# Local 25 Long Island NY Reviews?



## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

Welcome aboard ! Hours vary by the EC you are working for. Medical comes through the Union and should be pretty good, it's been a while for me.


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## xavier27 (May 22, 2016)

Thank you. It took a few years to get in but I was persistent. First time i applied i had 0 experience so my chances were slim but I still gave it a try. Went to a decent electrical school on my own and worked for a shop for over 3 years and reapplied and I was finally in. Are my wife and kids able to be on the benefits as well?


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

xavier27 said:


> Thank you. It took a few years to get in but I was persistent. First time i applied i had 0 experience so my chances were slim but I still gave it a try. Went to a decent electrical school on my own and worked for a shop for over 3 years and reapplied and I was finally in. Are my wife and kids able to be on the benefits as well?


Not many people here can give you exact answers since there aren't many 25 members. But in general union benefits are good, top notch. So your wife and child should be covered, you most likely won't have to pay out of pocket every paycheck like other jobs make you, and the coverage should be good.

Hours around here in NJ are generally 7-3:30 for construction sites. But things change, you need to be flexible.


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## xavier27 (May 22, 2016)

Okay great. That saves a few bucks for sure on medical. Those are great hours. I hope its the same out here. I start the 20th of this month so I will find out soon enough.


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## cabletie (Feb 12, 2011)

I can't speak for how local 25 does it, so this is generally speaking. 90% of the time I am 7:00-3:30. Sometimes I will have to work different hours because of the customer. If you work 2nd shift, it is 10% more, 3rd shift is 15% more.

Our health care is very good. we also have a suplimental fund. The money is taken out pre tax and put into your account. It is used on any medical that is not covered under the plan including co-pays. Normally you need to work so many hours before your health care kicks in. Once it does it takes less hours to keep your health care going. You can bank your hours up to a certain amount. So I can go a year without work, without loosing my health care. After that I can dip into my suplimental fund to keep my health care going. I have been lucky to never have to do that. I have missed a total of 7 months work in 29 years. 

Good luck!


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## xavier27 (May 22, 2016)

Thanks for the info. 7 months in 29 years is pretty impressive. I will have to bust my ass to prove my worth.


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## cabletie (Feb 12, 2011)

Yes, I've had a good run! It has been between two contractors. One was an out of town contractor for a two week short call. Because I came in through the B program, after five years I tested and changed over and went through the last two years of the A apprenticeship, I was never rotated. Technically I was "pursuing a course that would eventually lead to a change of classification", so I was not considered an apprentice. I also had four years of school and five years of work non-union.

Just do your best, never become complacent. Stand on your own merit and admit to your mistakes. Don't point out others mistakes to make yourself look better. Never steal time or material. Don't always follow the crowd.

fortunately I have an employer that can see through the bull$hit. Hopefully you will do just fine.


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## dreamcrusher28 (Oct 19, 2010)

I was in 25 for nearly 15 years, left for the RR a few years ago. The answer to most of your questions are 'it depends'. I got tired of the ups and downs with employment and wanted something steady. One thing that is certain is that the classroom training is very good. Put the effort in there as well as on the job and with a little luck you'll be fine. Good luck with it!


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## LGLS (Nov 10, 2007)

xavier27 said:


> Hey I will be starting my apprenticeship at Local 25 this month in the A division. Any pros and cons to this specific union? Are the working hours the same across the board for all shops? I am stuck trying to scramble and make childcare arrangements. How are the medical benefits?


Local 25 is our bastard redheaded stepchild. I can't speak to their benefits but thats' something you should have already found out, or you were told already you would get an informational package in the mail.


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## LGLS (Nov 10, 2007)

xavier27 said:


> Thanks for the info. 7 months in 29 years is pretty impressive. I will have to bust my ass to prove my worth.


That's his local not 25. Ask the apprentice director how many a-journeymen are currently unemployed and what is the current wait for work.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

cabletie said:


> Yes, I've had a good run! It has been between two contractors. One was an out of town contractor for a two week short call. Because I came in through the B program, after five years I tested and changed over and went through the last two years of the A apprenticeship, I was never rotated. Technically I was "pursuing a course that would eventually lead to a change of classification", so I was not considered an apprentice. I also had four years of school and five years of work non-union.
> 
> Just do your best, never become complacent. Stand on your own merit and admit to your mistakes. Don't point out others mistakes to make yourself look better. Never steal time or material. Don't always follow the crowd.
> 
> fortunately I have an employer that can see through the bull$hit. Hopefully you will do just fine.


That is very sound advice.


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## NYelectric25 (Sep 19, 2016)

Good union for the training...but it's a sweetheart union where you can work yourself to death and still get laid off...I didn't like working always wondering if on Friday I was getting a pink slip...after I graduated the apprenticeship I did a year as a journeyman and then got whacked...I decided to join the railroad and have never looked back since...you'll see,everyone always does and it's not encouraging that my whole time there I had the old timers telling me get out while I'm young,now when I talk to them there jealous I made the move so young


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## splitphase (Jan 8, 2009)

xavier27 said:


> Hey I will be starting my apprenticeship at Local 25 this month in the A division. Any pros and cons to this specific union? Are the working hours the same across the board for all shops? I am stuck trying to scramble and make childcare arrangements. How are the medical benefits?


Local 25 is a total sweetheart union. You need to be related to a contractor. Are you his son in law? Is your mother a secretary in the company's office? Do you have other family members working for a company? It has nothing to do with your electrical skills.... It's about weather you are part of the special club. With this union it is all about the contractors, (especially the NECA contractors) and nothing to do with the membership. Its very easy to loose your benefits, and hard to get them back. When your out of work you get a massive bill every 6 months to keep your medical benefits going, usually 1,to 2,000 plus dollars to keep your benefits going according to the hours you have worked. I have sat on the out of work list in this union for 2.5 years (my longest stretch). But that's OK because once you get a job under 25,s system you are guaranteed a whopping 46 days of work before you get thrown to the bottom of the list again. What a great opportunity!!!!


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## splitphase (Jan 8, 2009)

NYelectric25 said:


> Good union for the training...but it's a sweetheart union where you can work yourself to death and still get laid off...I didn't like working always wondering if on Friday I was getting a pink slip...after I graduated the apprenticeship I did a year as a journeyman and then got whacked...I decided to join the railroad and have never looked back since...you'll see,everyone always does and it's not encouraging that my whole time there I had the old timers telling me get out while I'm young,now when I talk to them there jealous I made the move so young


Good move


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