# What do you guys think of this statement?



## greaselightning (May 31, 2010)

"Only 12.1 percent of U.S. workers are union members, but it is claimed that those who have access to a union hiring hall, have a 22 percent success rate. What is not stated, however, is how long it takes to get a job at the hall, and how temporary and short-lived such a job may be; in the trades it's often just a few days."

This is in regards to going to places where employers pick out workers, such as union halls.


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## greaselightning (May 31, 2010)

Btw, I am in SF Bay Area if that makes a difference.


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## Lone Crapshooter (Nov 8, 2008)

I would say that both statements are correct. However as far as the duration of construction jobs that is just the way the business is. 
When I was working as a construction electrician you found out relay early when they were telling everyone there was plenty of work you could count on a layoff in the next week or 2


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## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

greaselightning said:


> "Only 12.1 percent of U.S. workers are union members,


and shrinking




> but it is claimed that those who have access to a union hiring hall, have a 22 percent success rate. What is not stated, however, is how long it takes to get a job at the hall, and how temporary and short-lived such a job may be; in the trades it's often just a few days."
> 
> This is in regards to going to places where employers pick out workers, such as union halls.


Not sure what that is suppose to mean.


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## Brother Noah1 (Mar 23, 2010)

greaselightning said:


> Btw, I am in SF Bay Area if that makes a difference.


 May 11th 2009 - July 3 2009 I worked at the Cheveron Refinery in Richmond California(across the bay) and made $30,000. I have made over $100,000 6 years out of the last 10 and never worked more than 10 months a year during those times.Now you got me started, this does not even include the retirement, annunity and H&W. Just as the oppotunities are available to union there are also non union jobs that would pay just as well only almost impossible to find. Go to Roadtech.com and try your luck with a resume anything is possible.


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## greaselightning (May 31, 2010)

brian john said:


> "but it is claimed that those who have access to a union hiring hall, have a 22 percent success rate. What is not stated, however, is how long it takes to get a job at the hall, and how temporary and short-lived such a job may be; in the trades it's often just a few days."
> 
> 
> 
> Not sure what that is suppose to mean.


It means that by every 100 job-hunters who use this method 22 will get lucky and find a job, according to the statement. 

Also this is the authors assessment of unions in general, not specifically the electrical union.


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## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

greaselightning said:


> "Only 12.1 percent of U.S. workers are union members, but it is claimed that those who have access to a union hiring hall, have a 22 percent success rate. What is not stated, however, is how long it takes to get a job at the hall, and how temporary and short-lived such a job may be; in the trades it's often just a few days."
> 
> This is in regards to going to places where employers pick out workers, such as union halls.


Do you have a reference? I would like to see the full context of the article.


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## greaselightning (May 31, 2010)

jrannis said:


> Do you have a reference? I would like to see the full context of the article.


It's actually in a book, 'What Color Is Your Parachute' by Richard N. Bolles. The author then goes on to saying that a better way to look for a job is to contact employers by using the phone book's yellow pages.


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

I have a buddy that's a connector in the ironworker's union, and his jobs are almost always a couple weeks in length. He still makes out well at the end of the year, even if he didn't work nearly as much as the rest of us 2080+ hour a year working guys.


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## gold (Feb 15, 2008)

That 22% success rate doesnt sound right. I would like to see how there defineing success. You would think it would be stayed on the project they were called for untill finished, in which case I would expect it to be much higher. The fact that there (obviously) baseing success on who finds long term employment suggest that it may be a biased poll. I would like to see that referance too.


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## Lone Crapshooter (Nov 8, 2008)

WHAT COLOR IS YOUR PARACHUTE has been around since the early 70's and is updated every year I read it in the mid 80's . The author like most people does not understand how the construction business is . When it is good there is not a business that can beat it and when it is bad it is real bad. 
I talked to a coworker and he told me that in 1 year he had 32 W2 forms. 
He at that time was working out of the fitters local on power houses and shutdowns.
My father was in the carpenters local for 50 years and the longest he was with a contractor was 7 years . That was after he made project superintendent.


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## greaselightning (May 31, 2010)

gold said:


> That 22% success rate doesnt sound right. I would like to see how there defineing success. You would think it would be stayed on the project they were called for untill finished, in which case I would expect it to be much higher. The fact that there (obviously) baseing success on who finds long term employment suggest that it may be a biased poll. I would like to see that referance too.


Yeah it seems that would make more sense.. There are no references because the author is basing these estimates from his experience and knowledge. The author is merely trying to point the reader to what he thinks is the right direction in how to go about finding work. It's otherwise still a pretty good book though.


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