# Big mouth in the union?



## John Valdes (May 17, 2007)

Bad people come from all walks of life.
Just because he was union trained did not mean squat.
Whats the big deal. You did what you had to do.

Maybe your post should have been titled "Big Mouth"?


----------



## NoSparkSparky (Mar 5, 2012)

I was just curious what the union does with guys like that. It wasnt a stab at the union at all. I know how i handled it. Lol. Just curious..


----------



## joebanana (Dec 21, 2010)

People like that usually get "spun". They're kept on the project long enough to lose "short call" status, and retain their place on the book, get a layoff, and go to the bottom of the pile (end of the book) If theirs a lot of people on the book, they could sit at home for months. Or, they could get a sucky job that everybody else takes a pass on. ie. long commute, or azzhole foreman (unions have a lot of them)


----------



## sbrn33 (Mar 15, 2007)

joebanana said:


> People like that usually get "spun". They're kept on the project long enough to lose "short call" status, and retain their place on the book, get a layoff, and go to the bottom of the pile (end of the book) If theirs a lot of people on the book, they could sit at home for months. Or, they could get a sucky job that everybody else takes a pass on. ie. long commute, or azzhole foreman (unions have a lot of them)


Sounds like something I would like to be part of.


----------



## dawgs (Dec 1, 2007)

NoSparkSparky said:


> I was just curious what the union does with guys like that. It wasnt a stab at the union at all. I know how i handled it. Lol. Just curious..


The union doesn't generally do anything. What happens is he makes his rounds between contractors, word spreads, and he finds himself on the books more than working. We as contractors have the right to refusal in our local.


----------



## dawgs (Dec 1, 2007)

sbrn33 said:


> Sounds like something I would like to be part of.


You should. For the most part it's a great organization.


----------



## donaldelectrician (Sep 30, 2010)

Construction Workers who have different view , should stay away from
Elevator shafts ... This has happened before .

What was he mouthing about ?

Real concerns ?



Don


----------



## NoSparkSparky (Mar 5, 2012)

joebanana said:


> People like that usually get "spun". They're kept on the project long enough to lose "short call" status, and retain their place on the book, get a layoff, and go to the bottom of the pile (end of the book) If theirs a lot of people on the book, they could sit at home for months. Or, they could get a sucky job that everybody else takes a pass on. ie. long commute, or azzhole foreman (unions have a lot of them)


Ahhhh thank you!!! This does shed alot of light on his situation. Im pretty sure this is what happened to him.

He always talked about his long ass commutes with the union. He did work on a job here in colorado (That is still going), but then was never on it again. He was always talking about the union.. but when I asked him if he was desiring to go back, he said "I dont owe the union anything, Im happy to get away from them"

I figured there even had to be a word for this "spun" as you said. This describes his situation very well. Thanks for that. I was just curious if I should take his idiocy personal, like he was trying to cause trouble for me and the GC... or if... thats just the kinda guy he is.

Question answered.

Thanks


----------



## NoSparkSparky (Mar 5, 2012)

donaldelectrician said:


> Real concerns ?


Well... personally one of them was a concern of mine, but honestly not even any of our business. Involving another trade... low volt guys smoked a bowl in the building. He told the GC (correct move), GC said he didnt care (his choice, and it wasnt inparticularly the worst thing in the world, just unprofessional)... so instead of leaving it at that.. he told an owner of the building, and a business partner of the GC.... IN FRONT OF THE GC..

and thats not even what got him in trouble.

Next he overheard a plumber on a phone bitching, and blowing off steam.. Plumber said something about putting a lean on the building (to somene on the phone.)

Does he call me? no

Does he call the GC? no

Does he stop his work when he see's big wigs in the building come up to them, and tell them the plumber is putting a lean on the building?
YES

Mind you the plumber was just mad because there has been a hold up on the job with cashflow.. and its the plumbers fault.. and Im being held up.. and im 40k deep in the project(much more than the plumber), and im not bitching (yet).

He off handedly told one of our apprentices "I should be paid by the GC, Im running this job"

NOBODY ASKED OR WANTED THAT..

anyways dumb ****.. crazy dude...... really good at electrical work. but that doesnt make you the center of the world.

The former owner of my company kinda had a crazy attitude.. always thought the electrician was so damn important.. walked around like **** of the walk... .. when i bought the business and took over.. somehow our business started to really take off


----------



## Bad Electrician (May 20, 2014)

NoSparkSparky said:


> I recently let an employee go. He was an amazing electrician, union trained.
> 
> He was still in the union but had no work, after moving from a different state.
> 
> ).


AS John said no one has a lock on butt heads. I have had a few over the years, one of the hardest working top notch electricians I have worked with had an attitude, always wanted it his way and what a mouth on him, he told our biggest customer to F'off one time too many, once was too much. Had to let him go. 

It is part of business. THE PART I HATE THE MOST, I seldom feel good after letting someone go, but there have been exceptions.


----------



## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

NoSparkSparky said:


> I was just curious what the union does with guys like that. It wasnt a stab at the union at all. I know how i handled it. Lol. Just curious..


I have had more than one nut sent out and when I called and asked WTF they laughed and asked how I like him.
They try them out here and there. Sometimes they just fit in. Other times they get taken care of on the jobsite.


----------



## Bad Electrician (May 20, 2014)

jrannis said:


> I have had more than one nut sent out and when I called and asked WTF they laughed and asked how I like him.
> They try them out here and there. Sometimes they just fit in. Other times they get taken care of on the jobsite.


We were working with another EC (as a sub) and I ran into an JW than I had worked with when he was an apprentice, as an apprentice he argued with everyone about everything. Anyway he told me the union was full of SHI**Y contractors, not a decent one in the lot. This was in October-November and he had been with 20 contractors that year.


----------



## LGLS (Nov 10, 2007)

NoSparkSparky said:


> I recently let an employee go. He was an amazing electrician, union trained.
> 
> He was still in the union but had no work, after moving from a different state.
> 
> ...


Cool story bro. Too bad you were never good enough to grt into a union.


----------



## NoSparkSparky (Mar 5, 2012)

IslandGuy said:


> Cool story bro. Too bad you were never good enough to grt into a union.



Uhm who said I was never good enough?

Also I am not a bro.

I said I didnt get in because I lived in an area where there wasnt really a union pressence.. I also didnt get in because I never tried since it would have been a very long commute. I was good enough to pass the Master Electrician test in colorado without ever taking a class. Im a great electrician. Im not a hack... I admire the union because I see they train some excellent electricians.. that doesnt mean they train the only excellent electricians.

Not good enough? Thats some rude ass **** right there.


----------



## dawgs (Dec 1, 2007)

IslandGuy said:


> Cool story bro. Too bad you were never good enough to grt into a union.


I wasn't union coming up through, but now I run a union shop. So am I considered good enough now?


----------



## LGLS (Nov 10, 2007)

dawgs said:


> I wasn't union coming up through, but now I run a union shop. So am I considered good enough now?


I'm still on the fence with that one.


----------



## dawgs (Dec 1, 2007)

IslandGuy said:


> I'm still on the fence with that one.


Ok. Just remember 20 of your brothers and sisters work for me.


----------



## Bad Electrician (May 20, 2014)

dawgs said:


> Ok. Just remember 20 of your brothers and sisters work for me.


I am in the same boat as you and employee 25 of his Bro's.


----------



## kg7879 (Feb 3, 2014)

Sounds like he was a moron. The only time I would go over anybody's head is for safety and I do not what happens to my job if somebody is putting someone else's life in danger.


----------



## sparky402 (Oct 15, 2013)

I wanted to make a similar post. We have a union "salter" on our crew. Is 100% union and thinks he is going to turn the company.


----------



## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

IslandGuy said:


> Cool story bro. Too bad you were never good enough to grt into a union.


They wanted me, but i didn't bite

I'm my own man now for 2 decades

In my view ,i could be them tomorrow, but most of them couldn't be me 

~CS~


----------



## AK_sparky (Aug 13, 2013)

IslandGuy said:


> Cool story bro. Too bad you were never good enough to grt into a union.


HAHAHA!!!! Are you for real bro!?


----------



## zac (May 11, 2009)

IslandGuy said:


> Cool story bro. Too bad you were never good enough to grt into a union.


Good enough? Way to salt it up! 


Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk


----------



## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

sparky402 said:


> I wanted to make a similar post. We have a union "salter" on our crew. Is 100% union and thinks he is going to turn the company.


Mostly guys of tenure , and well spoken :thumbsup:

because........they _have to be_ :whistling2:

~CS~


----------



## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

sparky402 said:


> I wanted to make a similar post. We have a union "salter" on our crew. Is 100% union and thinks he is going to turn the company.


Show him how good you guys are and turn him into a youknowwhat.


----------



## donaldelectrician (Sep 30, 2010)

What ever , What ever .

If true , this hombre can cause all kinds of Trouble ...

Pissed off people fill deck pipes with mud ....

Pissed off people change Tape Markings on ...


The List goes on ...



Don


----------



## bobbarker (Aug 6, 2015)

Other than his union training this really has NOTHING to do with any union at all BUT more a guy who is a total [email protected] Union and non-union both have there fair share of loud mouth, know it all, rat bastards. Only in the union you can build a name and reputation whether good or bad and being a POS like this guy will follow you and hurt your career in the union.


----------



## midnight-theme (Jan 3, 2015)

i dont understand why people dislike salts. if you're not a contractor yourself why on earth would you dislike someone just because they went well out of their way to try and convince you that joining the union would be a good thing? salters dont get a referral bonus or anything. its not a scam. but i'm new here. maybe all salts are huge @ssholes?


----------



## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

midnight-theme said:


> i dont understand why people dislike salts. if you're not a contractor yourself why on earth would you dislike someone just because they went well out of their way to try and convince you that joining the union would be a good thing? salters dont get a referral bonus or anything. its not a scam. but i'm new here. maybe all salts are huge @ssholes?


There are 2 types of salts.

The first is the good salt. This is an out of work union member who needs to get back to work. He goes in and talks to his BA, he then signs a salt paper and the BA tells him to make the union look good. He finds a non-union job, most likely seasonal when they need a bump in manpower. He let's them know that he is a union member but he is there to work. He shows up every day and works, he also shows the men a thing or two, which could be expected due to the fact that he went thru a rather thorough 5 year apprenticeship. He makes the contractor money, he shows them that union guys don't just stand around all day. By doing this, the owner may consider signing with the union. Maybe not from this one employee alone, but the one employee helped.

Then there is the bad kind of salt. This guy is sent out by the union organizers. He is sent to cause trouble, try to get the company to break some mundane rule, and then file charges against the company. This salt is there to hurt the contractor. This salt also does whatever he can to get the men to want to join the union. He tells them whatever he can to get them to vote to organize the shop. The contractor is most likely unprepared to become a union company, so if it happens by force, they end up laying most of their men off due to lack of work and loss of money due to the fines they had to pay because of the trouble the salts caused. Now all those men go sit on the list and the contractor slows to a crawl because his current customers aren't going to pay twice as much for labor.


----------



## LGLS (Nov 10, 2007)

Jrzy said:


> There are 2 types of salts.
> 
> The first is the good salt. This is an out of work union member who needs to get back to work. He goes in and talks to his BA, he then signs a salt paper and the BA tells him to make the union look good. He finds a non-union job, most likely seasonal when they need a bump in manpower. He let's them know that he is a union member but he is there to work. He shows up every day and works, he also shows the men a thing or two, which could be expected due to the fact that he went thru a rather thorough 5 year apprenticeship. He makes the contractor money, he shows them that union guys don't just stand around all day. By doing this, the owner may consider signing with the union. Maybe not from this one employee alone, but the one employee helped.
> 
> Then there is the bad kind of salt. This guy is sent out by the union organizers. He is sent to cause trouble, try to get the company to break some mundane rule, and then file charges against the company. This salt is there to hurt the contractor. This salt also does whatever he can to get the men to want to join the union. He tells them whatever he can to get them to vote to organize the shop. The contractor is most likely unprepared to become a union company, so if it happens by force, they end up laying most of their men off due to lack of work and loss of money due to the fines they had to pay because of the trouble the salts caused. Now all those men go sit on the list and the contractor slows to a crawl because his current customers aren't going to pay twice as much for labor.


I'm unfamiliar with your bad kind of salt. Could you expand on that?


----------



## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

IslandGuy said:


> I'm unfamiliar with your bad kind of salt. Could you expand on that?


Do you think anyone here actually believes your bullcrap? Seriously? 

As a member of Local 3 you know exactly what the bad salt is, you most likely served as one.


----------



## AK_sparky (Aug 13, 2013)

IslandGuy said:


> I'm unfamiliar with your bad kind of salt. Could you expand on that?


I got a feeling ordering one of these and having a good hard look might help you out 

http://www.amazon.com/Goody-Large-M...ie=UTF8&qid=1463925599&sr=8-4&keywords=mirror


----------



## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

AK_sparky said:


> I got a feeling ordering one of these and having a good hard look might help you out
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/Goody-Large-M...ie=UTF8&qid=1463925599&sr=8-4&keywords=mirror


Yup.

His old username:



LawnGuyLandSparky said:


> *I salted a shop
> ~
> He ended up paying me over 20 grand
> *


http://www.electriciantalk.com/f26/union-lingo-10067/index4/#post147510


----------

