# What is the current "bench time" at your local? For both JM and App



## Mozzy49 (Feb 21, 2013)

Just wondering what the current waiting periods are for Journeymen when they get laid off in US right now. From what I have heard here in Chicago it's like 4-5 months for Journeyman and up to a month for Apprentices. I thought for Journeyman that sucked until I started hearing that it is like a year at some places. Maybe this is wishful thinking but it would be great if it's non political.


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

Mozzy49 said:


> Just wondering what the current waiting periods are for Journeymen when they get laid off in US right now. From what I have heard here in Chicago it's like 4-5 months for Journeyman and up to a month for Apprentices. I thought for Journeyman that sucked until I started hearing that it is like a year at some places. Maybe this is wishful thinking but it would be great if it's non political.



ok, so what does one do for a_ year _between sit & unemp ? ~CS~


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## rlc3854 (Dec 30, 2007)

How new are you to the game of new construction? It is based on a lot of things. A lot of new construction buildings built in the last 5 years have set empty. So a lot of current work is in renovation of these new as well as old buildings. People all over are sitting on the books any where from 3-12 months if not more, some less. You will learn that the politics are at the hall and the shops. Get into something that you can fall back to during lean times. Times have changed over the years but many of us old timers invested into other training and businesses for the lean times. A lot of free lance jobs from photography to investments in fast food.


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## eejack (Jul 14, 2012)

There are too many factors at play here - some locals are putting out book 2 and some have a long wait. Big country - lots of variables.

I thought you were already working for the shop of your dreams?


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## PipeMonkey134 (Sep 24, 2013)

Chicago 4-5 months? We have 1800 people on book one, the people in the top 10 spots signed the book in 2011. It's a 3 year wait here in Chicago. Time to find a new career.

*I just realized you posted this in 2013. You would still be on the bottom of the book if you signed local 134 book 1 in 2013.


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## 360max (Jun 10, 2011)

1 - 2 days


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

360max said:


> 1 - 2 days



the next ph call....

~CS~


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## ampman66 (Dec 5, 2012)

I know journeymen in my local (Trenton, N.J.) who have been out for a year or more. 
Not sure about apprentices.
I was lucky enough to land a job in maintenance back in 2008, when things went south, and to do my own thing under my license when I can make some quick cash.
I hate maintenance, but it's paying the bills, and the health insurance is good too.


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## Chrisibew440 (Sep 13, 2013)

chicken steve said:


> ok, so what does one do for a_ year _between sit & unemp ? ~CS~


I'd get all my Jerry springer in, that's for sure. I'd be at the beach or the mountains everyday with the kids. My muscles and bones would heel properly. I'd volunteer some time down at the local and the local AA classes. I'd feel like a human instead of being a slave to work.


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## PipeMonkey134 (Sep 24, 2013)

Chrisibew440 said:


> I'd get all my Jerry springer in, that's for sure. I'd be at the beach or the mountains everyday with the kids. My muscles and bones would heel properly. I'd volunteer some time down at the local and the local AA classes. I'd feel like a human instead of being a slave to work.


That sounds great. For me I get to hear what a loser I am from my wife every single second. I file for unemployment immediately and get $500 a week. I think about how this is going to set me back for an entire year from getting a mortgauge to move out of my crappy condo. I send my resume to dozens of places hiring maintenance electricians only to find out they pay between 16-18 dollars an hour. (I make 43 an hour) I do some side jobs and make a few hundred extra dollars cash. I like to call the owner of my shop and leave messages on his phone since he doesn't want to be bothered by my calls. I look at Book 1 and see that 1800 people are on the local 134 list and the people in the top spots signed the books 3 years ago. I look at work in other locals only to see that the BP project in indianan is complete. About this time I start getting emails from places hiring in house electricians that more qualified candidates have been selected for all the jobs I applied for (I have a supervising license, a degree, and I'm a Veteran but I'm sure there are tons of more qualified light bulb changers out there) . All my saving is almost completely gone and then I get a call to come back to work. I work and build up my saving hope to move to a better house and then it's time to sit again. The cycle begins, my wife just started to like me again and now she hates me. FML. Yea mountain hikes sound great!


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## Chrisibew440 (Sep 13, 2013)

:notworthy::surrender: you should try going to the beach or going to an AA meeting. You'd do great at either. 


That was funny!


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## LGLS (Nov 10, 2007)

Rehab is for *QUITTERS.*


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## Chrisibew440 (Sep 13, 2013)

IslandGuy said:


> Rehab is for *QUITTERS.*


I couldn't agree more. I need a drink. :drink::wallbash:


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## pmoney (Mar 17, 2014)

local 25 long island 2 years. has been for 10 years. worst case scenario is to be out 2 yrs then work 2 months (in the slot) and be back out 2 yrs again


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## drumnut08 (Sep 23, 2012)

PipeMonkey134 said:


> That sounds great. For me I get to hear what a loser I am from my wife every single second. I file for unemployment immediately and get $500 a week. I think about how this is going to set me back for an entire year from getting a mortgauge to move out of my crappy condo. I send my resume to dozens of places hiring maintenance electricians only to find out they pay between 16-18 dollars an hour. (I make 43 an hour) I do some side jobs and make a few hundred extra dollars cash. I like to call the owner of my shop and leave messages on his phone since he doesn't want to be bothered by my calls. I look at Book 1 and see that 1800 people are on the local 134 list and the people in the top spots signed the books 3 years ago. I look at work in other locals only to see that the BP project in indianan is complete. About this time I start getting emails from places hiring in house electricians that more qualified candidates have been selected for all the jobs I applied for (I have a supervising license, a degree, and I'm a Veteran but I'm sure there are tons of more qualified light bulb changers out there) . All my saving is almost completely gone and then I get a call to come back to work. I work and build up my saving hope to move to a better house and then it's time to sit again. The cycle begins, my wife just started to like me again and now she hates me. FML. Yea mountain hikes sound great!


. Sad , but true , for a lot of us ! At some point I wonder if it's worth it ?


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## drumnut08 (Sep 23, 2012)

ampman66 said:


> I know journeymen in my local (Trenton, N.J.) who have been out for a year or more. Not sure about apprentices. I was lucky enough to land a job in maintenance back in 2008, when things went south, and to do my own thing under my license when I can make some quick cash. I hate maintenance, but it's paying the bills, and the health insurance is good too.


. Yeah , me too , since I'm one of them , lol ! I probably know you ? Keep the maintenance gig . There's more security on a job like that than any solar or new construction job these days .


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## henderson14 (Oct 23, 2010)

PipeMonkey134 said:


> Chicago 4-5 months? We have 1800 people on book one, the people in the top 10 spots signed the book in 2011. It's a 3 year wait here in Chicago. Time to find a new career.
> 
> *I just realized you posted this in 2013. You would still be on the bottom of the book if you signed local 134 book 1 in 2013.


The books rolled for a few weeks last summer in Chicago, so the wait is not 3 years. The only people who have been out 3 years are the ones who wanted to be out 3 years. There was also work in Madison, WI last year and 2 years of work at the BP job that ended last year.


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## PipeMonkey134 (Sep 24, 2013)

henderson14 said:


> The books rolled for a few weeks last summer in Chicago, so the wait is not 3 years. The only people who have been out 3 years are the ones who wanted to be out 3 years. There was also work in Madison, WI last year and 2 years of work at the BP job that ended last year.


Yes they went into book 2 last summer because nobody wanted to take long call to work at a school for a few months and go back on the books. The whole hiring hall system is terrible. We should be able to look for our own jobs AND have a hiring hall just like the pipe fitters.


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## sparky970 (Mar 19, 2008)

Local 48 in Portland Oregon. You could get a call Monday as book 2. We have 0 apprentices available. Boot camp starts soon for new apprentices, maybe next week or the following week.


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## splitphase (Jan 8, 2009)

Local25 LI,NY.. Laid off 3 days before Christmas 2011 and still out of work except for a couple 1 or 2 week calls. It's a damn joke! Graduated the apprenticeship program in 04, and with all the time added up that I have been employed, it's about 4 out of the last 10 years. Our referral list-- work for 46 days and get laid off and go to the bottom of the list with 400 plus members on it.....And if you do not keep paying for your card, and your dues, etc, you are not ready for employment.


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## drumnut08 (Sep 23, 2012)

splitphase said:


> Local25 LI,NY.. Laid off 3 days before Christmas 2011 and still out of work except for a couple 1 or 2 week calls. It's a damn joke! Graduated the apprenticeship program in 04, and with all the time added up that I have been employed, it's about 4 out of the last 10 years. Our referral list-- work for 46 days and get laid off and go to the bottom of the list with 400 plus members on it.....And if you do not keep paying for your card, and your dues, etc, you are not ready for employment.


. Yeah , it's a great system , isn't it , lol ? We have a 60 day limit where once you work past that 60 days and get laid off , back to the end of the line you go ! I was very fortunate up until the end of 2011 too . My advice to you would be to get your contractors license ( if you don't already have it ) , and do your own thing . Keep paying your dues , and go back on your terms . I'm too old to travel all over the country where the work is , when I know there's work in my backyard , if I want it .


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## sopranocaponyc (Nov 24, 2008)

725 on the bench as was said at our safety meeting today. Local # 3 NYC


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## sparky970 (Mar 19, 2008)

14 unfilled calls here today


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## PipeMonkey134 (Sep 24, 2013)

Local 134 Chicago today: 1,171 people on book 1. Person in the number 1 spot signed the book on 5/10/2011


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## mr hands (Sep 15, 2013)

Calls here been going unfilled regularly for a year now.

That being said, there is still alot of names on the book.

Many are partially retired, have medical issues, or both. Alot of people working out of class, permanently. But if you want to bend pipe and pull wire for a living, you can do it here, for the short-term anyways....


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## sparky970 (Mar 19, 2008)

mr hands said:


> Calls here been going unfilled regularly for a year now.
> 
> That being said, there is still alot of names on the book.
> 
> Many are partially retired, have medical issues, or both. Alot of people working out of class, permanently. But if you want to bend pipe and pull wire for a living, you can do it here, for the short-term anyways....


 
Only 8 unfilled today. 560 people on the books between book 1 & 2


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## Canadian sparky (Sep 19, 2011)

Local 353 Toronto average is 6-8 months for jm,for apprentices it's current...they'll be working within a week


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## Canadian sparky (Sep 19, 2011)

drumnut08 said:


> . Yeah , it's a great system , isn't it , lol ? We have a 60 day limit where once you work past that 60 days and get laid off , back to the end of the line you go ! I was very fortunate up until the end of 2011 too . My advice to you would be to get your contractors license ( if you don't already have it ) , and do your own thing . Keep paying your dues , and go back on your terms . I'm too old to travel all over the country where the work is , when I know there's work in my backyard , if I want it .


For 353(Toronto) it's 140 days(calender days) of work...get laid off on day 141,it's bottom of list for you..,


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## Fatdaddy (Apr 15, 2014)

PipeMonkey134 said:


> Local 134 Chicago today: 1,171 people on book 1. Person in the number 1 spot signed the book on 5/10/2011


So this means the JMs been out of work since 2011? There is 1171 people out of work yet they are hiring more Apprentice and been advertising on radio and tv.


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## TransientCW (Oct 26, 2012)

i dont get it!!! ive been checking the local 48 in pdx website for the last 2 months religiously, and they are still not accepting applications!!!???
i suppose a quick call to the union hall will be in order for me to check out this boot camp thing i keep hearing about!


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## PipeMonkey134 (Sep 24, 2013)

Fatdaddy said:


> So this means the JMs been out of work since 2011? There is 1171 people out of work yet they are hiring more Apprentice and been advertising on radio and tv.


As of Saturday April 19 1,773 Journeyman on book 1. They still need cheep apprentice labor. Maybe the work outlook is good and all 1,773 journeyman will be back to work this summer. :laughing:


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## drumnut08 (Sep 23, 2012)

PipeMonkey134 said:


> As of Saturday April 19 1,773 Journeyman on book 1. They still need cheep apprentice labor. Maybe the work outlook is good and all 1,773 journeyman will be back to work this summer. :laughing:


. Wow , that equates to " I may work again someday " ? Thank god there's a democrat in the office as president too , lol ! So much for all the union work he promised , lol ? My local only has somewhere around 1500 members . Slightly over a hundred guys out on book 1 now . I'll go back if my work ever slows down , ( which I hope never happens ) . I really think the fat lady is singing when it comes to union strength in this country . Letting that be your only iron in the fire , is pure suicide . Do what you have to do , to survive , period .


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## drumnut08 (Sep 23, 2012)

I've been in the trade for 22 years . About half of that was as an IBEW member . I worked more steady and made more money in my pre union days , by far . I had a hell of a good run 20 years of steady employment with the same company is almost unheard of these days . Being laid off for me was nice at first , but it wasn't my thing and I knew , I could never get used to this lifestyle . I'll keep paying my dues ( that's all they care about anyway ) , but I'm not sitting on my hands waiting for a call either , or driving all over gods creation to work . That's nice for a guy in his 20's with no family . Being on this forum has made me realize we all have options out there . Whether we act on them is only up to us .


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## drumnut08 (Sep 23, 2012)

PipeMonkey134 said:


> As of Saturday April 19 1,773 Journeyman on book 1. They still need cheep apprentice labor. Maybe the work outlook is good and all 1,773 journeyman will be back to work this summer. :laughing:


. That reminds of a t shirt I saw a guy wearing once . It was a skeleton sitting on a bench all geared up with tools , had a hard hat on and was ready to go to work ( well , if he wasn't dead , lol ) the quote was " sittin at the hall , waitin for a call " ! The implication was that he literally sat and waited until he died . Maybe not 100% true , but not really a far off lie either ?


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## Loose Neutral (Jun 3, 2009)

drumnut08 said:


> . Wow , that equates to " I may work again someday " ? Thank god there's a democrat in the office as president too , lol ! So much for all the union work he promised , lol ? My local only has somewhere around 1500 members . Slightly over a hundred guys out on book 1 now . I'll go back if my work ever slows down , ( which I hope never happens ) . I really think the fat lady is singing when it comes to union strength in this country . Letting that be your only iron in the fire , is pure suicide . Do what you have to do , to survive , period .


You should go back non union. you make no sense. You cry about a dem in office and the fat lady singing, yet your local has 1500 members with only 100 on book 1. I'm curios if you made so much more non union, how much did you have when you got orginized in and why even stay in?


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## drumnut08 (Sep 23, 2012)

Loose Neutral said:


> You should go back non union. you make no sense. You cry about a dem in office and the fat lady singing, yet your local has 1500 members with only 100 on book 1. I'm curios if you made so much more non union, how much did you have when you got orginized in and why even stay in?


. Ok , for example . I had 6 years where I made six figures , had a company matched 401 K , very good health coverage ( not as good as the unions though ) , and the thought of a layoff was never a concern , just because this guy always had so much work . 2002 rolls around and the union Is really pressuring him to sign . He reluctantly does , is able to keep all of his guys , and we all get organized into surrounding locals . The first hit was a pay decrease . Less in the check ( more toward retirement ) , but this was a good thing . The next significant change was the workload starting to die off ? Overtime all but disappeared , and lots of years with short periods of time off ( could have just been the economy ? ) the biggest negative change I saw was when it came time to hire out of the hall , it became clear that we weren't quite all equal . The urgency to get a job done isn't quite there for a guy who's been laid off for a year . That being said , my open shop days were a better experience for me . It's a rare thing I know . The favoritism and flat out brown nosing that exists between certain members and the hall is ridiculous ! I'm sure every local has this , but it goes against the " fairness " that's supposed to be exhibited . As far as going back to non union , that's not very likely . I've got a ton of money wrapped up on my annuity that I can't touch ( without a major penalty ) until I'm 59 . I'm currently doing my own thing and am enjoying that . I can go back whenever I want . I chose not to let the union be my only option . If that makes me a " bad " union man , then oh well ? Not union bashing , just saying it's not for everyone .


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## Loose Neutral (Jun 3, 2009)

drumnut08 said:


> . Ok , for example . I had 6 years where I made six figures , had a company matched 401 K , very good health coverage ( not as good as the unions though ) , and the thought of a layoff was never a concern , just because this guy always had so much work . 2002 rolls around and the union Is really pressuring him to sign . He reluctantly does , is able to keep all of his guys , and we all get organized into surrounding locals . The first hit was a pay decrease . Less in the check ( more toward retirement ) , but this was a good thing . The next significant change was the workload starting to die off ? Overtime all but disappeared , and lots of years with short periods of time off ( could have just been the economy ? ) the biggest negative change I saw was when it came time to hire out of the hall , it became clear that we weren't quite all equal . The urgency to get a job done isn't quite there for a guy who's been laid off for a year . That being said , my open shop days were a better experience for me . It's a rare thing I know . The favoritism and flat out brown nosing that exists between certain members and the hall is ridiculous ! I'm sure every local has this , but it goes against the " fairness " that's supposed to be exhibited . As far as going back to non union , that's not very likely . I've got a ton of money wrapped up on my annuity that I can't touch ( without a major penalty ) until I'm 59 . I'm currently doing my own thing and am enjoying that . I can go back whenever I want . I chose not to let the union be my only option . If that makes me a " bad " union man , then oh well ? Not union bashing , just saying it's not for everyone .


Doing your own thing doesn't make you a bad union man. I think more of our members should get out and start small shops. It just doesn't sound like you want to be in the union. Don't let your annuity hold you back, they can't keep that. I will say when it comes to earning money, just because your local tax defers some of your pay doesn't mean you don't earn it. I hear guys say I made 100k blah blah blah. Ok I only made 80k in the pocket then another 40k in bennies. We as a local choose and can at any time choose to put the cash back in the check. Just using those as round numbers though. Anyways I think most of your problems with the local are caused by the economy more than anything else.


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## drumnut08 (Sep 23, 2012)

Loose Neutral said:


> Doing your own thing doesn't make you a bad union man. I think more of our members should get out and start small shops. It just doesn't sound like you want to be in the union. Don't let your annuity hold you back, they can't keep that. I will say when it comes to earning money, just because your local tax defers some of your pay doesn't mean you don't earn it. I hear guys say I made 100k blah blah blah. Ok I only made 80k in the pocket then another 40k in bennies. We as a local choose and can at any time choose to put the cash back in the check. Just using those as round numbers though. Anyways I think most of your problems with the local are caused by the economy more than anything else.


. I'm not disagreeing with you at all . I do think it was just a coincidence that the economy started to tank after I got in . I'm not giving up on my local , but like I said , I like having options too . I had a damn good long run , so I shouldn't complain ! My layoffs all came at once instead of being stretched out over 22 years , lol ! I'm happy if we're all working , and I hope those ridiculously busy days return ! The nations grid and infrastructure is on the verge of collapse and is beyond out of date . Talk about clearing benches !


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## Mdell64 (Nov 6, 2013)

Local 124, Kansas Cityis no wait for Apprentices and a week at most for local JWs and not much more for travelers. None of the local hands want to work Lacien powerhouse on the edge of our jurisdiction with work being so good in town, so plenty of traveller work on regular calls and 21 day calls if you wanna just run over for some fast cash and help us man our work. Unless you got your pathetic butt black balled for lazy incompetence it's good working times here. 235 on the books is deceiving, it's rolling here.


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## kg7879 (Feb 3, 2014)

There is 300 guys on book 1 in local 354 which is about 15 percent of our local. 

The thing that sucks is Utah has a four percent unemployment rate, which would make you think work be busting out, but it isn't. I doubt there will be any jobs this summer.

I hear local 6 and the surrounding locals is going to bust open with some major projects but I have heard that story before.


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## Fatdaddy (Apr 15, 2014)

PipeMonkey134 said:


> As of Saturday April 19 1,773 Journeyman on book 1. They still need cheep apprentice labor. Maybe the work outlook is good and all 1,773 journeyman will be back to work this summer. :laughing:


Sounds like a get in get trained get out. Maybe the Union leader needs some gotcha pics of Rhamy that will assure union jobs in Chicago or he sleeps with the fisheys. The Chicago unions use to have more power than the politicians, it was the Chicago way.


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## T. Mosier (Nov 24, 2013)

Mozzy49 said:


> Just wondering what the current waiting periods are for Journeymen when they get laid off in US right now. From what I have heard here in Chicago it's like 4-5 months for Journeyman and up to a month for Apprentices. I thought for Journeyman that sucked until I started hearing that it is like a year at some places. Maybe this is wishful thinking but it would be great if it's non political.


Right now it's a walkthrough at local 613 with all the overtime you want to take


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## pmoney (Mar 17, 2014)

T. Mosier said:


> Right now it's a walkthrough at local 613 with all the overtime you want to take


 Thank you t mosier.. but im confused.. the construction jobs board says 613 has 460 on bk 1


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## T. Mosier (Nov 24, 2013)

pmoney said:


> Thank you t mosier.. but im confused.. the construction jobs board says 613 has 460 on bk 1


Yes that is correct we have a lot of low scale Jobs paying 25 to 23 an hour lot of the JW's are not taking them plenty of jobs left over everybody is waiting on the two stadiums we have coming up we have the Falcons and Braves Stadium


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## T. Mosier (Nov 24, 2013)

T. Mosier said:


> Yes that is correct we have a lot of low scale Jobs paying 25 to 23 an hour lot of the JW's are not taking them plenty of jobs left over everybody is waiting on the two stadiums we have coming up we have the Falcons and Braves Stadium those will be at regular pay scale @29 this fall it gets bumped up to 30.90hr


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