# Kicked of IBEW apprenticeship



## Tburns (2 mo ago)

Long story short I was driving 3 hrs total per day. Paying tolls on top of it with a $18 an hour pay. I asked the apprenticeship director of our local for some help in a possible relocation since I had a baby On The way and we have already 4 children (3 not mine) for a total of 5 kids. It got expensive to drive and pay tolls. I was denied. I also tried for several months to get laid off some way to no avail. At the end of the day it got stressful, the work environment was ridiculous and strenuous when you have grown ass men, journeyman fighting constantly and the foreman had no leadership skills whatsoever. I ended up quitting the job 1. Bc of the money it took and the ignorance I got from trying to do the right thing and 2. When I was told I need to “look out more for the journeyman” after “not waking” up the journeyman i was working with. Mind you this journeyman was the man I stood up for when he wanted to “walk over the mountain” on the turnpike bc he was pissed and didn’t wanna be there, I was by myself the tunnel trying to look busy doing work that took 2 people to do. Anyway I want back in the local but I wanna hear some others opinions on the subject. I don’t believe I should have been kicked out expecially without asking me a single thing about he issue st all. To this day the never asked why I quit. 33 years old with 5 kids.

I quit my job
I never had a bad report. I literally only had good reports
I was never given any time to explain I was only told to bring my books in, as I did and he never asked a single question about why.
I was booted without any explanation 
Thanks brothers


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## backstay (Feb 3, 2011)

Go back through your post and fix it. Many of the sentences make no sense.


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## HertzHound (Jan 22, 2019)

Maybe the several months of trying to get laid off, left you with several months of bad apprentice reports?

Getting the boot is not usually from a single offense. There must be more to the story?

I’m not sure from your last few sentences if your still in or you quit?


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## MikeFL (Apr 16, 2016)

Tburns said:


> Long story ...
> 
> *Anyway I want back in* but I wanna hear some others opinions on the subject. *I don’t believe I should have been kicked out* expecially without asking me a single thing about he issue st all. To this day *the never asked why I quit*. 33 years old with 5 kids.
> Thanks brothers


Were you kicked out or did you quit?
Did you leave on bad terms or good terms?


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## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

Tburns said:


> Long story short I was driving 3 hrs total per day. Between Paying tolls and $18 an hour pay, I was struggling. I asked the apprenticeship director of our local for some help with a possible relocation since I had a baby, additionally, we have 4 children (3 are not mine) for a total of 5 kids, it was expensive to drive and pay tolls. The apprenticeship director denied my request. I also tried for several months to get laid off in some way but this was to no avail. At the end of the day, it got stressful, the work environment was ridiculous and strenuous when you have grown-ass men, journeymen fighting *cinstbsly (?) *and the foreman had no leadership skills whatsoever. So, I ended up quitting job 1. Because of the money and the daily expenses,* the issues I got from trying to do the right thing (?)* and 2. When I was told I need to stick up more for the journeyman after (not waking) up the journeyman I was working with.*(?) *Mind you this journeyman was the man I stood up for when he wanted to “*walk over the mounting” (?) on the turnpike bc he was kissed and didn’t wanna be there, I was the sun the tunnel trying to look busy doing things 2 people needed to do. Anyway, I want back in but I wanna hear some other's opinions on the subject. I* don’t believe I should have been kicked out, especially without asking me a single thing about the issue at all. To this day they never asked why I quit. 33 years old with 5 kids.
> Thanks, brothers


I tried to figure out some of what you posted (read above) stuff in bold did not make sense to me (but I am not a grammar expert).

Basically.

1. Did you quit?
2. Have you talked to anyone about your dismissal from your local?
3. What local?
4. Where are you located?


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## Tburns (2 mo ago)

My apologies. It is fixed. Was in a rush.


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## Tburns (2 mo ago)

The post has been fixed. I don’t want to bring my local in n this bc I’m not trying to start ****. I love my local, I really did like the environment but I think I was wronged in at least giving my explanation on things, even if I was still told I was kicked out ya know. Idk man. I felt like I paid my dues, o worked hard, had good grades and was given great reviews by my members and never given the change to explain why I quit and never given the chance for a closer job with the situation I was in. It cost like $150 a week to just get to work.


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## Tburns (2 mo ago)

I quit the job and I was told to bring my books to the school by the school director and he told me I was kicked out and never asked me a single question about why I quit or what was going on.


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## backstay (Feb 3, 2011)

So you quit the job, is that grounds for getting booted? Look over your paperwork from the union. They must have a framework for dismissal.


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## Tburns (2 mo ago)

idk man. I’m sure quitting the job is grounds for dismissal but beings a brother hood and I havnt been hit a good hard worker one would think they would try and help, at least find out why one would quit. Idk man. I feel I’m just going to catch **** but I’m just stating that you would think I would get alittle love and someone would want to know why? Idk maybe I’m expecting more from a “brotherhood”. The IBEW is a great union. I loved it and loved the people but I do think when someone is asking for help someone should try to help. I have bills to pay and children to feed and I was basically told to buck up or leave that it is what it is and your not getting a closer job. No problem. In hindsight I wish I didn’t leave but in the moment I kinda had no choice with financial issues and the stress involved I was going through it. Line I said 600miles a week and paying tolls on my own as welll as a 2nd year apprentice.


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## just the cowboy (Sep 4, 2013)

@LGLS can chime in when he is back online, he is the union pro on here and knows a lot.


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## Tburns (2 mo ago)

I messaged the apprenticeship director and he said I wouldn’t be able to become a member until 2 years after my original class has graduated. **** that I’m good. All because I quit my job after asking for several months for HELP to ge try closer because I couldn’t afford it


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## MHElectric (Oct 14, 2011)

The good news is every single non-union electrical company is hiring right now. Don’t lose any sleep over yesterdays problems, tomorrow will bring enough problems of its own. You’ve got bills to pay and mouths to feed, I’d go find another job immediately.

Good luck bro. Life goes on. You got this.


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## gpop (May 14, 2018)

Honestly sounds like a game of poker. You went all in and lost.

Now you can claim that you were under some misguided assumption that being part of a brotherhood would add a little protection but you forgot to take there feelings into consideration. 
If a good worker quits especially with out giving notice then the other guys have to pick up the slack until that person can be replaced. Had you of been fired then the extra work load would have been blamed on management and they would have gone all brotherhood. 

Did you really expect as a apprentice they were going to chase after you, begging you to stay and give you a pay rise after you have already quit. That's a ballsy move with less than a 1% chance of working. Threatening to quit (e.g giving a few weeks notice) might bring the odds up a little but lets face it you are easily replaced. 

Whats done is done so let it go and start hunting for the next job.


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## stamaster21 (7 mo ago)

Tburns said:


> Long story short I was driving 3 hrs total per day. Paying tolls on top of it with a $18 an hour pay. I asked the apprenticeship director of our local for some help in a possible relocation since I had a baby On The way and we have already 4 children (3 not mine) for a total of 5 kids. It got expensive to drive and pay tolls. I was denied. I also tried for several months to get laid off some way to no avail. At the end of the day it got stressful, the work environment was ridiculous and strenuous when you have grown ass men, journeyman fighting constantly and the foreman had no leadership skills whatsoever. I ended up quitting the job 1. Bc of the money it took and the ignorance I got from trying to do the right thing and 2. When I was told I need to “look out more for the journeyman” after “not waking” up the journeyman i was working with. Mind you this journeyman was the man I stood up for when he wanted to “walk over the mountain” on the turnpike bc he was pissed and didn’t wanna be there, I was by myself the tunnel trying to look busy doing work that took 2 people to do. Anyway I want back in the local but I wanna hear some others opinions on the subject. I don’t believe I should have been kicked out expecially without asking me a single thing about he issue st all. To this day the never asked why I quit. 33 years old with 5 kids.
> 
> I quit my job
> I never had a bad report. I literally only had good reports
> ...


we have local 3 ibew here in new york and the starting pay i think is 19, but getting into a city job as a electrical helper, in one of their divisions is better. new york transit whish is owned by the state new york city, is 23 a dollar starting, and for city jobs with the department of labor new york its 27 starting, with bachelors in electronics,electrical engineering or 5 years experience. CUNY the department for all major colleges in new york state electrical worker postion is 41 a hour with 1 year of trade school counted as one year of experience and you need 3 years total experience, only two years needed with a trade school diploma or assoicates in electronics/electrical engineering or similar field. 

Trade unions can suck sometime its even worse if your still in the apprentice stage as you have less leverage to move and look for work else where that will pay good. Non-union is worse thou i will say.


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## stamaster21 (7 mo ago)

gpop said:


> Honestly sounds like a game of poker. You went all in and lost.
> 
> Now you can claim that you were under some misguided assumption that being part of a brotherhood would add a little protection but you forgot to take there feelings into consideration.
> If a good worker quits especially with out giving notice then the other guys have to pick up the slack until that person can be replaced. Had you of been fired then the extra work load would have been blamed on management and they would have gone all brotherhood.
> ...


Thats one thing i didn't understand your a apprentice you have little to no leverage your a second year, i could understand if you were a journeyman and finished the apprenticeship, but in this case he had no leverage. Second year apprentices are easy to replace all they need to do is look for is a person with two years experience make them come in, take test and bring them in as a apprentice now there doing the work of a second year, while being on the books as a first year and the ibew saves money.


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## RECII (5 mo ago)

stamaster21 said:


> we have local 3 ibew here in new york and the starting pay i think is 19, but getting into a city job as a electrical helper, in one of their divisions is better. new york transit whish is owned by the state new york city, is 23 a dollar starting, and for city jobs with the department of labor new york its 27 starting, with bachelors in electronics,electrical engineering or 5 years experience. CUNY the department for all major colleges in new york state electrical worker postion is 41 a hour with 1 year of trade school counted as one year of experience and you need 3 years total experience, only two years needed with a trade school diploma or assoicates in electronics/electrical engineering or similar field.
> 
> Trade unions can suck sometime its even worse if your still in the apprentice stage as you have less leverage to move and look for work else where that will pay good. Non-union is worse thou i will say.


I was part of UAW Local 637 in Muskegon and part of the union leadership. Our union was very strong and would have backed you. Union is supposed to stand up for their membership. Sadly I fought for more people that really in my opinion didn't deserve a job. But that's what unions do, FIGHT for their membership. 
Good luck brother.


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## Slay301 (Apr 23, 2018)

So your making 18 a hour no experience?You get a raise every 1000 hours. Did you forget what you signed up for ? It sucks but that’s the deal and unless your a maintenance electrician construction workers drive get used to it that’s what we do. Here if a apprentice quits or gets fired they’re gone there’s 100s more inline behind them. Your local is investing 50 grand in you and you quitting is a slap in the face


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## stamaster21 (7 mo ago)

Slay301 said:


> So your making 18 a hour no experience?You get a raise every 1000 hours. Did you forget what you signed up for ? It sucks but that’s the deal and unless your a maintenance electrician construction workers drive get used to it that’s what we do. Here if a apprentice quits or gets fired they’re gone there’s 100s more inline behind them. Your local is investing 50 grand in you and you quitting is a slap in the face


The wages are to low for a man with a family, sadly the apprenticeship game is for young men without families, or men who already have money saved up.


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## Slay301 (Apr 23, 2018)

stamaster21 said:


> The wages are to low for a man with a family, sadly the apprenticeship game is for young men without families, or men who already have money saved up.


The wages are commensurate to experience that man’s family is also now covered by some of the best health insurance in the country. Any one who signs up knows what they’re signing up for. In my local we do give the apprentices all the scrap to help

edit that 18 a hour on the check is actually about 50$ a hour in wages in benefits, and free
Education. Name one other job that can do that on day one. Forgive me for not having pity


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## RECII (5 mo ago)

stamaster21 said:


> The wages are to low for a man with a family, sadly the apprenticeship game is for young men without families, or men who already have money saved up.


EXACTLY!!


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