# NJ union



## njspark83 (May 11, 2009)

Question for any member of the IBEW union in new jersey. I recently got my nj electrical contractors license and I have completed a state-certified 4 yr apprenticeship. What steps would i need to take in joining the union?


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## Mr. Sparkle (Jan 27, 2009)

Wasn't your father in the business for 30 years?

If so, why would you want to join the Union? You have a serious leg up here my friend.....contacts, suppliers, historical data, etc.....

And I will tell you this, which is at least true for the local in my county, and most likely others are not far off......

If you hook up with the right person and are able to "test in" 4th or so year because you have a License, first off, word will get around and you will not be looked at very fondly from the guys that went through the program from day one, and two, you are on the very bottom of a very long list of people waiting for work. And guess what, while you are waiting don't think you can use that License to "fill the void"........other than maybe small residential stuff on the DL it don't work that way. Oh, and if you need to be somewhere to finish some of your own DL work and that phone rings from the Hall............guess who better have priority?

You see, aside from a bunch of different Locals merging in recent years the Union B.A.'s also went a bit overboard in their quest for more dues.........

And before I get hammered by any brothers here I would like you to know that, first off I know a B.A. pretty well and had, and probably still have the exact opportunity the OP speaks of and all of this information is compiled from conversations with the dozen or more sparky's I know in the IBEW here in NJ.


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## Celtic (Nov 19, 2007)

njspark83 said:


> What steps would i need to take in joining the union?


As a union contractor?


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## njspark83 (May 11, 2009)

Well i dont have any money right now for a business. I'm just talking like as a mechanic


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## njspark83 (May 11, 2009)

so your saying i couldnt work in the union and have a small SOLPROP on the side


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## Celtic (Nov 19, 2007)

njspark83 said:


> so your saying i couldnt work in the union and have a small SOLPROP on the side



Technically no.
The CBA is written such that a member, while employed or on the referral list shall not have both an electrical contractor's license and business permit.


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## JES2727 (Mar 19, 2009)

If you wanted to sign on as a journeyman electrician you should talk to one of the business agents, or the organizer. I don't they would be very receptive to such discussion, however, as there are currently many, many electricians waiting for jobs.


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## captkirk (Nov 21, 2007)

Your license really does nothing for them. And like sparkle said, if you cut the line your liable to get a screw driver to the back of your head.


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## major pain (Aug 20, 2009)

Why i mean if he is more qualified then the next man what makes it wrong?


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## oldman (Mar 30, 2007)

politics


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## Celtic (Nov 19, 2007)

major pain said:


> Why i mean if he is more qualified then the next man what makes it wrong?





oldman said:


> politics


It's not politics....it called an "Out of Work List".

A list implies order.

When a man's employment is terminated for whatever reason, he signs the book....the next fellow does the same...and so on.
When a job comes in, it is offered to the first man on the list.

It's orderly and it's fair.

There are a few exceptions....
- specialty skills such as MV cable splicer and welder, etc
- specialty qualifications such as CDL, forklift driver, etc
- super special speciality such as TWIC, SWAC, etc
- super duper special specialty which is a combination of any 2 or more specialties.

These are the qualifications that would enable a body to "jump the list" and go out of order...and yet, it is still fair as these qualifications are above and beyond typical JW status and schooling. The men that have these credentials spent their own time gaining them - the reward is being more employable.


Having EC credentials is NOT a mitigating factor.


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