# IBEW Drug Test



## TOOL_5150

Use a #1 clip and shave it off? It doenst really get that cold here. I dont know if that would work, since as far as drugs, I have nothing to hide.

~Matt


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## william1978

I think drug test should be random and you pass you get to go back to work and if you fail your fired.


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## Bkessler

william1978 said:


> I think drug test should be random and you pass you get to go back to work and if you fail your fired.



They should also give blood alcohol tests....drink to much the night before and your fired.....


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## william1978

Bkessler said:


> They should also give blood alcohol tests....drink to much the night before and your fired.....


 Yes, I agree with that also.:thumbsup:


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## brian john

william1978 said:


> I think drug test should be random and you pass you get to go back to work and if you fail your fired.


Why not do searches of every one's house this would minimize drug and alcohol use. I do not use drugs (illegal) or alcohol BUT I am against dug testing. If the guy is messed up at work can him. But firing a person that smokes pot once a week while a alky stays employed is a sin and an infringement of our rights, IMO.


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## Bkessler

brian john said:


> Why not do searches of every one's house this would minimize drug and alcohol use. I do not use drugs (illegal) or alcohol BUT I am against dug testing. If the guy is messed up at work can him. But firing a person that smokes pot once a week while a alky stays employed is a sin and an infringement of our rights, IMO.



I was being a tad sarcastic...I would rather work with a pot head than a drunk any day of the week. There is nothing worse than getting paired up with someone hungover on a busy day.....especially when they say drinking does not affect there work.....


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## brian john

Bkessler said:


> I was being a tad sarcastic...I would rather work with a pot head than a drunk any day of the week. There is nothing worse than getting paired up with someone hungover on a busy day.....especially when they say drinking does not affect there work.....


Or the smell,

According to the news prescription drugs which acceptable pass all drug test are the number one abused drug in America.

30 plus of the War on Drugs and the government has only spen taxes with few gains.


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## steve134

i find it amusing construction workers get drug tested, but not teachers.


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## brian john

steve134 said:


> i find it amusing construction workers get drug tested, but not teachers.


 
Doctors, lawyers...Oh wait lawyers make the laws they do not apply to them.


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## sherman

gokingsgo888 said:


> What's up guys,
> 
> I was just curious how often the IBEW drug tests. Is it just a pre-employment or are they random? Or is it up to the individual union contractors or the locals? Also, what kind of test is it? I'm a recent college grad, but I don't smoke anymore. i'm just worried a hair test will put me out of contention for something I did months ago.
> 
> Thanks!


 From what I have seen it is up to the individual local yet I feel that the International is pushing for a standard test for all members to promote a drug and alchohol free work force at top dollar. Some locals only test apprentices. (gum swab test) you can see the offenders sweating it out and drinking gallons of masking agents. Some Locals have a pre employment screening pee in a cup once a year and random if required. All powerplants I think (Homeland Security requirement) have mandatory drug and alchohol testing yet I have seen some contractors fall throught the cracks and never get tested. It is my guess that in 10 yrs it will be mandatory for all members.


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## sherman

brian john said:


> Doctors, lawyers...Oh wait lawyers make the laws they do not apply to them.


 Can you spell Spitzer????


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## brian john

Other than being pompus and reaping what he sowed I have no proiblems with his private life.


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## sherman

brian john said:


> Other than being pompus and reaping what he sowed I have no proiblems with his private life.


Live by the sword...Die by the sword. It was his political clout that gave him an easy button. The weasel walked he is above the law. Edit to say fry the hypocrite!!!!


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## sherman

brian john said:


> Other than being pompus and reaping what he sowed I have no proiblems with his private life.


How about Bill Clintons private life???


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## sherman

sherman said:


> How about Bill Clintons private life???


you will have to live it 4 yrs starting today.


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## brian john

sherman said:


> How about Bill Clintons private life???


 
I did not care other than two things that was the best he could do as president at least JFK got Marlyn.

He lied not to me I expect presidents to lie but he lied under oath you do that and see what happens.

Try not paying your taxes for 4 years as our new treasury (I THINK TRESUARY) secretary did.


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## sherman

brian john said:


> I did not care other than two things that was the best he could do as president at least JFK got Marlyn.
> 
> He lied not to me I expect presidents to lie but he lied under oath you do that and see what happens.
> 
> Try not paying your taxes for 4 years as our new treasury (I THINK TRESUARY) secretary did.


I just wrote a 21k check on the 14th for addl Q taxes. OUCH!! It still hurts my wallet. It is my patriotic duty. I will singlehandedly bring us out of this recesion if I have to.. You know what they say easy come easy go.


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## user4818

sherman said:


> Live by the sword...Die by the sword. It was his political clout that gave him an easy button. The weasel walked he is above the law. Edit to say fry the hypocrite!!!!



Even though you're just a dumb cow, I think we'll get along just fine. :thumbup:


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## spoon

Back on topic.



gokingsgo888 said:


> What's up guys,
> 
> I was just curious how often the IBEW drug tests. Is it just a pre-employment or are they random? Or is it up to the individual union contractors or the locals? Also, what kind of test is it? I'm a recent college grad, but I don't smoke anymore. i'm just worried a hair test will put me out of contention for something I did months ago.
> 
> Thanks!


At my local, they do not _require_ you to take a drug test. However; they stick a "drug free" card in your file if you voluntarily submit yourself to a drug test. This is referred to as "drug free status". "Drug free status" has to be renewed on an annual basis. 

When a contractor calls the hall for a guy, they have the option of making the call a "drug free" call. A good 90% of all calls at my hall have been "drug free" calls, requiring anyone who takes the call to possess "drug free status". 

My drug test was a piss test and was administered by a medical office downtown. Your situation may be similar, why don't you just call up the local and ask 'em? :icon_wink:


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## MDShunk

As the guy who's actually had to pay for these tests, I can say that the urine test is the cheapest and most widely used. The hair test is expensive as hell. The blood test is almost never used unless there was an on the job accident where another person was severely injured or killed. The law pretty much compels the 'invasive' blood test, but no employer can. A hair follicle test is considered invasive, but you need to sign on the dotted line for permission for that test. Truck drivers often get the follicle test, since you're on the road pretty much year round. I don't know anything about the oral saliva test, but it's about double the price of the urine test. I have to assume it covers something additional that the urine test does not.


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## spoon

MDShunk said:


> As the guy who's actually had to pay for these tests, I can say that the urine test is the cheapest and most widely used. The hair test is expensive as hell. The blood test is almost never used unless there was an on the job accident where another person was severely injured or killed.


Did you have to take these tests because an employer/union told you to, or? Yeah, I'm following you around.


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## MDShunk

spoon said:


> Did you have to take these tests because an employer/union told you to, or? Yeah, I'm following you around.


The only test I have to take myself is just to keep my CDL active. That's just urine and breath.


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## sherman

MDShunk said:


> The only test I have to take myself is just to keep my CDL active. That's just urine and breath.


Not all union drug tests are free I have had some for free and have had to pay for some. If you dont take drugs you dont have to worry about it. You do have to watch out for morons smoking marijuana in your presence who are oblivious to the fact that thier inconsiderate practice could cause you to be fired and blacklisted for all home security site and power company jobs . The price of the test is negligable compared to making 6000 a week on a powerhouse shutdown. 80k in 4 months buys a lot of drug tests btw it is tax deductable.


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## PhatElvis

*Clue*

FYI- As a union employer, I pay for all drug tests done under my employ and sometimes even the labor to go take the test.

So what is the deal with drug tests? Money is the deal. As a commercial contractor 90% of every contract I have to sign to get work will have a clause about drug testing, and of that 90% about half will ask for some type of verification. This verification can be something as benign as signing a document stating I run a drug free outfit and submitting a copy of my company policy then sending copies of all of my labor’s drug certs (including mine), or something as intrusive as paying my labor to go retake the test so the GC can verify for themselves. If I am lucky I catch this clause in the contract and make the GC pay for the tests and time and if I get sucker punched (it happens) it comes out of my pocket.

It’s all about money. On big jobs every player at the table has insurance and to a large extent also is a surety in their own right. These polices and liabilities all have a dollar value, and the drug policies that each player agrees to, effects how much their insurance costs while at the same time helps to limit some of their exposure.

The insurance carried by builders is EXPENSIVE, and the breaks offered by the insurance companies for these different levels of drug policies is significant. So much so that on some jobs the money saved for the combined safety and drug policies put in place to reach a desired premium level can be more than the profit built into the job if compared separately. Or another way to look at it, is a big GC with a desirable insurance modifier can be significantly more competitive than other GCs who have not figured it out yet. This is also how a subcontractor with a positive insurance modifier can not be low bid and still obtain work.

What does all this mean to us? The pee tests are not only here to stay but will become more common if you want to work on commercial jobs.


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