# Union Worker moving to RTW State



## TGGT (Oct 28, 2012)

Mov*ing*? Or moved? Looks like you're already in one.


----------



## John Valdes (May 17, 2007)

I have worked for union and non-union shops. Majority has been non-union as I live in SC. There are no unions here. Only underpaid and/or layed off factory workers.

I can say without a doubt, the union work was better all around.
Better pay, high quality work, real licensed journeyman on the jobs, retirement and health benefits. Better equipment and larger jobs that last longer.

Non-union for me personally was lower pay, but I worked in manufacturing, so I did have benefits. Non-union construction guys here make little money and get nothing in the way of benefits. 
I have had a few good non-union jobs. But almost none of them could compare to the IBEW jobs.
In fact my best job ever was non-union. So it really depends. Depends on who you work for and what your position is.


----------



## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

Unless one is young and mallable, moving is an expensive hassle

So to follow any given doctrine would mean it'd have to be worthwhile

~CS~


----------



## denny3992 (Jul 12, 2010)

John Valdes said:


> I have worked for union and non-union shops. Majority has been non-union as I live in SC. There are no unions here. Only underpaid and/or layed off factory workers.
> 
> I can say without a doubt, the union work was better all around.
> Better pay, high quality work, real licensed journeyman on the jobs, retirement and health benefits. Better equipment and larger jobs that last longer.
> ...


X2


Same story for me


----------



## Loose Neutral (Jun 3, 2009)

Anybody i know that went down south for sunny skies and easy living, came back for a greener wallet.


----------



## BBQ (Nov 16, 2010)

John Valdes said:


> I can say without a doubt, the union work was better all around.
> Better pay, high quality work, real licensed journeyman on the jobs, retirement and health benefits. Better equipment and larger jobs that last longer.


Maybe you should have tried moving out of the southeast. 

Here in the Northeast things are different, journeymen are required on all jobs, no more than one apprentice for one jman. 

This is the law and it applies to both merit and union shops.

The same training is required or both union and merit shop j-men

Both union and merit shops can and do work on the same size jobs, have the same tools, have the same long term projects etc.

Don't let your corner of the world lead you to beleive things are the same all over.


----------



## eejack (Jul 14, 2012)

BBQ said:


> Maybe you should have tried moving out of the southeast.
> 
> Here in the Northeast things are different, journeymen are required on all jobs, no more than one apprentice for one jman.
> 
> ...


When BBQ says Northeast he does not mean New Jersey.

We have no such rules concerning worker classifications or worker ratios except those as proscribed by union agreements.

I'm not sure what labor rates are outside of NJ, but union benefits and pay is much higher here than non union. 

Union training is multiyear schooling with advancement based on grades and non union training is entirely up to the non union shop ( which in many cases is no schooling at all ).

I cannot talk for all projects but - I have worked on three stadiums, two arenas, multiple infrastructure projects ( power plants, water treatment plants, train and light rail ), multiple institutional projects ( hospitals, schools, detention centers ) and countless office/retail establishments and the only non union fellow I remember working with was a bathroom partition installer at a Trader Joes. I have dealt with lots of non union supervision, but he was the only one with tools on.


----------



## BBQ (Nov 16, 2010)

eejack said:


> When BBQ says Northeast he does not mean New Jersey.


Obviously .......... why the hell would I include NJ with the area I live in. ewww


----------



## 347sparky (May 14, 2012)

BBQ said:


> Maybe you should have tried moving out of the southeast.
> 
> Here in the Northeast things are different, journeymen are required on all jobs, *no more than one apprentice for one jman.*
> 
> ...


 
That is one of the biggest gripes about the big non union shops around here, especially on public projects. Have a few journeymen and load up on apprentices and off the street guys. They are all supposed to be licensed but inspectors never check for that. I have only had one inspector ask to see my license in the last 12 years. If all the above quote is true the anamosity between the two groups should not be that great because they start off on equal footing.


----------



## Celtic (Nov 19, 2007)

BBQ said:


> Don't let your corner of the world lead you to beleive things are the same all over.
> 
> 
> eejack said:
> ...



The xray really makes it obvious BBQ


----------



## BBQ (Nov 16, 2010)

Celtic said:


> The xray really makes it obvious BBQ


It happens ........... but at least I don't live in NJ. :whistling2:


----------



## Celtic (Nov 19, 2007)

BBQ said:


> It happens ........... but at least I don't live in NJ. :whistling2:


We don't want you anyway :no:

:laughing:


----------



## BBQ (Nov 16, 2010)

Celtic said:


> We don't want you anyway :no:
> 
> :laughing:




Touché


----------

