# Union painters



## WronGun (Oct 18, 2013)

I recently found out that union painters make $3 less than Union electricians ... I'm beside myself right now ? How the F is this ???? Why am I breaking my ass , working with electricity when I can slap paint on a stick ?


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## joebanana (Dec 21, 2010)

Plumbers get paid more. (so I've heard)


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## dawgs (Dec 1, 2007)

WronGun said:


> I recently found out that union painters make $3 less than Union electricians ... I'm beside myself right now ? How the F is this ???? Why am I breaking my ass , working with electricity when I can slap paint on a stick ?


They can have it. Would you really want to suck them fumes and do such a boring job day after day?


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## LuckyLuke (Jun 1, 2015)

WronGun said:


> I recently found out that union painters make $3 less than Union electricians ... I'm beside myself right now ? How the F is this ???? Why am I breaking my ass , working with electricity when I can slap paint on a stick ?


I remember years ago some block layers were onsite that were making more then some electricians, as the guys got their panties in a bunch over it I asked them if they wanted to do that for a living, to have their knees, shoulders and backs all buggered up at the age of 50. They could have offered me 60/hr and I still wouldn't want that job.

Painting is about as monotonous as it gets, let them make that much as again it's not a job I would want to do.


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## WronGun (Oct 18, 2013)

dawgs said:


> They can have it. Would you really want to suck them fumes and do such a boring job day after day?


I do suck those fumes in everyday when they paint right on top of me ... Along with weld smoke, dust , fire stop dust, insulation, and whatever else ...


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## WronGun (Oct 18, 2013)

LuckyLuke said:


> I remember years ago some block layers were onsite that were making more then some electricians, as the guys got their panties in a bunch over it I asked them if they wanted to do that for a living, to have their knees, shoulders and backs all buggered up at the age of 50. They could have offered me 60/hr and I still wouldn't want that job. Painting is about as monotonous as it gets, let them make that much as again it's not a job I would want to do.


Just the same who would want to perform surgery on a human living brain? Not me


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## WronGun (Oct 18, 2013)

Just a Fluke said:


> Look at a retired electrician and a retired alcoholic I mean painter and they're a world apart. When you are up in a bucket in 30 degree with a 10 mph crosswind you may find a painter hanging off a bridge in that same weather 150' over a ravine.



I suppose , so I guess we are saying they deserve it?


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## WronGun (Oct 18, 2013)

Just a Fluke said:


> No way, just their job sucks and who would want it?


Right , so they deserve their pay, because it sucks so bad


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## WronGun (Oct 18, 2013)

Dude are you ok??? Your making a point that the jobs sucks so friggin bad ? Another worlds it better pay well because it sucks A55 and who the hell would want to do it ??? ( They deserve to get a good pay rate because of how horrible the conditions are ) How I feel about iron workers , the job looks real horrible to me BUT they better get paid well for having to do that BS 

I'm saying they deserve their pay and your saying no way the job sucks so bad ?!?! (Reinforcing the point that they should get paid well for it, anything that sucks better pay) I speak very good English actually, college educated


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## 99cents (Aug 20, 2012)

I have never seen a group that loves a race to the bottom like electricians.


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## macmikeman (Jan 23, 2007)

The painting journeyman's test is a pretty tough one. You have to carry a full to the top gallon open paint can and brush in one hand , and an open full Budweiser tall boy in the other hand , and climb up a ten foot ladder.
If you spill any of the beer, you failed the test.


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## WronGun (Oct 18, 2013)

macmikeman said:


> The painting journeyman's test is a pretty tough one. You have to carry a full to the top gallon open paint can and brush in one hand , and an open full Budweiser tall boy in the other hand , and climb up a ten foot ladder. If you spill any of the beer, you failed the test.


Which was my initial thought when comparing similarity in pay rates


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## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

WronGun said:


> I recently found out that union painters make $3 less than Union electricians ... I'm beside myself right now ? How the F is this ???? Why am I breaking my ass , working with electricity when I can slap paint on a stick ?


This depends on the state and county you live in.
The difference here in Broward County Florida is closer to $20 per hour, $22 vs $42
The guys making the most are the elevator guys at about $70


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## WronGun (Oct 18, 2013)

We make 46 here and painters 44.... I went to school twice as long and work in potentially deadly situations they slap paint on a stick. It's boring and monotonous like a million other jobs like insulators who make half that


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## WronGun (Oct 18, 2013)

jrannis said:


> This depends on the state and county you live in. The difference here in Broward County Florida is closer to $20 per hour, $22 vs $42 The guys making the most are the elevator guys at about $70


 Wow 70! I used to be an elevator guy before I became an electrician , but they are around 53-54 here


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## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

What State are you in?


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## WronGun (Oct 18, 2013)

Mass


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## telsa (May 22, 2015)

99cents said:


> I have never seen a group that loves a race to the bottom like electricians.


How else to stay grounded -- well grounded.

BTW, race-to-the-bottom sounds mighty good when you've been up on a ladder all day.

It smacks of "beer time."


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## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

WronGun said:


> Wow 70! I used to be an elevator guy before I became an electrician , but they are around 53-54 here


Heavy greasey dirty and lots of stairs.
No fn thanks.


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## donaldelectrician (Sep 30, 2010)

jrannis said:


> This depends on the state and county you live in.
> The difference here in Broward County Florida is closer to $20 per hour, $22 vs $42
> The guys making the most are the elevator guys at about $70




Elevator guys are paid the most ... and always OT .


They look for electricians to take on to train .


The elevator crew at the motor Speedway , had a hurt man with them ...some one threw something down a shat and hit him in the head ...

some one through a broken stud punch down a shaft and almost got 
another elevator man ....

I will not leave any openings in shaft ...



Don


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## WronGun (Oct 18, 2013)

jrannis said:


> Heavy greasey dirty and lots of stairs. No fn thanks.


Not sure where you work but I work and have worked on some horrible situations as a journeyman. Every run 500kcmil MI through crawl spaces ?


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## papaotis (Jun 8, 2013)

yes painting can be very monotomous , but if you ar in the industrial side of it, there are very many specifications that make it just a little more complicated. and not just anyone can do that! :thumbsup:to any trade that knows what the hell they are doing right!


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## Bootss (Dec 30, 2011)

I knew a painter in his sixties ,one of the quickest and best painters I ever knew.


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## 360max (Jun 10, 2011)

WronGun said:


> I recently found out that union painters make $3 less than Union electricians ...* I'm beside myself right now ? How the F is this ???? *Why am I breaking my ass , working with electricity when I can slap paint on a stick ?


...seems to me your problem is not with the painters, but rather whomever is negotiating your pay rate . 

I do agree, we should make substantially more than painters


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## skittles (Mar 18, 2016)

Having been a painter before i think i have a bit of an understanding of what's going on. I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that the customer actually sees a painters work. Everyone does. That's what they ask about when they first walk in. You don't really see the electrical, and unless you know to look at it you'll never think about the conduit runs at Walmart. 
Painting could get boring at times, but there were still a few days i earned my pay. I once saw these Hispanic guys grab a 30' extension ladder, tie a 20' extension ladder to that, and then an 8' step to the end of that one so they could each the steeple of a church.... from the side that had a decent sized cliff on it. Obviously these guys were experienced (they'd been doing it long enough to kill enough brain cells to let themselves do something that crazy.)


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## Jarp Habib (May 18, 2014)

Elevator guys have a strong deal, 100% market share, because they are employed by the manufacturer who also engineer the system and also run the training school. Total vendor lockin. It'd be similar for us if GE and Westinghouse controlled all electrical installations. 

Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk


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## bobbarker (Aug 6, 2015)

In my area we make more than them with better benefits but reading posts i am saddened at how people like to belittle other trades and how much they make and whether they deserve it or not. That is the thinking that is done by all the d bag shop rockets and anit-union d bag small shop owners always chirping on this site. Dont begrudge someone be happy for them


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## Bad Electrician (May 20, 2014)

WronGun said:


> I recently found out that union painters make $3 less than Union electricians ... I'm beside myself right now ? How the F is this ???? Why am I breaking my ass , working with electricity when I can slap paint on a stick ?


What to heck difference does it make what someone else makes. But if you are that concerned, get a brush and take a freaking job were alcoholism is rampant and boredom is the first word first apprentices learn.


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

99cents said:


> I have never seen a group that loves a race to the bottom like electricians.


I coulda posted that for _less_ electrons....:laughing:~CS~:whistling2:


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

Bad Electrician said:


> What to heck difference does it make what someone else makes. But if you are that concerned, get a brush and take a freaking job were alcoholism is rampant and boredom is the first word first apprentices learn.


It's that the trades are no meritocracy BadOne

Some of the high end mansions i did had painters make more than all the mechanical trades combined

One can always see it coming too, there are the one/two/three name paints, when they start with the '_baby sh*t brown'_ , you know you're out $$$'d


~CS~


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## Bad Electrician (May 20, 2014)

chicken steve said:


> I coulda posted that for _less_ electrons....:laughing:~CS~:whistling2:


If you want more freedom and make the big bucks become an owner. There are risk but if managed right there are rewards.


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

Bad Electrician said:


> If you want more freedom and make the big bucks become an owner. There are risk but if managed right there are rewards.


Chicken electric is approaching it's 2nd decade of it's 2nd go round BadOne:thumbup:

Operators are standing by at our international coop , be one of the first 12 callers for our spring panel inspection special , and receive a dozen eggs :thumbup:








~CS~


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## WronGun (Oct 18, 2013)

WronGun said:


> Not sure where you work but I work and have worked on some horrible situations as a journeyman. Every run 500kcmil MI through crawl spaces ?


Yes I have! You can check my old posts about this


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