# Just joined the union



## macmikeman (Jan 23, 2007)

Well, would you rather have been in the Beatles or the Strawberry Alarm Clock?

You got into the Union! :vs_cool: You are now a rock star


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## Sparky Iv (Jan 29, 2018)

I wanted to get into the union honestly. I am thankful that they accepted me. I just know that the CW which i would be are thought of as cheap labors and are considered electrians "helpers" as opposed to being an apprentice electrician.


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## cabletie (Feb 12, 2011)

The CW/CE experience will vary by local. In my local you wouldn't have to worry about coming on here a year from now complaining that all you do is stock shelves. You would be working on smaller jobs with your tools. 

When you say they were pushing the "A" apprenticeship on you, did they mean right now or after you finish the CW school. Money wise you'll make out better if you go right into "A". 

Good luck with your career. Your foot's in the door.


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## Sparky Iv (Jan 29, 2018)

When they told me about the apprenticeship program it was during the process of signing papers. They also said that they want their pre-apprentice guys to definitely apply to the apprenticeship along with this program.


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## telsa (May 22, 2015)

340 uses cycles for their apprentices, IIRC.

Pre-apprentices can be hired at any time -- with the expectation that they would transition to apprentice status during the very next cycle.

So it really looks like you're on the right track... right now.


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## Sparky Iv (Jan 29, 2018)

They never mentioned this cycle to me when sign8ng up. I just dont want to be stuck as and electricians Helper.


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## Sparky Iv (Jan 29, 2018)

And what do you mean by right now? I plan on making this my career. Ive already have two years + experience.


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## joebanana (Dec 21, 2010)

Sparky Iv said:


> And what do you mean by right now? I plan on making this my career. Ive already have two years + experience.


If you've got experience, go for the apprenticeship.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

Welcome aboard @Sparky Iv!

Try to get into the apprenticeship program as soon as you can. 

But don't be afraid of the position you are in for now.


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## TGGT (Oct 28, 2012)

Sparky Iv said:


> And what do you mean by right now? I plan on making this my career. Ive already have two years + experience.


If you were about to get your journeyman license I'd say ride out the CE program.

But I think you'd really benefit from the apprenticeship education, and it's a shorter, more guaranteed way to get your JIW ticket. So hussle and try to get in is my recommendation.


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## Sparky Iv (Jan 29, 2018)

The pre appretice program still offers school according to the organizer and he was telling me the two program are pretty much parralel to one another.


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## Sparky Iv (Jan 29, 2018)

TGGT said:


> If you were about to get your journeyman license I'd say ride out the CE program.
> 
> But I think you'd really benefit from the apprenticeship education, and it's a shorter, more guaranteed way to get your JIW ticket. So hussle and try to get in is my recommendation.


Im already in the union. I get sworn in next wednesday.


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## telsa (May 22, 2015)

Jump to the Apprentice track ASAP.

BTW, congratuations.


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## TGGT (Oct 28, 2012)

Sparky Iv said:


> Im already in the union. I get sworn in next wednesday.


I understand you're in the union my point is that you should try to get into the apprenticeship program.

Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk


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## Sparky Iv (Jan 29, 2018)

Im going to apply for the apprenticeship sometime this week. I still need to test and interview... not quite sure why they need to interiew when youre already with the union.


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## telsa (May 22, 2015)

Sparky Iv said:


> Im going to apply for the apprenticeship sometime this week. I still need to test and interview... not quite sure why they need to interiew when youre already with the union.


Think of it as a college entrance exam.

Providing the apprenticeship is _costly_ to the NECA//IBEW system.

Remember that you're -- essentially -- being paid to go to school.

Getting into a good union local is better than getting into the typical college. 

The entrance slots are limited, of course.


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## Sparky Iv (Jan 29, 2018)

Well i just applied so wish me luck! Thanks again for all the replies.


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## mateo613 (Mar 28, 2014)

first of all Welcome brother i got organized into local 3 in 2014 best decision i ever made try and get into the apprenticeship as soon as u can in NY we have an M division which im in so it means i got organized in and an actual apprenticeship which is the A division im not sure how you local works but i have been trying to get into the A division since getting organized but no luck its very political in NY not to say im not thrilled bc i still get the same benefits pension ect i just dont go to school or get a college degree and it takes me 9 years to get to journeyman instead of the 5.5 if i was in the apprenticeship.


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## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

Now you are in, get into the apprenticeship anyway you can as fast as you can


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## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

mateo613 said:


> first of all Welcome brother i got organized into local 3 in 2014 best decision i ever made try and get into the apprenticeship as soon as u can in NY we have an M division which im in so it means i got organized in and an actual apprenticeship which is the A division im not sure how you local works but i have been trying to get into the A division since getting organized but no luck its very political in NY not to say im not thrilled bc i still get the same benefits pension ect i just dont go to school or get a college degree and it takes me 9 years to get to journeyman instead of the 5.5 if i was in the apprenticeship.


You would already be in if you were in this area. Good workers are on the fast track to becoming A journeyman.


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## Sparky Iv (Jan 29, 2018)

The thing about the program im in i have access to school courses and they require you to go to school to keep your ET card active. In my local the program im in is parallel to the A program im just not able to work certain jobs and if im correct prevailling wages does not apply to me.


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## TGGT (Oct 28, 2012)

Sparky Iv said:


> The thing about the program im in i have access to school courses and they require you to go to school to keep your ET card active. In my local the program im in is parallel to the A program im just not able to work certain jobs and if im correct prevailling wages does not apply to me.


Prevailing wage should absolutely apply if you are a licensed apprentice. Prevailing wage has nothing to do with your union classification, only your licensing with the state.

If you're a state licensed journeyman employed by an electrical contractor that only wants you to take out the trash as a CE3 or whatever sub classification, you get paid prevailing wage as journeyman electrician to take out the trash.


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## Sparky Iv (Jan 29, 2018)

TGGT said:


> Sparky Iv said:
> 
> 
> > The thing about the program im in i have access to school courses and they require you to go to school to keep your ET card active. In my local the program im in is parallel to the A program im just not able to work certain jobs and if im correct prevailling wages does not apply to me.
> ...


I only have 3000 or so hours and am nowhere near journeyman status.


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## TGGT (Oct 28, 2012)

Sparky Iv said:


> I only have 3000 or so hours and am nowhere near journeyman status.


Doesn't matter, prevailing wage rates apply to licensed apprentices too. A 2nd year apprentice minimum wage rate is the same whether you're a CW2 or an Apprentice 2. You can be paid more than the wage rate, but you cannot be paid less.

Remember, prevailing wage applies to even non-union folks, but it's the local union that dicatates the prevailing wage. Do you think it makes sense that because you're not in the IBEW apprenticeship program you would somehow be exempt from federal law?

Now, they may have a policy that bars you from working on prevailing wage jobs, I've seen that, but you cannot be put on a prevailing wage job and not be paid the prevailing wage.


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## Sparky Iv (Jan 29, 2018)

TGGT said:


> Sparky Iv said:
> 
> 
> > I only have 3000 or so hours and am nowhere near journeyman status.
> ...


From my understanding, the organizer was telling me that my specific classification does not make prevailling wages and that i cant work certain jobs as specified earlier. But I will definetly check with them on this matter on Wednesday when i get sworn in.


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## TGGT (Oct 28, 2012)

Sparky Iv said:


> From my understanding, the organizer was telling me that my specific classification does not make prevailling wages and that i cant work certain jobs as specified earlier. But I will definetly check with them on this matter on Wednesday when i get sworn in.


https://www.dir.ca.gov/OPRL/pwappwage/PWAppWageList.asp

Just because the IBEW says it, doesn't make it true. If they are trying to misclassify you as a laborer or some bull$hit they are exploiting you and breaking the law. If they want to classify you as a laborer you should join a laborer's union, and work for a labor contractor, not an electrical contractor.

Sacramento County prevailing wage rates: https://www.dir.ca.gov/OPRL/pwappwage/wage/17202220.pdf?VarWageId=17234220

A contractor tried to hold me to my CE2 wage rate when I worked on a federal job. I asked my local union if that was okay and they said yes. They said yes because they were ignorant. I carried a Texas journeyman license and I was on a prevailing wage job, therefore, despite my CE classification, I was to be paid journeyman wages for as long as I was on that job.

I told my project manager that it was federal law and that they were going to pay me JIW rate for as long as I was to work there. They paid me JIW rate for that day and moved me to another jobsite that did not pay prevailing wage.


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## Sparky Iv (Jan 29, 2018)

I can login to the jatc website and im classified as a cw2.

As fot everything else i will just need to clarify a few things with them next wednesday.


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## Sparky Iv (Jan 29, 2018)

Also those are for electricians and apprentices. Im considered a pre apprentice with the union.


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## cabletie (Feb 12, 2011)

In my local they would never dispatch a CW/CE to a prevailing wage job. If the contractor moved you to a prevailing wage job they would be in violation of the agreement. I've never seen or heard of a contractor doing that around here. 

Prevailing wage jobs are not the market that the CW/CE was designed to compete for. For us I think there is a dollar amount of the electrical contract that sets the threshold. You could do a new strip mall with 20 stores in it with CE/CW guys because each store would be a separate contract. Maybe the services or an anchor store would go over the threshold.


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## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

cabletie said:


> In my local they would never dispatch a CW/CE to a prevailing wage job. If the contractor moved you to a prevailing wage job they would be in violation of the agreement. I've never seen or heard of a contractor doing that around here.
> 
> Prevailing wage jobs are not the market that the CW/CE was designed to compete for. For us, I think there is a dollar amount of the electrical contract that sets the threshold. You could do a new strip mall with 20 stores in it with CE/CW guys because each store would be a separate contract. Maybe the services or an anchor store would go over the threshold.


It happens here and they get PW pay. Uncle Sam is a real stickler about this.


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