# question about union lifestyle



## ponyboy (Nov 18, 2012)

Lol. Don't lose that enthusiasm boy


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## erics37 (May 7, 2009)

Towns and cities go through boom-and-bust cycles. Lots of JWs travel. Some by choice, some by necessity - modern day migrant workers, so to speak. Get chatting with people at the hall and travelers at your jobsites and you might get rumors of where the next big jobs are kicking off at that will need to be manned.


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## erics37 (May 7, 2009)

Anyway if you want stability, getting all your ducks in a row (home ownership, zero debt, etc) before you take 2 months off to go on lavish vacations isn't the way to do it on Journeyman electrician wage.

Believe me, if I could work 10 months and then go pork naked Tahitian chicks on a beach in the South Pacific for the other 2 months, I would


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## union347sparky (Feb 29, 2012)

I know very few jobs like that to be honest. No way you can do it for the first five years. As an apprentice you will be expected to work. One so you can get your required hours in and two your employer needs you for cheap help. (They make money off you) Only job I know like that is a concrete truck driver in cold climates. Work 15 hour days all months but December through February. You don't get paid great but OT helps.


Edit: as an employer I would want my employees available all year. Reasonable vacation ok but if there's work to do 2 months off is excessive.


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## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

It's possible but wouldn't be that predicable. If you are send out to a contractor, ideally it would be for the duration of a job. When the job ends, you take your layoff and go to the hall and sign the book for another project.
Some busy locals can turn you around right away.
It should be a good system.
Problem is, the system gets hacked and people with little or no training are taught monkey see monkey do jobs and believe they are real electricians. 
They have no idea about the value of the work so they are happy to make half of the pay a formally trained electrician. They eventually either move on to something else or are promoted into their level of incompetents either way, it screws up the market for decent wages and puts an artificial glut of people in a market they do not belong.

Electricians, both union and non-union, that have dedicated themselves to this trade and taken the time to put in the hours and sacrifice to better themselves and looked at as "entitled and greedy" when all they want to do is make a decent wage and a better life for themselves and their families.


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## Spunk#7 (Nov 30, 2012)

TransientCW said:


> so ive got a pretty straightforward question. if you get linked up with a local union, and you finally get your journeyman status, i was wondering..
> 
> lets assume you live in an area where theres alot of work all the time.
> can you take work for the better part of the year, assuming theres jobs, and bust your ass for 9 or 10 months each year, then take off for 2 months and go travel? is this lifestyle possible?
> ...


 Maybe the teacher's union would be a better choice for you?


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## Loose Neutral (Jun 3, 2009)

My neighbors are teachers and man they get time off. I also know of JW's that winter in the keys. maybe not months at a time, but 3-4 weeks here and there. Really depends on the work situation and what contractor your working for. I like to travel and just schedule my vacation and let the contractor that I'm working for know my plans.


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## TransientCW (Oct 26, 2012)

Spunk#7 said:


> Maybe the teacher's union would be a better choice for you?


actually, god really did bless me, im thinking the ****ographers union might be a better fit. hell, i take a hand full of ****** and a couple hits of some good E and go audition this week!

i wonder if oil rig work is out of the question, and whether or not they hire electrical apprentices/ helpers. im sure that line of work would be pretty grungy, but who knows. 

if i do get myself lined up with an apprenticeship, youre damned straight that will be the only focus in my life during those 4 to 5 years. work comes first no matter what, then play, i suppose im just more brainstorming and dreaming than anything else. and as far as ducks in a row goes.....i got no kids, not too much debt, and my plan when i get out of the military is to buy a small 1-2 acre plot of land somewhere rural in washington state, and spend a few grand on a travel trailer that i can keep stationary until i need to hit the road for work. im perfectly comfortable with that lifestyle for some time to come....

anyways thanks for the info everyone


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## MHElectric (Oct 14, 2011)

My neighbor is a cross country truck driver, he does something similar to that. Works on the road for long extended periods of time, and then takes it easy for a month or two. If your dead set on electrical work, you might consider taking a job with a traveling company. My brother-in-law got hooked up with one last year, and he absolutely loves it. Great money, fast-paced jobs, lots of travel around the country, and if he wants time off he just waits for the next down-time and tells his boss he'll be back after a few weeks. Not the kind of job you want if you're a family man, but its the single guy's dream.

Good luck man. When I got out of the army, I had no problems find a job. In fact, I took my interview & drug test before I was even out, and they waited for me to fully discharge. Just dont be like all your buddies that go party like crazy and dont get a job till the absolute last minute. This is the worst thing you can do. Find a job immediately, trust me. :thumbsup:



Spunk#7 said:


> Maybe the teacher's union would be a better choice for you?


:laughing:


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## TransientCW (Oct 26, 2012)

wow a traveling company would be the ****, and ill definitely keep my eye out for an opportunity like that. luckily im all partied out and only tie one off on rare occassions, and ive adapted to the military lifestyle so i piss clean. its good to hear that you went right to work when you seperated, for me im nervous as **** but hopeful. i scored 19 on the candidate list out of about 150 with one power company up north about 2 weeks ago, and am awaiting to hear if they will have me interview, plus next month i go for aptitude testing with a second power company, so i have a few coals in the fire right now. ive heard of a program in seattle called VICE, which i believe gets you linked up with the local 48 up there as well which id like to apply for here in the next few months. anxiety is killing me but i just have to stay positive.


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## eejack (Jul 14, 2012)

If you are in the right local, that lifestyle is completely possible. When times are good I work 9-10 months out of the year and vacation when I get laid off. When times are bad I travel the country ( as a journeyman electrician ) looking for work.

Apprentices cannot travel to other local so you will have to spend probably 5 years in your home local. However many folks make a pleasant living tramping across the country once they get their journeyman card.

I recommend looking into helmets to hardhats http://www.helmetstohardhats.org/

On the other hand, you can go work overseas - there are plenty of work camp opportunities ( non union ) - unfortunately they are not in the best places for site seeing. The middle east is always looking and there are opportunities in Egypt and Canada.

Best of luck.


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## mr hands (Sep 15, 2013)

erics37 said:


> Believe me, if I could work 10 months and then go pork naked Tahitian chicks on a beach in the South Pacific for the other 2 months, I would


pork, did someone say bacon????? :thumbup:


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## mr hands (Sep 15, 2013)

Weed is the answer.


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## erics37 (May 7, 2009)

mr hands said:


> Weed is the answer.


Also very true.

Be the jobsite distribution network as supplementary income, and you're set :thumbup:


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## YYCApprentice (Oct 31, 2012)

union347sparky said:


> I know very few jobs like that to be honest. No way you can do it for the first five years. As an apprentice you will be expected to work. One so you can get your required hours in and two your employer needs you for cheap help. (They make money off you) Only job I know like that is a concrete truck driver in cold climates. Work 15 hour days all months but December through February. You don't get paid great but OT helps.
> 
> 
> Edit: as an employer I would want my employees available all year. Reasonable vacation ok but if there's work to do 2 months off is excessive.


This is almost the norm in Alberta. GUys either work their ass off during the cold, depressing winter and take the summer off 

or

the opposite, work from March until November and go surfing for the winter.

Of course, the oil sands is a beast of its own.


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## Brother Noah (Jul 18, 2013)

TransientCW said:


> actually, god really did bless me, im thinking the ****ographers union might be a better fit. hell, i take a hand full of ****** and a couple hits of some good E and go audition this week!
> 
> i wonder if oil rig work is out of the question, and whether or not they hire electrical apprentices/ helpers. im sure that line of work would be pretty grungy, but who knows.
> 
> ...




I have made over $100,000 7 different years of my career and usually worked only an average of 10 months those said years. I have been willing and able to jump and run when the calls come in, work long hours sometimes in extreme conditions. Its possible to have that lifestyle within the IBEW. I am currently working out of 440 at Desert center, the scale is $47 and $21 an hour package so on 4-10 hour days I will again gross close to $100,000 in a full 12 months.
Now with that said something in your post seems a little off to me??? What locals are you applying? What are your true intentions? Having confidence in yourself will only take you so far monetary, physical, and or mental dues will be needed and the support of OUR IBEW will carry you through when nothing else will. I wish you well but if your intent is to do nothing but take advantage of a situation, I believe you will have many problems in life no matter if you go union or not.


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## wendon (Sep 27, 2010)

How about just getting a job and working 12 months out of the year?


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## YYCApprentice (Oct 31, 2012)

wendon said:


> How about just getting a job and working 12 months out of the year?


why do it if you don't have to?

everyones motivations are different.


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## wendon (Sep 27, 2010)

YYCApprentice said:


> why do it if you don't have to?
> 
> everyones motivations are different.


Can an apprentice make a living wage sitting on the bench? I feel sorry for someone that only has work for 6 months out of the year. Just my opinion. My son does concrete work and is off most of the winter. Kind of a boring existence..........:whistling2:


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## mwconstruction (Nov 18, 2011)

The only "person" that wants you to work 12 months a year is the government so they can get all your tax money. It is very doable here, I worked 8-10 months a year easily making 100k+, all on big industrial projects, usually out of town in the middle of nowhere but the pay was good. I had the same goal as you, work for part of the year and travel the rest. Ended up with a family and a company of my own so my travelling will have to wait for now.


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## RIVETER (Sep 26, 2009)

TransientCW said:


> so ive got a pretty straightforward question. if you get linked up with a local union, and you finally get your journeyman status, i was wondering..
> 
> lets assume you live in an area where theres alot of work all the time.
> can you take work for the better part of the year, assuming theres jobs, and bust your ass for 9 or 10 months each year, then take off for 2 months and go travel? is this lifestyle possible?
> ...


Study,Study,Study and then teach for 9 months a year. If you work for a contractor and take off for a lot of time he most likely will not want you back after you desert him, and there goes your "STEADY" work.


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## MHElectric (Oct 14, 2011)

You could also aim for self-employment. :jester:

Work like a dog 9-10 months, listen to your wife complain about how you're never home and you need to take some time off.... and then be slow as molasses during the months nobody wants to take a vacation and its too cold & rainy outside to do anything outside. :laughing:


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## mr hands (Sep 15, 2013)

The meaning of life was never found in a factory.

Or service van, fab shop, core and shell, TI, subdivision, etc.............

Next time I hit the list for an extended jaunt, I am out!!!!!! my kneegrows! To Bali!


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## TransientCW (Oct 26, 2012)

my brother and his wife left about a year ago, to bocas del toro, panama. permanent expats. theyve regressed lifestyle-wise about 50 or more years, but they are running a street taco stand and selling out just about every day. they are LOVING their life, and will not be back to the states.
good on them!

so here are my intentions because a few people were asking:
secure an apprenticeship with a local, and bust my ASS nonstop for as long as it takes to get my journeyman card.

work as hard as i need to, assuming work is available, and travel around wherever i have to to keep my income.

buy a small piece of land outside seattle or portland, buy a travel trailer, and live out of it for a while, because i dont have any ties.

IF i ever have any downtime, ill take some time to travel. simple as that. work is first, play is second, but its important for me to live my chosen lifestyle at certain times. i hope it doesnt sound like im trying to take advantage of anything.

i plan to apply with the local in seattle and pdx....
cheers guys


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## YYCApprentice (Oct 31, 2012)

no one was ever on their death bed and said "i wish i had worked more"


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## Spunk#7 (Nov 30, 2012)

Just become a "Hobo",ride the rails.


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## TransientCW (Oct 26, 2012)

nah...nah man.......NAH **** NAH MAN! i believe you could git yer ass kicked for doin somethin like that, man!


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## mr hands (Sep 15, 2013)

This local fitter has a 'rolling man cave.' He rents a house with a flat driveway, parks the rig, leeches power and water, then rents the house out.

When time comes to rollup, he's OUT, searching for his next flat driveway.


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## mainejakes (Mar 28, 2014)

TransientCW said:


> so ive got a pretty straightforward question. if you get linked up with a local union, and you finally get your journeyman status, i was wondering..
> 
> lets assume you live in an area where theres alot of work all the time.
> can you take work for the better part of the year, assuming theres jobs, and bust your ass for 9 or 10 months each year, then take off for 2 months and go travel? is this lifestyle possible?
> ...


honestly id say take as many jobs as you can. i know a journeyman who was lucky to work for 5 years of his entire apprenticeship and then 4 more years steadily, he asked to be taken off the list for the summer and we hit a recession and he didnt work for the next 3 years


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## KMo2010 (Dec 29, 2013)

I say bust ass and then use your J-card to take you where you want to go. That's my plan. What makes this more awesome is that my local got me on my way already.


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## zman98 (Apr 7, 2014)

Your missing the big picture.choosing to take off two months a year will not fair well with a contractor.You would be missing pension hours and putting yourself at risk of losing your health benefits.You could also windup sitting on the bench for a long time with no money coming in. Take off for two months in row by choice means you lose that quarter towards unemployment.If your a new apprentice and have this attitude, you have chosen the wrong career.


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## mainejakes (Mar 28, 2014)

YYCApprentice said:


> no one was ever on their death bed and said "i wish i had worked more"


yeah, but many people get to their deathbeds early because they didnt work enough and starved to death or died from disease.


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## eejack (Jul 14, 2012)

zman98 said:


> Your missing the big picture.choosing to take off two months a year will not fair well with a contractor.You would be missing pension hours and putting yourself at risk of losing your health benefits.You could also windup sitting on the bench for a long time with no money coming in. Take off for two months in row by choice means you lose that quarter towards unemployment.If your a new apprentice and have this attitude, you have chosen the wrong career.


The lifestyle has costs - you don't care about the contractor ( and really, when do they really care about the union electrician? ) and you have to do your traveling when you are laid off - which for many of us is about 2 months or so a year. However ( in most cases ), if you get six months of work in, you have your benefits, you qualify for unemployment, you get your pension credit etc.

No, you don't leave a job to vacation, you have to let the vacations come to you...:laughing:


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