# Union Membership



## wendon (Sep 27, 2010)

krhoads2429 said:


> I have been an electricain for about 14 years. I consider myself to be very skilled in the trade. I am interested in joining the local IBEW. Due to my experience and not being younger and straight out of school I have been met with some resistance. The BA has stopped at jobs and handed out cards trying to get myself and others to go union. However, they don't seem interested in talking to us if it does not involve organizing the company that I work for. I just want to join even if it means going through the apprenticeship. Can anyone lead me in the right direction? FYI I live on the boarder line of 725 and 702. Thanks!


Just curious, have you been busy up until now? What's your point of joining the union? Do you want to work less hours?


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## krhoads2429 (Jul 24, 2012)

I have a steady job but the pay is marginal and the benefits are lousy at best. I have thought about joining for many years and kick myself for not joining sooner. Actually when I first started I went to work for a union contractor who said I would be organized in. 6 months later the contractor gets out of the union. I still had a job so stayed.


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## wendon (Sep 27, 2010)

krhoads2429 said:


> I have a steady job but the pay is marginal and the benefits are lousy at best. I have thought about joining for many years and kick myself for not joining sooner. Actually when I first started I went to work for a union contractor who said I would be organized in. 6 months later the contractor gets out of the union. I still had a job so stayed.


If you have a steady job in this economy you might want to consider waiting until it improves (if it ever does!) You might be better off with a job than setting on the bench!


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## 007 (May 4, 2009)

krhoads2429 said:


> I have been an electricain for about 14 years. I consider myself to be very skilled in the trade. I am interested in joining the local IBEW. Due to my experience and not being younger and straight out of school I have been met with some resistance. The BA has stopped at jobs and handed out cards trying to get myself and others to go union. However, they don't seem interested in talking to us if it does not involve organizing the company that I work for. I just want to join even if it means going through the apprenticeship. Can anyone lead me in the right direction? FYI I live on the boarder line of 725 and 702. Thanks!


 They want the contractor not you. If they get your contractor they will find a way to get rid of you.


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## T-Bart (Jun 24, 2011)

007 said:


> They want the contractor not you. If they get your contractor they will find a way to get rid of you.


Why do you say that? Is that what happened to you?


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## 007 (May 4, 2009)

T-Bart said:


> Why do you say that? Is that what happened to you?


 Not me personally but I know guys it happened to.


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## T-Bart (Jun 24, 2011)

007 said:


> Not me personally but I know guys it happened to.


Oh ok cool I thought you were just giving bad advise based on a rumor you heard.


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## 007 (May 4, 2009)

T-Bart said:


> Oh ok cool I thought you were just giving bad advise based on a rumor you heard.


 The shop getting organized had ten guys each was told they would need to go through the apprentiship. After the shop was organized they were all dispersed to other shops as apprentices and the contractor had to call guys off the bench. One by one they were sent back to the hall and waited for a school start date. As they waited and waited and waited they ran out of unemployment and took jobs. Well they were quietly dropped from the roles as they were never endentured and that was that. One guy was only 30 hours short of being endentured and they told him he was being dropped.


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## T-Bart (Jun 24, 2011)

Well if you "heard" this once about a guy then it must be union policy.


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## 007 (May 4, 2009)

T-Bart said:


> Well if you "heard" this once about a guy then it must be union policy.


+I know the guy it happened to so it was not just "heard" it was lived by someone I know. Logic would dictate it as SOP with guys on the bench adding more troughs to feed from would be more important than adding mouths to feed. Guys who are organized in are looked down on anyway so if they get shafted it is easy to turn a blind eye they were not "real" brothers.


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## T-Bart (Jun 24, 2011)

So a guy you know didnt get called back and got dropped after working for another contractor. Do you know the other 9 guys too or did you hear about them from the guy that got dropped 30 hours short of topping out?


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## eejack (Jul 14, 2012)

krhoads2429 said:


> I have been an electricain for about 14 years. I consider myself to be very skilled in the trade. I am interested in joining the local IBEW. Due to my experience and not being younger and straight out of school I have been met with some resistance. The BA has stopped at jobs and handed out cards trying to get myself and others to go union. However, they don't seem interested in talking to us if it does not involve organizing the company that I work for. I just want to join even if it means going through the apprenticeship. Can anyone lead me in the right direction? FYI I live on the boarder line of 725 and 702. Thanks!


Your best bet is to apply directly to the locals you are interested it, but I would not hold out much hope.

In truth, most locals want young apprentices without much experience. They will make exceptions for shops they can organize. If you can get your shop to go union ( or convince your coworkers to self organize ) then you stand a better chance.

Best of luck.


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## eejack (Jul 14, 2012)

007 said:


> They want the contractor not you. If they get your contractor they will find a way to get rid of you.


2/10

Would have given you a 1/10 but you got a bite.


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## Celtic (Nov 19, 2007)

I heard the world was flat.


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## jimmy21 (Mar 31, 2012)

007 said:


> The shop getting organized had ten guys each was told they would need to go through the apprentiship. After the shop was organized they were all dispersed to other shops as apprentices and the contractor had to call guys off the bench. One by one they were sent back to the hall and waited for a school start date. As they waited and waited and waited they ran out of unemployment and took jobs. Well they were quietly dropped from the roles as they were never endentured and that was that. One guy was only 30 hours short of being endentured and they told him he was being dropped.


So the contractor had a bunch of unlicensed workers and the union made him switch them out for qualified, licensed electricians?


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## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

Hey in a recent survey of our local it appears about more than 1/2 let their licenses lapse.


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## 007 (May 4, 2009)

jimmy21 said:


> So the contractor had a bunch of unlicensed workers and the union made him switch them out for qualified, licensed electricians?


 the union needed a contractor to get their guys off the bench , they didn't need the guys that they "organized".


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## Brother Noah1 (Mar 23, 2010)

All that are in the IBEW or were members did not come into this world with a yellow ticket attached, so I say we all are organized in one way or another!
I would suggest contacting either or both local's organizers (the worse they could do is say no) then if that does not achieve what you desire contact a district agent.


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## Charlie K (Aug 14, 2008)

007 said:


> +I know the guy it happened to so it was not just "heard" it was lived by someone I know. Logic would dictate it as SOP with guys on the bench adding more troughs to feed from would be more important than adding mouths to feed. Guys who are organized in are looked down on anyway so if they get shafted it is easy to turn a blind eye they were not "real" brothers.


Going to call BS on this. I was organized into the IBEW 33 years ago. I have also worked steady in the IBEW. I missed some time in the 80's but the economy was bad. Right now on the job I am on we have organized hands that came over 2 years ago, still working. Your friend that was let go in the apprenticeship must have failed out or was removed from the apprenticeship for bad work reports, lateness etc. He had to have been given a reason. Since you are in my area I am guessing we are talking about local 24. Ask your buddy what reason was given to him.


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## 007 (May 4, 2009)

411 the guy was working a jib that completed and was sent to the hall the BA tells him he will assign him to a new contractor as soon as one needs an apprentice. Two weeks go buy and nothing. He calls the BA who says mo openings and to sit tight.four weeks go buy and still nothing. After six weeks he calls a few contractors and asks if they need apprentices and one says yes he could work him . He calls the BA and tells him about the contractor and asks to be assigned. The BA tears into him over solicitoing his own wok.a few days latter he calla about the job and the BA says thecintractor did not want him and he would not be assigned until after he appeared before the E board . At the biard meeting they say he is being dropped necauseof bad reports and his poor attitude.hr asks to see the reportsbut is denied . He sought legal advice but not being indentured they were within thir right rodeo him.


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## sbrn33 (Mar 15, 2007)

jimmy21 said:


> So the contractor had a bunch of unlicensed workers and the union made him switch them out for qualified, licensed electricians?


That's not what he said at all.

Are you saying only union guys are qualified? If you are that is a very ignorant statement from someone that doesn't know any other way other than the union way. Which by the way it sounds isn't working out so well right now.


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## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

sbrn33 said:


> That's not what he said at all.
> 
> Are you saying only union guys are qualified? If you are that is a very ignorant statement from someone that doesn't know any other way other than the union way. Which by the way it sounds isn't working out so well right now.


No, he's just seems to enjoy stirring the pot.


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## jimmy21 (Mar 31, 2012)

sbrn33 said:


> That's not what he said at all.
> 
> Are you saying only union guys are qualified? If you are that is a very ignorant statement from someone that doesn't know any other way other than the union way. Which by the way it sounds isn't working out so well right now.


If one of the qualifications of being a part of that local was a license and they were not licensed then they did not meet the qualifications. That is what I meant. I'm not talking about their skills as an electrician


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## 007 (May 4, 2009)

jimmy21 said:


> If one of the qualifications of being a part of that local was a license and they were not licensed then they did not meet the qualifications. That is what I meant. I'm not talking about their skills as an electrician


Does any local have such a requirement?


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## jimmy21 (Mar 31, 2012)

007 said:


> Does any local have such a requirement?



i think they all have some sort of requirement


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## T-Bart (Jun 24, 2011)

007 said:


> 411 the guy was working a jib that completed and was sent to the hall the BA tells him he will assign him to a new contractor as soon as one needs an apprentice. Two weeks go buy and nothing. He calls the BA who says mo openings and to sit tight.four weeks go buy and still nothing. After six weeks he calls a few contractors and asks if they need apprentices and one says yes he could work him . He calls the BA and tells him about the contractor and asks to be assigned. The BA tears into him over solicitoing his own wok.a few days latter he calla about the job and the BA says thecintractor did not want him and he would not be assigned until after he appeared before the E board . At the biard meeting they say he is being dropped necauseof bad reports and his poor attitude.hr asks to see the reportsbut is denied . He sought legal advice but not being indentured they were within thir right rodeo him.


So he broke one of the union bylaws and had a bunch of bad work reports so they let him loose and your suggesting this happens to everyone? Still sounds like bull****.


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## 007 (May 4, 2009)

T-Bart said:


> So he broke one of the union bylaws and had a bunch of bad work reports so they let him loose and your suggesting this happens to everyone? Still sounds like bull****.


They claimed bad reports but never produced any they starved him out and then found a way to drop him and yes I think this is SOP


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## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

007 said:


> They claimed bad reports but never produced any they starved him out and then found a way to drop him and yes I think this is SOP


Every local operates differently. Being from DC I can tell you we hear horror stories (well maybe not horror but negative stories) about Baltimore.


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## chris856 (Jun 12, 2009)

Our local is just as happy taking in good foreman and service guys as they are contractors. If you have a state license you will not have to go through the apprenticeship as long as you can pass what I hear is a straightfoward hands on test. 

I have worked with a lot of organized guys that have done just fine.

It doesn't sound like every local has the same attitude as ours but I also don't think we are the only ones either.


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## T-Bart (Jun 24, 2011)

007 said:


> They claimed bad reports but never produced any they starved him out and then found a way to drop him and yes I think this is SOP


Or it could be that your friend sucks.


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## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

chris856 said:


> Our local is just as happy taking in good foreman and service guys as they are contractors. If you have a state license you will not have to go through the apprenticeship as long as you can pass what I hear is a straightfoward hands on test.
> 
> I have worked with a lot of organized guys that have done just fine.
> 
> It doesn't sound like every local has the same attitude as ours but I also don't think we are the only ones either.


Local 26 is very active in recruiting new members and new contractors, now I would think that when there are men on the bench recruiting new members may not be priority one. But we took quite a few new apprentices this year, so when times improve we will have a full contingency of workers.


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## eejack (Jul 14, 2012)

007 said:


> They claimed bad reports but never produced any they starved him out and then found a way to drop him and yes I think this is SOP


The issue isn't whether or not your friend exists, the issue is why do you hate unions so much as to fabricate his existence. In my brief time here you have an amazing array of people you 'know' who had 'experiences' and yet none of them show unions in a good light.

It is *never* SOP to starve out an potential member. Quite frankly if you are not up to standard they are not at all subtle about letting you go. No passive aggressive sneaky schtuff. You get a call, you are out.

So really, to get to the meat of the matter, is it jealousy? Maybe jilted at the alter? Did you get one of those calls? Paid to post?

What embittered 007 so much?

A mystery without an answer I suspect.


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## 007 (May 4, 2009)

T-Bart said:


> Or it could be that your friend sucks.


 could be, but all ten guys getting the shaft even those odds would not play in Vegas.


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## 007 (May 4, 2009)

eejack said:


> The issue isn't whether or not your friend exists, the issue is why do you hate unions so much as to fabricate his existence. In my brief time here you have an amazing array of people you 'know' who had 'experiences' and yet none of them show unions in a good light.
> 
> It is *never* SOP to starve out an potential member. Quite frankly if you are not up to standard they are not at all subtle about letting you go. No passive aggressive sneaky schtuff. You get a call, you are out.
> 
> ...


 So anyone who posts negatively about the union is a bitter jealous jilted at the alter paid poster. I have no axe to grind nor do I have any skin in the game I am just posting the truth of what someone I know experienced is this SOP for the union well all I know is with a rapidly declining share of the market the union is desperate to gain contractors even to the point of trying to push "card check" which would do away with secret ballot. With many of thier members sitting the bench organizing more men is not in thier best interest.


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## jimmy21 (Mar 31, 2012)

007 said:


> could be, but all ten guys getting the shaft even those odds would not play in Vegas.


All 10 might not have had licenses if the shop and the state didn't require it. I've heard virgina for example has a state license but isn't required by the state. If the union did require it, the all the electricians would be out the door. It sounds like this one guy was a poor worker and didn't even have enough hours to take a journeymans exam


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## 007 (May 4, 2009)

jimmy21 said:


> All 10 might not have had licenses if the shop and the state didn't require it. I've heard virgina for example has a state license but isn't required by the state. If the union did require it, the all the electricians would be out the door. It sounds like this one guy was a poor worker and didn't even have enough hours to take a journeymans exam


 but here is the rub, they were asked to sign cards to organize theuy thought they were being organized as it turned out it was just thier employer. I know some were dropped because they had been emploed less than a year with this employer.


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## Celtic (Nov 19, 2007)

007 said:


> Does any local have such a requirement?


...probably more than likely a State requirement to be recognized .
NJ has a "Qualified Journeyman" card.


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## jimmy21 (Mar 31, 2012)

007 said:


> but here is the rub, they were asked to sign cards to organize theuy thought they were being organized as it turned out it was just thier employer. I know some were dropped because they had been emploed less than a year with this employer.


it sounds like they *WERE* organized. They just didn't meet the qualifications of a journeyman and therefor had to join the apprenticeship program. Sounds like some of them thought this was beneath them and parted ways


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## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

Celtic said:


> ...probably more than likely a State requirement to be recognized .
> NJ has a "Qualified Journeyman" card.


I think so.


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## Charlie K (Aug 14, 2008)

007, you are a BS'er. Ask your so called friend if he went before the board when ha was supposedly booted out. There are procedures in place. First off if we are talking about Local 24 assuming your so called friend is in Baltimore, apprentices do not call the BA. The apprentices report to the apprenticeship director in a seperate building altogether. There is a dispatcher who sends out the apprentices. The BA is not involved with the apprentices. If an apprentice has issues such as bad work reports, missing time, failing tests etc. he is notified that his apprenticeship may be terminated by mail. He has the option of leaving or he goes before the board. It is his decision if he wants to appeal and go before the board. Schooling our apprentices costs our local and the Signitory Contractors a lot of money. Our apprentices are paid to go to school, the only fee they are charged is for books.


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## 19kilosparky984 (Sep 14, 2011)

Charlie K said:


> 007, you are a BS'er. Ask your so called friend if he went before the board when ha was supposedly booted out. There are procedures in place. First off if we are talking about Local 24 assuming your so called friend is in Baltimore, apprentices do not call the BA. The apprentices report to the apprenticeship director in a seperate building altogether. There is a dispatcher who sends out the apprentices. The BA is not involved with the apprentices. If an apprentice has issues such as bad work reports, missing time, failing tests etc. he is notified that his apprenticeship may be terminated by mail. He has the option of leaving or he goes before the board. It is his decision if he wants to appeal and go before the board. Schooling our apprentices costs our local and the Signitory Contractors a lot of money. Our apprentices are paid to go to school, the only fee they are charged is for books.


007 was your old buddy rewire,he just got the boot again.


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## eejack (Jul 14, 2012)

007 said:


> So anyone who posts negatively about the union is a bitter jealous jilted at the alter paid poster.


No, of course not. Just you.

Most folks have a balance of experience, you just sling mud.

I was just wondering why.


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## Shockdoc (Mar 4, 2010)

007 said:


> So anyone who posts negatively about the union is a bitter jealous jilted at the alter paid poster.


 That would be me according to the gospel of slickvic. God forbid I mention a benched trunk slammer fouls up a side job or some guys steal some wire from their employer and scrap it. I'm a bitter jealous failure for my observations.:laughing:


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## John Valdes (May 17, 2007)

Shockdoc said:


> That would be me according to the gospel of slickvic. God forbid I mention a benched trunk slammer fouls up a side job or some guys steal some wire from their employer and scrap it. I'm a bitter jealous failure for my observations.:laughing:


That was me that said you were a trunk slammer. Not Vic. :laughing:


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## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

John Valdes said:


> That was me that said you were a trunk slammer. Not Vic. :laughing:


You may not have been the first or last.:whistling2::laughing::laughing:


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