# journeyman joining the union



## chrisdoan1 (Mar 1, 2008)

I was laid off, Workded 13 years in houseing for the same company, The owner got to old and his company folded, He always said the union was not the way to go, Was he just lieing to keep me there? Im trying to get in the union now, I want more experence in commercial work, I have an interview soon. Does anybody know what kind of questions that they will ask, And what the interview is like.:001_huh:


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## rlc3854 (Dec 30, 2007)

What area are you in? is there plenty of work available? Is the local looking to take on new JW? This usually not the case if work is not more that what local can man. Sorry for so many questions but need additional info.


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## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

In his opinion the union may not have been the best way to go but life choices should be made by more than just one person's experiences or opinions. If there is work, If the union is open to new members, if the pay and benefits are to your liking then in my opinion how could you go wrong.

Because basically the work will be the same residential is residential, commercial is commercial and industrial is industrial. You have to work at least 40 hours a week in most professions why not get the best pay, benefits and education available and usually that is union.


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## LGLS (Nov 10, 2007)

chrisdoan1 said:


> I was laid off, Workded 13 years in houseing for the same company, The owner got to old and his company folded,* He always said the union was not the way to go, Was he just lieing to keep me there? *Im trying to get in the union now, I want more experence in commercial work, I have an interview soon. Does anybody know what kind of questions that they will ask, And what the interview is like.:001_huh:


Was he lying? 
Ask yourself this: what is the ultimate goal of every business?
Everything else is second to, but part and parcel to that answer becoming a reality.


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## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

I have told more than one person this (LIKE EVERY RESIDENTIAL GUY I MEET). Now this is for an area that has a wide variety of work like a major metropolitan area.

You are doing your a dis-service to stay with anyone aspect of the trade for a long period of time (there are some exceptions). But to have a narrow field like residential can be a problem. If you are in the trade wiring homes and after a 6-12 months you should be able to wire a house, move into a different field residential service then commercial. 

It only improve your employment opportunities. A commercial 9industrial is a bit different) guy can GENERALLY move to residential easier that a residential guy going commercial. Knowing all you can about your chosen profession will only enhance your future.


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## oldman (Mar 30, 2007)

brian, i agree with getting a well rounded education in this industry...but having been on all ends, i'll say this...

commercial and residential are completely opposite...it's not easier for a guy to move from 1 to the other, either way...codes are different, methods are different....it's a crapshoot to see who will acclimate better...

a good residential service tech (good being the key word) needs more than 12 months of wiring track homes...just like a good commercial service tech, they typically need years of experience....

however, to pigeon hole yourself into one aspect of the trade is not a smart career move...


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## chrisdoan1 (Mar 1, 2008)

well just to get the interview it took almost 3 month,And the union reps would come on the jobs and ask me to sign right away , when times were good,But had a stable job for the time being ,just wondering if anybody has been in the same situation, Work in detroit seems to always pick up in the spring,but i dont know what is going to happen this year seems pretty scary?


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## Rong (Feb 23, 2008)

*Go for it*



chrisdoan1 said:


> I was laid off, Workded 13 years in houseing for the same company, The owner got to old and his company folded, He always said the union was not the way to go, Was he just lieing to keep me there? Im trying to get in the union now, I want more experence in commercial work, I have an interview soon. Does anybody know what kind of questions that they will ask, And what the interview is like.:001_huh:


 After 25+ yrs being a non-union electrician I joined the local. I really like it. The money is much better I dont get hassled for taking the time to do a neat job as I did on the other side. Not that I really took that long but sometimes an extra minute or so in bending pipe makes alot of difference in the out come. I hate hack jobs and many many times we were forced to do things that was per code but just barely and I was ashamed of the way it looked!
I have found that most people who hate union workers misunderstand them. We are a hard working group, we dont take 4 hour coffee breaks and do a half a## job. 
To join I took a exam and then talked to the review board. I already had a block license and that helped. There was questions from general safety to transformers code questions and the like. I would see if your local has a study guide that you can use.


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## bobelectric (Feb 24, 2007)

chrisdoan1 said:


> I was laid off, Workded 13 years in houseing for the same company, The owner got to old and his company folded, He always said the union was not the way to go, Was he just lieing to keep me there? Im trying to get in the union now, I want more experence in commercial work, I have an interview soon. Does anybody know what kind of questions that they will ask, And what the interview is like.:001_huh:


I worked for a contractor,all industrial work who was retiring.Always busy,lots of work.He offered to let me and another dude to buy in.WE both were having too much fun after 8hrs. to worry about next weeks job.We passed,probably missed the boat.


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## chrisdoan1 (Mar 1, 2008)

well i did my interview everything went good they said they would call me soon and the next day i got the call :thumbup: they told me to come in get papers to get a physical and report to the hall the day after that it went pretty fast did not start work yet but they put me on the books so i sit and wait :sleep1: so anyway when i reportded to the hall it was an all day event and everything looks awsome even to the fact that they said the only tools that i would have to bring would be my hand tools no power tools at all :devil2: or battery operatded cant wait to start work seems to be alot different than non union this should be the best thing for me:thumbsup:


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## gilbequick (Oct 6, 2007)

Someone please explain how the union works. When you get signed on, are you employed by the union or the company you're doing the work for?

Once you "get on the books" do you just sit at home and wait for them to call you so you can go to work? This sounds risky, that you're waiting for a call when you could be elsewhere actually working. Am I missing something here??


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## cdnelectrician (Mar 14, 2008)

You are employed by a contractor not the union. The union takes care of all the paperwork...all you have to do is show up on site with your tools and work. There is an out of work list...if you have been out of work for two weeks then you move to the top of the list and you get first dibs on jobs available...that is how LU 353 Toronto works anyways...not sure about the US?


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## chrisdoan1 (Mar 1, 2008)

they told me that if i was working to keep working for who i was working for until something came up it was my decission to stay non union or become union. But i was unemployed and nobody is hireing and if they are they beet you up on how much they want to pay you and no insurance.that is also in the residentual end of electrical So with that it might be worth the wait.:laughing:


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## LGLS (Nov 10, 2007)

gilbequick said:


> Someone please explain how the union works. When you get signed on, are you employed by the union or the company you're doing the work for?
> 
> Once you "get on the books" do you just sit at home and wait for them to call you so you can go to work? This sounds risky, that you're waiting for a call when you could be elsewhere actually working. Am I missing something here??


The union acts as your exclusive bargianing agent. It also acts as a hiring hall. If there's 1000 members and 900 jobs, obviously there are 100 out of work on the waiting list. As contractors call for help, your name moves up on the list. As contractors lay men off, their names go to the bottom of the list. 

The union negotiates your wages and benefits. They're all indexed to an hourly cost. When you're employed, you are an employee of the contractor who pays you your wages, and makes a benefit payment (fringes) to the union for each hour worked on your behalf. But your benefits are administered by the union. This way, moving from employer to employer doesn't affect your benefits, or vacation, etc. 

Sitting home waiting for a call is a difficult concept for newly organized hands to grasp. Ususally when layed off you go to the hall and sign the out of work book. You are given a number. They'll usually tell you how long the last person they sent to work waited. But that number is just a roundabout estimate. Often there is no way a union can predict how long you'll be out. Some members call every week to find out how much closer to the top of the list they are.


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