# Got a job with a union contractor, my apprenticeship starts in two weeks at the local



## Ignitethesun (Nov 25, 2017)

Ignitethesun said:


> Hey guys. I’ve posted on here a couple times. I just landed an amazing job through a union contractor. My hands on training is through them, but I have to swear into the ibew and go to school two nights a week at the local 400. I’m nervous to start as an apprentice, I know the things I should know.. I think.. any tips? I’m going from part time janitor to union electrician doing commercial and industrial work. Thank you.



And by “know the things I should know” I mean keep my mouth shut and learn as much as possible and pay attention


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

Best of luck with it all.

You will do fine don't sweat the small stuff.


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## Ignitethesun (Nov 25, 2017)

MechanicalDVR said:


> Best of luck with it all.
> 
> You will do fine don't sweat the small stuff.


Thank you so much!


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## John Valdes (May 17, 2007)

Ignitethesun said:


> Hey guys. I’ve posted on here a couple times. I just landed an amazing job through a union contractor. My hands on training is through them, but I have to swear into the ibew and go to school two nights a week at the local 400. I’m nervous to start as an apprentice, I know the things I should know.. I think.. any tips? I’m going from part time janitor to union electrician doing commercial and industrial work. Thank you.


Actually you are going from janitor to ditch digger, broom handler and coffee boy.
Just kidding. Good luck and congratulations.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

Ignitethesun said:


> Thank you so much!


Anytime!


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## Ignitethesun (Nov 25, 2017)

John Valdes said:


> Ignitethesun said:
> 
> 
> > Hey guys. I’ve posted on here a couple times. I just landed an amazing job through a union contractor. My hands on training is through them, but I have to swear into the ibew and go to school two nights a week at the local 400. I’m nervous to start as an apprentice, I know the things I should know.. I think.. any tips? I’m going from part time janitor to union electrician doing commercial and industrial work. Thank you.
> ...


Hahah ?? true though. Thank you ?


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## Ignitethesun (Nov 25, 2017)

Ignitethesun said:


> John Valdes said:
> 
> 
> > Ignitethesun said:
> ...


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## Ignitethesun (Nov 25, 2017)

MechanicalDVR said:


> Ignitethesun said:
> 
> 
> > Thank you so much!
> ...


They told me I’m in the ibew, which is very exciting. I can’t believe it honestly. It feels surreal.


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## 360max (Jun 10, 2011)

Ignitethesun said:


> Hey guys. I’ve posted on here a couple times. I just landed an amazing job through a union contractor. My hands on training is through them, but I have to swear into the ibew and go to school two nights a week at the local 400. I’m nervous to start as an apprentice, I know the things I should know.. I think.. any tips? I’m going from part time janitor to union electrician doing commercial and industrial work. Thank you.


...congrats bro, best decision to go union.


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## Switchgear277 (Mar 18, 2017)

Congrats wow what a great opportunity you will do fine very happy for you ? ibew has changed my life it is hard starting over but worth it in long run


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## joebanana (Dec 21, 2010)

I've got a question back.......How did you get hired by a union shop, while not being a union member? They're not supposed to hire off the street. That's why they're signatories, and not open shops.
Normally, the NJACT gives approval, through an organizer, not the contractor.
What if the union doesn't accept you? What if you don't pass the aptitude test? What if the examining board gives a "no-go"? Unions usually require previous _electrical_ experience, not janitorial experience.
That's just weird.


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## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

joebanana said:


> I've got a question back.......How did you get hired by a union shop, while not being a union member? They're not supposed to hire off the street. That's why they're signatories, and not open shops.
> Normally, the NJACT gives approval, through an organizer, not the contractor.
> What if the union doesn't accept you? What if you don't pass the aptitude test? What if the examining board gives a "no-go"? Unions usually require previous _electrical_ experience, not janitorial experience.
> That's just weird.


We can hire off the streets anytime, we are encouraged to hire off the streets and then send them to the hall.

As for previous experience, how many apprentices have previous experience 10-30% maybe?


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

brian john said:


> We can hire off the streets anytime, we are encouraged to hire off the streets and then send them to the hall.


That is very odd to hear. My local doesn't work that way and I never heard of anyone else saying that their's did either.

Is it because you are a specialty contractor?


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## joebanana (Dec 21, 2010)

brian john said:


> We can hire off the streets anytime, we are encouraged to hire off the streets and then send them to the hall.
> 
> As for previous experience, how many apprentices have previous experience 10-30% maybe?


And what if the hall kicks them back? Do you just label them scabs, and put them to work? What if they flunk out of the JATC? Do they start paying union dues from their start date? And how would they do that if they're not a member yet? What to they think about "working dues"?
I guess all locals are different, but I've never heard of getting hired by a union shop, then joining. Why would a union shop hire off the streets to begin with, labor shortage? Seems like a violation of the signatory contract.
I would say 10-30% don't have any experience.


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## John Valdes (May 17, 2007)

joebanana said:


> I've got a question back.......How did you get hired by a union shop, while not being a union member? They're not supposed to hire off the street. That's why they're signatories, and not open shops.
> Normally, the NJACT gives approval, through an organizer, not the contractor.
> What if the union doesn't accept you? What if you don't pass the aptitude test? What if the examining board gives a "no-go"? Unions usually require previous _electrical_ experience, not janitorial experience.
> That's just weird.


Damn good question. I have never heard of this either.


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## cabletie (Feb 12, 2011)

Over the summer my employer put letters in our pay checks asking if we knew anyone working in the trade that we would recommend, and would like to go Union. They would like to have the hall sign them up and my employer would put them to work. 

By the IO's rules you have to swear a guy in at the next regular meeting. We can no longer hold a guy on permit for a year. 

This would be for the CE/CW program. "A" school only starts in September. 
@Ignitethesun. Good luck. Work hard and smart and you should do fine.


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## 99cents (Aug 20, 2012)

You have a great attitude already  . Just some tips: Don't be overly eager. Sometimes it's best to stand back and see how you can be helpful rather than get in the way. Always be aware of your surroundings. That can be as simple as opening a door a crack to see if there's a guy on a ladder on the other side. Obey the safety rules. If something doesn't seem right, give yourself a moment to think it through.

Feel free to come here for advice. The gnarly old bastids on this site are full of it (take that any way you want)


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## Switchgear277 (Mar 18, 2017)

i Know someone that was good friends with a union contractor 

The contractor told him go to the hall and talk to the director of education he went their and then went through the process aptitude 
Test interview etc , got into school 

And then the contractor pulled him 
But the contractor can’t just hire you if the street you have to go through the hall .


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## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

joebanana said:


> And what if the hall kicks them back? *Do you just label them scabs,* and put them to work? What if they flunk out of the JATC? Do they start paying union dues from their start date? And how would they do that if they're not a member yet? What to they think about "working dues"?
> I guess all locals are different, but I've never heard of getting hired by a union shop, then joining. Why would a union shop hire off the streets to begin with, labor shortage? Seems like a violation of the signatory contract.
> I would say 10-30% don't have any experience.


I WOULD NEVER use the term scab to describe anyone.

Well we are starved for good workers, our local (I AM TOLD) is one of the fastest growing locals, and either a guy cuts it or gets cut. 

If you have 100% employment with exception of the professional level bench warmers and contractors need help, why wouldn't you hire off the streets? More union workers mean less open shop workers making it difficult for open shops to compete.

When you bring them on you send them to the hall ASAP.

Isn't the purpose of a local to organize all workers? Why not get as many men working for the IBEW as possible, hacks and slackers will be weeded out, there are PLENTY of "A" journeymen that went through the program that are hacks and slackers as well and they hang on.


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## Switchgear277 (Mar 18, 2017)

Is this possible bc it’s the c/w program and that he won’t be a first year apprentice . 

The goal is deff to organize as many 
Good electricians as possible but 
Dosnt the local also only let in as many guys that they can feed depending on how the wrk situation 
Is .

If the contractors hire more guys than the wrk that is coming in I can see that mite lead to problems to .

But Seems like you guys are doing well and I’m happy he got in ????


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

brian john said:


> Isn't the purpose of a local to organize all workers? Why not get as many men working for the IBEW as possible,


 No. The purpose is to protect and work for it's members while providing skilled and trained workers for the contractors. 

Allowing contractors to take anyone off the street goes directly against that and it also floods the hall with too many men. It can go from full employment to slow as hell in the blink of an eye. When you get slow, those workers are going to go sign the list at the hall, right?


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## cabletie (Feb 12, 2011)

Without looking it up, I think that's the first line in the constitution, to organize all electrical workers. Local unions try and restrict that. Restrict to much, they'll merge the local with one that is doing better at organizing. The last sentence is just my opinion.


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

cabletie said:


> Without looking it up, I think that's the first line in the constitution, to organize all electrical workers. Local unions try and restrict that. Restrict to much, they'll merge the local with one that is doing better at organizing. The last sentence is just my opinion.


That might be the end goal, but it doesn't mean to just open the books and allow anyone to walk in. There needs to be a structure system.

Imagine they did that? My local has anywhere from 1,000 to 3,000 applicants, and that's knowing that it's hard to get in. If they opened the books there would be more.


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## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

HackWork said:


> Imagine they did that? My local has anywhere from 1,000 to 3,000 applicants, and that's knowing that it's hard to get in. If they opened the books there would be* more*.


And we have *more* work than we can handle and except for a few recessions it has been that way since the local became more open.

How many locals can the majority of members say they have full-time employment and the one that gets laid off usually go back out in short order even during the recession's layoffs are generally short.


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## sbrn33 (Mar 15, 2007)

Congrats t the OP. Start young stick with it and retire early. Just don't get into all the union politics hate.


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

brian john said:


> And we have *more* work than we can handle and except for a few recessions it has been that way since the local became more open.
> 
> How many locals can the majority of members say they have full-time employment and the one that gets laid off usually go back out in short order even during the recession's layoffs are generally short.


You have that right now, but as I asked you in the other post, what happens if that changes? When you lay those guys off, they go back to the hall?

And I am still curious why the hall isn't taking in people like every other local? Why are they allowing contractors to do it? 

It still seems odd and shady.


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## cabletie (Feb 12, 2011)

I don't think it's odd or shady. It is not real common in our local. But if the hall can't provide manpower, a contractor is allowed to hire off the street. The guy would get signed up as a CE/CW. Later if all works out for the new employee he would change over into the A program. By the time he changes over there's no telling who he may be working for. 

In the next five years 30% of our local will be retiring, but there only taking in eight to ten A apprentices. Not nearly enough. Never really is. That's why our local usually takes in guys with experience through the residential small works program. 

Basically if your related, you get in as "A". All others take the side door, with the exception of two or three a year. Personally I didn't wait to see if I was going to be one of the lucky few, so I went the "B" route.


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## joebanana (Dec 21, 2010)

brian john said:


> I WOULD NEVER use the term scab to describe anyone.
> 
> Well we are starved for good workers, our local (I AM TOLD) is one of the fastest growing locals, and either a guy cuts it or gets cut.
> 
> ...


Well, for one, it's the organizers job, not the contractors to "organize" new blood. Just tossing people, such as janitor's at the hall, and see if they stick, isn't how it's supposed to work. I'm pretty sure the IO would frown on this practice, and I've never heard of them "encouraging" it. 
You may want to reread the contract, and/or the bylaws.


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