# Point of doing a short-call?



## henderson14 (Oct 23, 2010)

I don't get why you would do one if it is for two weeks max. Why not just keep collecting unemployment. It just doesn't seem worth it for a week of work. And how long can it take to get a short call these days? Can anyone on the books get one?


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## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

henderson14 said:


> I don't get why you would do one if it is for two weeks max. Why not just keep collecting unemployment. It just doesn't seem worth it for a week of work. And how long can it take to get a short call these days? Can anyone on the books get one?


Morally strong worker, with I am trying my best to not be a burden on a already overtaxed system, attitude.

Plus with someone that is not morally corrupt they may see 1,500.00 extra dollars damn worth getting off their lazy bum, putting the Game Boy down and picking up the tools.


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## bobelectric (Feb 24, 2007)

I would respond to show I like to work.


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## chris856 (Jun 12, 2009)

I get restless after a couple weeks off, so I can understand why some guys would do it.


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## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

chris856 said:


> I get restless after a couple weeks off, so I can understand why some guys would do it.


Every guy should do it if it does not affect your place in line.


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## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

brian john said:


> Every guy should do it if it does not affect your place in line.



A friend of mine took two guys on a short call, with the locals approval he kept one 6 months and the other guy 2-1/2 years. Sometimes it works out.


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## shock ur azz (Mar 30, 2012)

I quit my job with a non union cotractor to take my first call as an apprentice. It was a 2 week short call then I sat for a week. I almost quit and went back to my old boss. I decided to wait for them to call and they did and I've been steadily employed with them ever since.


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## henderson14 (Oct 23, 2010)

So what about the rest of my question. How hard are they to pick up and how long can it take to get one?


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## bobelectric (Feb 24, 2007)

There ya go.


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## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

henderson14 said:


> So what about the rest of my question. How hard are they to pick up and how long can it take to get one?


I think that depends on the area you are in and your local.


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## henderson14 (Oct 23, 2010)

brian john said:


> I think that depends on the area you are in and your local.


I know that. In general, or your local.


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## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

henderson14 said:


> I know that. In general, or your local.


No idea there, I have worked for myself 27 years, most of my employees are long term, with the exception of apprentices.

I do know we have 9,000 members roughly, during good times there are approximately 200-300 men that only do short calls and spend the rest of their warming the bench.


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## Sparky480 (Aug 26, 2007)

Why wouldn't you do one every hour counts to your pension credit. How hard is it to get a short call depends on how your hiring hall is set up


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## running dummy (Mar 19, 2009)

From talking to guys in my local you can go out roughly every 3 months. It is a maximum of 2 week call. 

It is a different book than the long call and after the call you go to the bottom of the short call list and start the process over.


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## Sparky480 (Aug 26, 2007)

running dummy said:


> From talking to guys in my local you can go out roughly every 3 months. It is a maximum of 2 week call.
> 
> It is a different book than the long call and after the call you go to the bottom of the short call list and start the process over.


Can you stay on both books or do you have to choose one or the other?


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## running dummy (Mar 19, 2009)

You sign both books and ride them at the same time.


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## s.kelly (Mar 20, 2009)

Here it is all the same list, but they rotate thru the main list so everyone (JW's) gets a chance at the short ones if they want to. 

Here it is 2 weeks, so that can be alot of overtime to help tide someone over until they get in a spot to get a longer call.

When I was an apprentice I got a short call (unknowingly). Few weeks later the PM said welcome aboard and I was there a year until the next rotation. 

The apprenticeship never told me it was a short call. Would not have mattered, had to take whatever they sent me, and it would not change my work habits.


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## sparky970 (Mar 19, 2008)

To earn a paycheck


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## Salvatoreg02 (Feb 26, 2011)

Short call, long call IMO the business reps along with all their cronies in the employment dept are all corrupt.
I'm awaiting someone filing a class action law suit against the union for all their discriminating hiring practices. Sooner or later someone's bound to do it if, it hasn't happened already.


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## nitro71 (Sep 17, 2009)

Besides the obvious of getting to work you get to test drive different companies. Find out if you want to take a long call from them.


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## jimmy21 (Mar 31, 2012)

unemployment runs out eventually. So you get:
money towards unemployment 
money towards pension
money towards health insurance
extra money in your pocket, since a paycheck is more than unemployment


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## Mrmanly (May 23, 2010)

henderson14 said:


> I don't get why you would do one if it is for two weeks max. Why not just keep collecting unemployment. It just doesn't seem worth it for a week of work. And how long can it take to get a short call these days? Can anyone on the books get one?


 
Uh, how about the contractor that needs extra help in the short term to get the job done so they will have a satisfied customer?

The contractor will remember your turndown next time they need someone and will remember a union member that helps them out when they ask for it.


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## running dummy (Mar 19, 2009)

Mrmanly said:


> Uh, how about the contractor that needs extra help in the short term to get the job done so they will have a satisfied customer?
> 
> The contractor will remember your turndown next time they need someone and will remember a union member that helps them out when they ask for it.


No they won't. 

In my experience a company has no idea who passed up the call. 

If you show up and do a good job they will possibly remember on the next call. They couldn't keep you on even if they wanted to. Short call rules.


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## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

running dummy said:


> No they won't.
> 
> In my experience a company has no idea who passed up the call.
> 
> If you show up and do a good job they will possibly remember on the next call. They couldn't keep you on even if they wanted to. Short call rules.


So instead, they can't get help when they need it, they suffer and pay late performance penalties on the job, the EC explains the situation to the GC, the GC says UNIONS STINK, next time I’ll hire reliable open shop contractors, finish the job on time and save money. The EC thinks, hell can't get help when I need it because some fools would rather collect UE in lieu of earning a decent wage, SCREW THE UNION, I'll open a double breasted shop, or worse goes out of business and an open shop fills the void.



Your explanation is typical, old school, let’s destroy the union mentality, because of the evil contractors.


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## s.kelly (Mar 20, 2009)

Brian, I am not sure what you are reading there, but I do not see that in running dummy's explanation.

It looks to me like a clarification of the rules from his local. The rules here are different. In my experience short call rules are only to help everyone get a share of the short call work that wants it, not to penalize the contractor in any way.

Most times that should not make any difference to the contractor. 

If their rules say they cannot keep someone longer than the short call terms, that certainly does not mean the contractor cannot place another short call. Maybe not ideal to the contractor, but certainly not keeping someone from getting manpower when they need it.


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## Loose Neutral (Jun 3, 2009)

In our local a short term is just that 2 weeks. The contractor usually uses this when he only has a small job or wrapping up a job and doesn't need long term help. It benefits the contractor and the journeyman. Our short term calls just roll thru the regular list and they just pick up where they left off on the last short call.


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## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

s.kelly said:


> Brian, I am not sure what you are reading there, but I do not see that in running dummy's explanation.
> 
> It looks to me like a clarification of the rules from his local. The rules here are different. In my experience short call rules are only to help everyone get a share of the short call work that wants it, not to penalize the contractor in any way.
> 
> ...


After rereading his post, I believe you are RIGHT,

My apologies to Running Dummy, seems I may have been slightly a fast dolt.


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## running dummy (Mar 19, 2009)

I could have worded my post differently, or clarified more. 

I have done a few short calls and worked hard for the contractor. 

I've also worked with a handful of really good electricians who were on a short call and some really terrible ones with an attitude similar to Brian's post. Both types were gone in two weeks. 

I feel that as a contractor they use short calls as extra bodies. To expect MORE than that from EVERY short call would be foolish. They just aren't as invested in the company or the job. 

My opinion.


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## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

running dummy said:


> I could have worded my post differently, or clarified more.
> 
> I have done a few short calls and worked hard for the contractor.
> 
> ...


As I noted earlier I know a comapny that took two short calls and called the hall to extend their call, kept one for 2.5 years. But each local handles this differently.
Some might call the two excellent workers brown nosers.


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