IBEW...unions in general.

[johnner58]

The REAL problem with Unions is they're ran by Democrats. This is why they will fail. We all know how well Dems run a Business. Had it not been for the Obama Admin, they'd already be sunk.

San Fran? Los Angeles? Lol. You literally just provided 2 examples of why I'm right.

You do realize that if as you say Unions were run by a political party i.e. Republicans there wouldn't be any Unions,the demise of Unions has been predicted since they were created to protect workers rights, 34 year Union Steamfitter!

 

[HBCraig]

I can second that, we have very strict union contracts that our guys abide to. 10 minute breaks in your work area, 30 minute lunches. If you don't produce, you don't last. I have a GC to answer to and they are not forgiving. "big boy construction" is not the place for the faint hearted. That is why the pay and benefits are what they are, our guys not roping houses with mariachi music blaring.

Agreed. The amount of skilled labor on big jobs is impressive.

I was inside the Raiders Stadium 2 weeks ago and it was blistering hot and these dudes were getting after it

 

[Joker]

Carpenters are anything but slow in the union. We make alot of money but we have to produce numbers otherwise no one will pay top dollar!

I've been working around a lot of pipe fitters lately.

 

[Boozer]

View attachment 792582

Unless Joe lives somewhere you can buy a decent house for less than $800K he should probably ask the Union to raise the prevailing wage. $80K a year is McDonalds money nowadays.


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[Boat211]

Well my wife seeing me hit the books, studying , doing my research, and not having a good day starts balling.....
“I DONT WANT YOU TO BE GONE ALL THE TIME, OCCASIONAL OKAY BUT NOT FOR WEEKS OR MONTHS”

Any info on being “away”? I live in Riverside, hoping to work in vicinity of Barstow-Palm springs-Murrieta.....

I cant speak for down in that area. I am an Inside Wireman in IBEW Local 302 (getting my 25 year pin next week) and have never been away.

 

[Pivot]

My union card says steam fitter. My business card is much different.

 

[Spectra18]

My coworkers husband ( hiring manager for electrical company) says 36 too old to get in.

 

[HOOTER SLED-]

My coworkers husband ( hiring manager for electrical company) says 36 too old to get in.

All the more reason to do it.

 

[Joe mama]

My coworkers husband ( hiring manager for electrical company) says 36 too old to get in.

I don’t think so my buddy got in at 39 and is collecting his pension now. It all depends on the individual..

 

[TCHB]

Go to school and become a electrical engineer. SCE would hire you in a minute.

 

[TPC]

Here's how you do it:
LADWP has two hiring lists for all positions.
Open list and Promotional list.
Open is for non DWP employees that pass the exam and or interview,, Promotional is for all current employees that pass that same exam.

If you take the most menial, basic job with the LADWP and you take an exam for another job within the Dept,,, you'll be put on the promotional list, people on the promotional list get hired before the open list.

Read and study this:

https://www.governmentjobs.com/jobs/1683030-0/electric-distribution-mechanic-trainee-c

This job the promotional list trumps the open list.
A step further: Two ways to get on:

Open list off the street.
Or:

Take every exam you qualify for and even if you are a small engine mechanic, lawn mower driver, wash and fuel service trucks,, anything, just get hired.
Then when the above job come available you'll be put on the promotional list and have a 99% better chance of getting it. They have to take you.

It's all IBEW local 18 even the car washers, the clerk typists, everyone.

I worked with the union and before with out the union. The union is way, way better.

 

[Icky]

I tell all my apprentices what I was told when I started as a millwright 20 years ago.
Show up on time ( 15 minutes early is late), have a willingness to learn, stay busy (there's always something to clean if you have nothing to do) and if they offer you work don't say no. (weekends and holidays are just another day of the week)

If you're attitude sucks, no one will waste their time teaching you. If you don't want to drive long distances, sit in traffic and be treated like a kid for the next few years then.........

Some companies work local, some are nation wide. We have guys that work out of state all the time , they're out of town 75% plus of the year working 7 12s and prefer it. We have others that it's rare that they ever change jobsites and work over 40 hours.

 

[TPC]

Over the past decades I've given this info out to quite a few people and only one person I know followed through and got the job. I used to hand out applications and other job info.
The rest of the people everytime they see me ask if I have any applications or current info or juice to get them in.
They never followed through, just thought it over. Talked about it but never acted on it. The drive was to far, the hours were too long, it was out of their comfort zone and today they all pull $15 an hour with no pension, no bennies not even full time.

 

[TPC]

If you have any issues with heights in any way it’s not the job for you.
Even phone company linemen froze and panic when they were halfway up the transmission tower.
Assisted back to the ground and went back to their job at the phone co.
All kinds of experiences like this.

 

[WYRD]

Unless Joe lives somewhere you can buy a decent house for less than $800K he should probably ask the Union to raise the prevailing wage. $80K a year is McDonalds money nowadays.


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40/hr is McDonald's money?

 

[spectras only]

40/hr is McDonald's money?

According to Glassdoor, the average crew member salary at McDonald's is $9 per hour, with a range of $7 to $13; that's compared to the national average fast food crew member salary of $8.33 per hour. McDonald's cashiers, on the other hand, take home an average $8 per hour, with a range of $7 to $15.

A manager may make what Boozer claim

 

[Spectra18]

Is it the crazy schedule all the time. 24/7 ? Solid weeks makes sense. But every day, every weekend sounds hard to believe.

I tell all my apprentices what I was told when I started as a millwright 20 years ago.
Show up on time ( 15 minutes early is late), have a willingness to learn, stay busy (there's always something to clean if you have nothing to do) and if they offer you work don't say no. (weekends and holidays are just another day of the week)

If you're attitude sucks, no one will waste their time teaching you. If you don't want to drive long distances, sit in traffic and be treated like a kid for the next few years then.........

Some companies work local, some are nation wide. We have guys that work out of state all the time , they're out of town 75% plus of the year working 7 12s and prefer it. We have others that it's rare that they ever change jobsites and work over 40 hours.

 

[Spectra18]

I can’t start at bottom LADWP pay, got mortgage and small bills. But at IBEW apprenticeship pay at 60 hours is great !!!!!


When ur on call , you get paid for the hours waiting ????

 

[brianwhiteboy]

Here's how you do it:
LADWP has two hiring lists for all positions.
Open list and Promotional list.
Open is for non DWP employees that pass the exam and or interview,, Promotional is for all current employees.

If you take the most menial, basic job with the LADWP and you take an exam for another job within the Dept you'll be put on the promotional list, people on the promotional list get hired before the open list.
Read and study this:

https://www.governmentjobs.com/jobs/1683030-0/electric-distribution-mechanic-trainee-c

Even this job the promotional list trumps the open list.
Two ways to get on.
Open list off the street.
Or:

Take every exam you qualify for and even if you are a small engine mechanic, lawn mower driver, anything, just get hired.
Then when the above job come available you'll be put on the promotional list and have a 99% better chance of getting it.

It's all IBEW local 18 even the car washers, the clerk typists, everyone.

^^^^
This.

While I was an inside wireman apprentice I took an open entry level test with LADWP that I qualified for - steam plant assistant. Do you know what one of the qualifications was to apply?... a passing grade in high school chemistry, that’s it. I took the test and eventually got picked up (after turning out as a journeyman). It took a couple of years to get called so don’t give up hope.

The DWP job was a big pay cut, it was rotating shift (every two weeks) and it was a lot more training, but I knew in the long run it would be worth it. I’m now 10 years in and promoted my way up to a journey level I&C tech.

Don’t be afraid to take the plunge. As TPC said, a lot of people blow it off because of various reasons. I realize not everyone can take a pay cut but it’s only temporary. It’s the best decision you could ever make.

 

[Spectra18]

IBEW says cant join a utility for 5 years.

^^^^
This.

While I was an inside wireman apprentice I took an open entry level test with LADWP that I qualified for - steam plant assistant. Do you know what one of the qualifications was to apply?... a passing grade in high school chemistry, that’s it. I took the test and eventually got picked up (after turning out as a journeyman). It took a couple of years to get called so don’t give up hope.

The DWP job was a big pay cut, it was rotating shift (every two weeks) and it was a lot more training, but I knew in the long run it would be worth it. I’m now 10 years in and promoted my way up to a journey level I&C tech.

Don’t be afraid to take the plunge. As TPC said, a lot of people blow it off because of various reasons. I realize not everyone can take a pay cut but it’s only temporary. It’s the best decision you could ever make.

 

[Spectra18]

Go to school and become a electrical engineer. SCE would hire you in a minute.

I ain’t got the brains for that. But I bet you still need experience even with that degree.

 

[highvoltagehands]

Here is solicitation for Outside Line Apprenticeship for California and Nevada. Anyone interested in West coast Powerline work should check out these websites and apply for a UNION apprenticeship at the following: IBEW #1245/#47/#396 California/Nevada JATC, Northwest JATC, Mountain States JATC along with PG&E, SCE, SDG&E, LADWP, SMUD or any other California utility.
All these places have great apprenticeships, all have pros and cons, so which ever one offers you a job first, take it and don't look back. You can always jump from one to other later after becoming Journeyman Lineman.
To join & complete Line apprenticeship you don't need to know shit, we'll teach you everything you need to know and few things we probably shouldn't. But YOU must have a great attitude, be humble, have thick skin, be a quick learner and a self starter willing to work outside, in allweather hazardous conditions, for many long hours on end with a bunch of Alpha Assholes doing one of the most dangerous yet coolest jobs known to man.
After 4 years of that, you'll be one of us Journeyman Lineman and won't give a shit what anyone else thinks, cause you can do whatever the hell you want. Sooo, If you're eager to learn more about this trade and can't get enough info, this trade is for you. If not, don't bother applying, almost 50% wash out even with $100k a year starting wage.
Good luck. You can PM me if you have more questions.
Hud.
https://ibew1245.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/APPRENTICESHIP-OPPORTUNITY-FOR-app-period-10-19.pdf

 

[highvoltagehands]

IBEW says cant join a utility for 5 years.

Not true. You might have to pay back some training costs, but you can go where you want.
There's a massive shortage of Linehands in the US and everyone wants a Journeyman Lineman not just a Line college Graduate like NLC, so after you graduate from a Outside Line JATC all the Utilities will come knocking.
We're all IBEW, but Outside Line Apprenticeship JATC says if we're going to pay to train you, you'll work Outside Line for 5 years afterwards before going to utility or you'll pay back the cost of your apprenticeship training.(pro rated by year)

 

[WYRD]

With the expected electric car expansion, the grid will need a complete overhaul to support the demand and tens of thousands of electric charging stations will be built. The industry is already expecting to have a severe shortage of manpower both inside and outside. The electrical industry is a lucrative career path and the Ibew is a great brotherhood to be a part of.

You're in riverside so go to the Jatc website and look for application guidelines, fill out the app and dont look back, lots of work out there.

 

[Icky]

Is it the crazy schedule all the time. 24/7 ? Solid weeks makes sense. But every day, every weekend sounds hard to believe.

Depends what company you get on with and what industry they work in. The places we work usually slow down in the winter and shutdown on holidays so we're coming into our busy season, after being busy all year.

There are guys in every union that barely work and claim unemployment year round, no desire to work anymore then that.

 

[TCHB]

I ain’t got the brains for that. But I bet you still need experience even with that degree.

We would hire people in their Senior year as interns and then once they graduated we would hire them full time.

 

[Spectra18]

Doubt anyone’s a hot shot after 3 months of NLC training. But this great info.

Not true. You might have to pay back some training costs, but you can go where you want.
There's a massive shortage of Linehands in the US and everyone wants a Journeyman Lineman not just a Line college Graduate like NLC, so after you graduate from a Outside Line JATC all the Utilities will come knocking.
We're all IBEW, but Outside Line Apprenticeship JATC says if we're going to pay to train you, you'll work Outside Line for 5 years afterwards before going to utility or you'll pay back the cost of your apprenticeship training.(pro rated by year)

 

[HOOTER SLED-]

I can’t start at bottom LADWP pay, got mortgage and small bills. But at IBEW apprenticeship pay at 60 hours is great !!!!!


When ur on call , you get paid for the hours waiting ????

Even if they're not currently getting paid for the waiting time during on call shifts.....they may in the near future. Not sure if it's county or statewide... but the ball is rolling on laws being put into effect that will require an employee to pay min wage to an employee that is on call but not actually at work. Like I work on call shifts a week at a time....can get called 24/7 to come in...the calls come after 3pm..which is after hours when regular crews aren't on shift...so if at home and no calls come in, I'd get paid min wage for the hours not called in to work. I did the math before roughly, and would get paid I think like $1200 for the week at min wage if I did not receive one call. I'm not in the elec industry, but it may be similar. At work they are trying out pilot programs to overcome this...I dont think it will work out for them.

 

[hallett21]

Not true. You might have to pay back some training costs, but you can go where you want.
There's a massive shortage of Linehands in the US and everyone wants a Journeyman Lineman not just a Line college Graduate like NLC, so after you graduate from a Outside Line JATC all the Utilities will come knocking.
We're all IBEW, but Outside Line Apprenticeship JATC says if we're going to pay to train you, you'll work Outside Line for 5 years afterwards before going to utility or you'll pay back the cost of your apprenticeship training.(pro rated by year)

When you say work 5 years before going to the utility. Does that mean they want you to work for a private contractor who’s doing utility work?

Isn’t 90% of lineman work utility related more or less?


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[highvoltagehands]

When you say work 5 years before going to the utility. Does that mean they want you to work for a private contractor who’s doing utility work?

Isn’t 90% of lineman work utility related more or less?
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Correct. If you join Outside Line JATC You will be required to work for a private contractor for 5 years or pay pro rated fee for the cost of your training. Yes, 90% of our work is for utilities.
I'm a member of IBEW #1245 Outside Line Construction(Contractors) It's the second largest electrical local union in the country with 22K members,(local 3 in NY is largest 30k)
Utilities make up 16K, Outside Line is 6K. Half of OL is travelers from out of state. The JATC currently has 650 apprentices in program and will taking on more.