers, it was painful to see and in my opinion reflected poorly on the union as they could not physically handle what an apprentice was useful for in our trade. Unfortunately you cannot discriminate based on age, so you just hope that they say uncle after a couple days of grueling labor in the heat. You feel for them, but they signed up for a young able body man's job. I could see going through an IBEW apprenticeship as an older adult, I feel like there are far more opportunities in that union/trade that require more brains than braun.
 

Christopher Lucero

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 27, 2018
Messages
1,590
Reaction score
1,080
There are ways around apprenticeships if you have prior skills/experience. I've sponsored people into the Laborers union at multiple contractors for people that have proven work ethic/drive and prior work experience. The deal there is, they have to work 2 full years (based on hours) for the sponsoring contractor before they can work anywhere else, and no hours worked for me counts towards anything if you leave and go work for another company. We sponsor many welders into Laborers union as journeymen.

You would be surprised how low the wages are for a skilled welder as a laborer in SoCal. Right at $40/hr straight time. All of our guys have rigs and get rig pay on top of wages (they supply their own fuel, equipment, and consumables on most jobs), they also get per-diem and travel time pay when working out of town. Like I said earlier, you don't get rich working hourly. Guys have to love the work and be willing to travel a lot. They do make a ton on overtime pay throughout the year as we do lots of shut downs that are 12+hr shifts and work through weekends, otherwise it wouldn't be worth it if we were strictly working them 8's.

Don't know your age or your experience, but you articulate like someone older than what I would envision an "apprentice" if we are talking laborers union. I've had 50 and 60 year old apprentices before out of the laborers, it was painful to see and in my opinion reflected poorly on the union as they could not physically handle what an apprentice was useful for in our trade. Unfortunately you cannot discriminate based on age, so you just hope that they say uncle after a couple days of grueling labor in the heat. You feel for them, but they signed up for a young able body man's job. I could see going through an IBEW apprenticeship as an older adult, I feel like there are far more opportunities in that union/trade that require more brains than braun.
thanks very much for the advice, reply, and perspective. it is kind of you to take time to consider all those perspectives.

I am always open to opportunity, and I have honestly been interested in welding art, particularly from scrap.

but you are right, I am post-employed, aging in place, enjoying some good banter with this group.

I would not want to somehow displace a young person a desired place or career, so I would have to resolve that part of my interest, maybe by doing everything pro bono or something.

I am exceptionally durable for my age, and regularly used to enjoy the 120 degree afternoons at Lake Mead. no sunscreen :) but that was a few years back and you could well be spot on...

I am in awe of skilled welding. dang. making things out of metal would be a gas! done right, has near infinite lifetime. wow.
 

BHC Vic

cobra performance boats
Joined
May 24, 2014
Messages
24,742
Reaction score
18,407
thanks very much for the advice, reply, and perspective. it is kind of you to take time to consider all those perspectives.

I am always open to opportunity, and I have honestly been interested in welding art, particularly from scrap.

but you are right, I am post-employed, aging in place, enjoying some good banter with this group.

I would not want to somehow displace a young person a desired place or career, so I would have to resolve that part of my interest, maybe by doing everything pro bono or something.

I am exceptionally durable for my age, and regularly used to enjoy the 120 degree afternoons at Lake Mead. no sunscreen :) but that was a few years back and you could well be spot on...

I am in awe of skilled welding. dang. making things out of metal would be a gas! done right, has near infinite lifetime. wow.
I’m telling you, study the code book, get your cwi, you’d be perfect
 

boatnam2

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 20, 2007
Messages
13,249
Reaction score
6,677
My pops did 25+ years in local 636 glaziers union, can probably say he has swung on the side of just about every high rise in LA. Taught welding school for many years, ended up retiring with almost nothing since the 636 union pension fund was gone by some prick who committed pension fraud.
 

Bobby V

Havasu1986
Joined
Dec 20, 2007
Messages
23,300
Reaction score
12,842
My pops did 25+ years in local 636 glaziers union, can probably say he has swung on the side of just about every high rise in LA. Taught welding school for many years, ended up retiring with almost nothing since the 636 union pension fund was gone by some prick who committed pension fraud.
o_O That sucks.. How long ago did this happen. L.U. 636 is still going with a total package of $70 a hour. Most pensions have a committee that manages the pension. Not one person.
 

BHC Vic

cobra performance boats
Joined
May 24, 2014
Messages
24,742
Reaction score
18,407
Rumor is we will absorb the glaziers eventually. That’s the one good thing about our pension. Yea it’s not the highest but it’s guaranteed to be there. That why we’ve never been out of the green
 

mobldj

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 17, 2008
Messages
2,846
Reaction score
4,386
retired from the railroad as a welder.went in the army in 74 as a welder. hard way to make a living repairing rr cars. xray certified and dont miss it one fkn bit. more scars from burns than i care to remember.djing is way easier on the body and better looking scenery.lol
 

boatnam2

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 20, 2007
Messages
13,249
Reaction score
6,677
o_O That sucks.. How long ago did this happen. L.U. 636 is still going with a total package of $70 a hour. Most pensions have a committee that manages the pension. Not one person.
Seems not that long ago but it has been awhile, i think he was told he would get a 1000 a month for 2 years few years ago and not sure after that, I don't' talk to him about it pretty sore subject. My brothers are still glazing and my nephew is a welder and doing a glazier apprenticeship currently. Yea the pension was taking over by a new group, people who embezzled it I think went to prison.
 

LBsuperJET

Well-Known Inmate #1155
Joined
Jan 31, 2008
Messages
612
Reaction score
430
Hey all, to the top....

Just finished the first of 3 stick welding classes at Cerritos College today - summer semester, did well on the final, projects, etc. Beginning the second class next week for fall. Third class is where one would test out on the structural certificate.

All in all, it was an awesome course, and it seemed like I have figured out the stick welding a little bit from the standpoint of someone who hasn't touched a rod ever before (been MIG welding for years). I'm excited and looking forward to making more progress and getting the classes done. May go for TIG or pipe certs after that, not sure yet.

I am still sort of at a loss at what direction to take once I am certified. Refineries, port, union shop, own biz (in CA tho? lol). A couple buddies of mine who are casuals down at the port here in LA/LB say that the welders there don't have to go thru the crazy postcard circus that the longshoremen have to. Gonna be doing lots of research on what would prob be the best avenue for me. I'm 36, married, two kids, and rent a house in east LB. Currently making 25/hr working part time as a fabricator for my wifes demo company to bring a little money in during class.

Any advice is greatly appreciated.
 

LBsuperJET

Well-Known Inmate #1155
Joined
Jan 31, 2008
Messages
612
Reaction score
430
Was Jay your instructor?
No but I believe he is the department head and he and I have friends in common. Cool dude, and very helpful. He helped me get started with the program.
 

LBsuperJET

Well-Known Inmate #1155
Joined
Jan 31, 2008
Messages
612
Reaction score
430
Hey all, been a minute since I've been on here. Last month, I was able to become fully AWS D1.1 structural certified in SMAW and FCAW. Totally stoked! Certificates from Cerritos College and all. It is a big deal for me, being that I quit a lot of ventures and goals when I was younger.

My next step is to take the LA city certification test and get my card which will only help everything else. As I get older, I will want to go back and become aerospace TIG certified also.

Still working at the same demolition company out of Santa Fe Springs. While it is a fantastic company that I love working for (great people and vibes), it may serve as a dead end in regards to my welding career.

My questions are if I were go get into a union weather it is iron workers, operators, etc., what would be the best fit for me?

I fantasize about starting my own company but being stuck in this damn state for now makes me apprehensive to do so. It is looking to me that while we are here, the unions may be the best option for me. What would y'all do if you were in my shoes?

Thanks for reading.
 

monkeyswrench

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 7, 2018
Messages
26,077
Reaction score
71,743
My friend has two boys in the pipe fitters union out that way. The older boy just made journeyman I believe, and the younger I think has only been in a year. Both just hatched their first kids, and are doing pretty well.
The older boy helps Rudy (his dad, my buddy) on weekends building hot rods. He's a hell of a welder and fabricator. The consistent income of the union gig is nice, and the hobby money is the "cake".
Hopefully some of the iron workers pipe in, but I'd think they'd be a good shot too.
 

4Waters

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 28, 2016
Messages
30,213
Reaction score
75,052
It's been almost 2 years since Welder opened up with city of los angeles, new jobs posted on Friday's.
 

bilz

Newly Retired!😁
Joined
Mar 15, 2011
Messages
2,145
Reaction score
2,949
So you're saying welder should be opening up soon?
 

Icky

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 11, 2015
Messages
7,873
Reaction score
9,450
I think the best fit is up to you. I'm local 1607 Millwrights, there are times when our guys don't weld for months, then there's times where they're welding alot. The union is always struggling to find welders.

Iron workers will take you to new heights, literally.

After 22 years, if I did it all over again I'd be a crane operator they don't do shit🤣🤣🤣🤣
 

traquer

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 7, 2013
Messages
3,675
Reaction score
4,869
Congrats dude!

From what I know, it seems that there's more opportunity in work that isn't as regulated. Meaning, if a field or a type of work is very regulated and lots of certificates are needed etc etc, everyone in that job will know what they're doing more or less and so that becomes the norm. Versus a setup that isn't as regulated, no one knows what the hell they're doing. So... if you actually are one of the few good ones, you will be in high demand and can work on the more prestigious projects that they don't trust anyone else to do. May or may not apply to welding but wanted to throw it out there
 

Bpracing1127

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 31, 2012
Messages
10,018
Reaction score
12,893
We are hiring welders at my job. Aerospace/military. If you can do inspections even better. We mostly weld aluminum 6061. Sometimes titanium
 

FCT

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2017
Messages
1,410
Reaction score
3,529
I do a lot of my business for a large Pipeline company and know lots of the welders and guys that have there own rig. I know they do decent for themselves but I will say if you want to be a present dad for your kids or want a successful marriage thrn do something else. Pipe chasers are never home and in my opinion no job or amount of money is worth giving those things up. Everyone of the old timers that I talk to tell me there biggest regret in life is not being around for there wife and kids.

Figure out a business and work your ass off to be successful. Work at building someone else’s dream or work at building your own. Choose wisely 👊
 

Racey

Maxwell Smart-Ass
Joined
Sep 18, 2007
Messages
21,307
Reaction score
45,373
Now if you can weld underwater in a scuba suit, that’s where the $$ is.

Dangerous AF and brutal work.

A good friend of mine did it for a couple years and his wife put the kibosh on it, partially from the danger, and partially from the distance (he was in TX) and he now runs a very successful powdercoating shop (Where your trailer is)

He told me some gnarly stories about guys getting limbs stuck, delta-p fatalities, near zero visibility, shitty environments.

It pretty much sounded like the reason they pay so much is because the work absolutely sucks ass 🤣. It takes a very special type of person to do it
 

Caydens Cat

all I got was a t-shirt
Joined
Feb 11, 2010
Messages
1,221
Reaction score
840
Now if you can weld underwater in a scuba suit, that’s where the $$ is.
Had a buddy that also did that for a bit. Deep underwater offshore drilling rigs. Do your work, then have to sit in a hyperbaric chamber for two days (?) post dive. No thanks!!!
 

riverroyal

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 4, 2007
Messages
13,893
Reaction score
18,371
Hey all, been a minute since I've been on here. Last month, I was able to become fully AWS D1.1 structural certified in SMAW and FCAW. Totally stoked! Certificates from Cerritos College and all. It is a big deal for me, being that I quit a lot of ventures and goals when I was younger.

My next step is to take the LA city certification test and get my card which will only help everything else. As I get older, I will want to go back and become aerospace TIG certified also.

Still working at the same demolition company out of Santa Fe Springs. While it is a fantastic company that I love working for (great people and vibes), it may serve as a dead end in regards to my welding career.

My questions are if I were go get into a union weather it is iron workers, operators, etc., what would be the best fit for me?

I fantasize about starting my own company but being stuck in this damn state for now makes me apprehensive to do so. It is looking to me that while we are here, the unions may be the best option for me. What would y'all do if you were in my shoes?

Thanks for reading.
You are sorta going about it the opposite way to be union.
We typically get guys into the union then train them to be a welder. 5 year apprenticeship and school to then become a journeyman. Having a welding cert as a apprentice does nothing. We typically can’t use apprentices for welding.
You can possibly come into a union as a welder journeyman but that is very rare and it is not the same ‘card’. Which means if you are out of work the chance of getting called out is slim. You are on a different book. The bottom essentially.

You maybe able to come in as a 3rd year apprentice but also, not easy.
So, to get good union journeyman pay it will still take years to reach that level.

I’m 32 years as a SteamFitter/Pipefitter. I have had every cert but have not welded in 15 years.
Pipe welding is not glamour. Not easy. It also doesn’t pay enough to live in SoCal anymore.

Try for a city or utility job. Be a great welder BUT always look for advancement.
Old welders don’t stay employed. The young guys are faster due to simply being young and more athletic.

Aerospace, space x, etc is where you want to weld. Not on a construction site.
 

Icky

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 11, 2015
Messages
7,873
Reaction score
9,450
You are sorta going about it the opposite way to be union.
We typically get guys into the union then train them to be a welder. 5 year apprenticeship and school to then become a journeyman. Having a welding cert as a apprentice does nothing. We typically can’t use apprentices for welding.
You can possibly come into a union as a welder journeyman but that is very rare and it is not the same ‘card’. Which means if you are out of work the chance of getting called out is slim. You are on a different book. The bottom essentially.

You maybe able to come in as a 3rd year apprentice but also, not easy.
So, to get good union journeyman pay it will still take years to reach that level.

I’m 32 years as a SteamFitter/Pipefitter. I have had every cert but have not welded in 15 years.
Pipe welding is not glamour. Not easy. It also doesn’t pay enough to live in SoCal anymore.

Try for a city or utility job. Be a great welder BUT always look for advancement.
Old welders don’t stay employed. The young guys are faster due to simply being young and more athletic.

Aerospace, space x, etc is where you want to weld. Not on a construction site.
We can use apprentices as certified welders. Most of the apprentices in our local never go through with their certs. There are guys that bounce around with certs that suck at everything else unfortunately. I sponsored quite a few guys last year as our union was flat out of people.


@LBsuperJET if you decide you want to join the Millwrights shoot me a PM and we can talk.
 

LBsuperJET

Well-Known Inmate #1155
Joined
Jan 31, 2008
Messages
612
Reaction score
430
You are sorta going about it the opposite way to be union.
We typically get guys into the union then train them to be a welder. 5 year apprenticeship and school to then become a journeyman. Having a welding cert as a apprentice does nothing. We typically can’t use apprentices for welding.
You can possibly come into a union as a welder journeyman but that is very rare and it is not the same ‘card’. Which means if you are out of work the chance of getting called out is slim. You are on a different book. The bottom essentially.

You maybe able to come in as a 3rd year apprentice but also, not easy.
So, to get good union journeyman pay it will still take years to reach that level.

I’m 32 years as a SteamFitter/Pipefitter. I have had every cert but have not welded in 15 years.
Pipe welding is not glamour. Not easy. It also doesn’t pay enough to live in SoCal anymore.

Try for a city or utility job. Be a great welder BUT always look for advancement.
Old welders don’t stay employed. The young guys are faster due to simply being young and more athletic.

Aerospace, space x, etc is where you want to weld. Not on a construction site.
I agree. I want to start getting my aerospace TIG certs. Have never TIGGED before in my life but that is the plan.
 

LBsuperJET

Well-Known Inmate #1155
Joined
Jan 31, 2008
Messages
612
Reaction score
430
We can use apprentices as certified welders. Most of the apprentices in our local never go through with their certs. There are guys that bounce around with certs that suck at everything else unfortunately. I sponsored quite a few guys last year as our union was flat out of people.


@LBsuperJET if you decide you want to join the Millwrights shoot me a PM and we can talk.
PM sent
 

OCMerrill

All in...
Joined
Sep 24, 2007
Messages
26,695
Reaction score
9,851
Hey all, to the top....

Just finished the first of 3 stick welding classes at Cerritos College today - summer semester, did well on the final, projects, etc. Beginning the second class next week for fall. Third class is where one would test out on the structural certificate.

All in all, it was an awesome course, and it seemed like I have figured out the stick welding a little bit from the standpoint of someone who hasn't touched a rod ever before (been MIG welding for years). I'm excited and looking forward to making more progress and getting the classes done. May go for TIG or pipe certs after that, not sure yet.

I am still sort of at a loss at what direction to take once I am certified. Refineries, port, union shop, own biz (in CA tho? lol). A couple buddies of mine who are casuals down at the port here in LA/LB say that the welders there don't have to go thru the crazy postcard circus that the longshoremen have to. Gonna be doing lots of research on what would prob be the best avenue for me. I'm 36, married, two kids, and rent a house in east LB. Currently making 25/hr working part time as a fabricator for my wifes demo company to bring a little money in during class.

Any advice is greatly appreciated.
I can tell you in the HOA world I live in we weld...allot. Are we certified? Nope. Do I have 30+ years welding experience...yep. Do I need a cert to weld pool fences or repair gates? Nobody has EVER asked. I turn welding down often because were just to busy to get to things right away like a pool gate that needs work and is now locked by the health dept. I have several 110v wire feed machines (mostly Lincoln) for field work. I have a nice Hobart 240/110 machine with mig mix ready to do some more shop based welding but no time. I have taught several employees to weld over the years. Its nice to go out to the job and see them getting it done with welds nice enough they don't need to be dressed.

Your company, your schedule, your truck, out on your own daily, using your own stuff, using flux core mig wire, and 90% of the time welding with 110v. using your generator. You could pull a $100k yearly once you establish a client base.
 
Top