# Question about taking a job from the book.



## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

A lot of this depends on your local and it's bylaws. Referral systems are different everywhere.

My local will tell you some stuff about the job if they know. But nothing is ever set in stone, especially the end date. Your allowed to refuse 2 jobs, the third refusal sends you to the back of the list.


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## Mike94 (Jan 14, 2018)

If you get a very long "Long call job" can you quit it at a certain point, and go back to your locals book? or do you just have to stay on it until it finishes?


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## joebanana (Dec 21, 2010)

Mike94 said:


> If you get a very long "Long call job" can you quit it at a certain point, and go back to your locals book? or do you just have to stay on it until it finishes?


You're free to drag up any time you want. Why don't you want a long call?


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

Mike94 said:


> If you get a very long "Long call job" can you quit it at a certain point, and go back to your locals book? or do you just have to stay on it until it finishes?


This depends on the local.

In the contractors eyes, the union is there to supply labor, not men who want to play games. My local looks down on men tactically quitting. It creates a fiasco every time a big job with a long duration and lots of OT comes around and 150 men quit their random jobs in order to try to sign the book first to get on the big one.


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## Mike94 (Jan 14, 2018)

I am new to all this. I am just asking how things work and what the rules are. I would not quit any job I started. However, once I finish a job. I may take a little time for myself before looking for a new job. I hope this is ok?


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

Mike94 said:


> I am new to all this. I am just asking how things work and what the rules are. I would not quit any job I started. However, once I finish a job. I may take a little time for myself before looking for a new job. I hope this is ok?


For the third time, it depends on your local. You need to find out exact how your local works. 

Could you not sign the book right away after getting laid off? Sure, but in my local that's another thing that they look down upon when there is work.


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## cabletie (Feb 12, 2011)

Our hall has an online dispatch. So you would go online and see the jobs going out for tomorrow. All the conditions are listed. Contractor, hours, duration and any special qualifications or things like drug testing. 

You put your name in if you want the job. If it gets to you you go out. If you didn't put in for it and it goes out to someone behind you, you get charged a strike. Three strikes and you roll off the list and you have to re-sign the book. The reason for putting your name in for the job is that it speeds up getting through the list. 

Most guys that see the contractor call out for men start calling their network of coworkers to see other conditions not listed like who's the foreman and what type of work is involved. 


Our hall only has one list for book one as mandated by the IO. So short calls are handled with long calls all on one list. Some jobs posted are "no strike jobs". So if the contractor is looking for a welder or some other qualification you wouldn't get a strike. Turning down a drug test job is a strike.


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

That's exactly how it works in my local, cable tie. We switched over to online dispatch 7 or so years ago. 

Short calls are also handled thru the same list. Unless things have changed, you get 160 hours to work before going to the back of the list. So you can either take a 4 week job or 4 1 week jobs, etc. At least that is the way I remember it. I never did short calls.


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## active1 (Dec 29, 2009)

First you are way too concerned about taking a call with only 30 on book 1.
I know lot's of people driving to the other side of NV because Reno only has 30 on book 1 and they are booming. They talk about the Tesla factory, Apple, and other construction projects. Every hall has a few on the books that really are not interested in working full time or at the moment. The could be on disability, retired, on vacation, traveling, or working in a different field. 

Compare that to Vegas has around 900 on book 1 and only a few JW calls a week. Yes you could be on book 1 for years waiting for a long call. That's where difficult decisions have to be made. Do you take any call that's possible. Calls that may only last 4 weeks. Or do you wait for the big projects like a stadium, casino, convention hall, etc that are expected OT. That's how people get to the front of the book. Waiting for their dream call. Or you could spend 6 or 9 months waiting for a call, work a month or two, and start over.

Like said every hall is different. Some provide lots of details online. Some announce it before dispatch. Besides the hall policies it also depends on the contractor. Sometimes they don't want to provide details. It can depend on who is hired how long the job will last. 

Some times what's announced is a lie. A number of EC here will put out a long call, when they only intend on working you for a short. Request a list of skills and certs that don't relate to the job. Or say the call will last 3-4 weeks, when it's a long term position. The reason is EC's have so many JW's available they do this to in their words "find better electricians". I don't agree with it, but it happens. Their idea is a crew of JW's will work harder if they think they will be there for a while. A JW willing to take a 3 week call must be hungry in their opinion. Or the person with more certs must be better.

Sometimes shops will put in a cherry pick call. Making the call unappealing like a 3 week long call with a strange combination of certs and skills. Because it's arranged that one JW will take that call, without calling them by name. Other times EC's will call for a large number of long calls like 50 or more. Only to lay them all off after a few days, just to cherry pick about 3. Or you got the shops that put out long calls and only keep the wormiest one for more than 2 weeks.

The dispatcher would know all the details the EC want's to provide. Some details are always disclosed like the EC name and start time. Any differential in pay +/- may be announced or it's assumed you may know. Such as it may be assumed you know 3rd shift pays more. But should be announced if there is a labor agreement that reduces the pay or benefits in the call. Goes back to is it a hall rule or just a courtesy.

If it's OT goes back to what the EC tells the dispatch. Lot's of time there is, but it's not announced. Perhaps some with better connections are told about the OT. Seen it go the other way were the OT was used when they had problems filling the calls. Then to cut the OT shortly after. You take your chances.

Some details the EC will refuse to disclose to the dispatch. Such as where your working or what you're doing. Sometimes there is a confidentially agreement with the customer. Other times the EC just wants it left open.

Call or visit your dispatcher for questions.


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## cabletie (Feb 12, 2011)

The way I remember it was that the contractors were finding it hard to man jobs because so many would only take the short calls with overtime. This was before the recession. So NECA got the International office to mandate a referral system that eliminated the short call list. 

Our local along with others probably realize the importance of the short call to the members. Ours limits it to two 30 day calls. So anything over 30 days is a long call. You can work a total of 60 days in short calls in a calendar year. If you stay past your 30 days on one job, it turns into a long call. So if you go back after 30 days you have to re-sign the book. Or you could do eight one week jobs and still not loose your spot on the list. Some say staying past the 30 days shouldn't be allowed because it turns it into a 30 day audition. 

What I don't get was in another post was someone (I know who) said they had two lists. One for drug test jobs. I can't see that happening if the IO knew about it.


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## active1 (Dec 29, 2009)

Our short calls are 14 days. No limit of number of short calls you can do in a year.
The conventions are staffed mostly with short calls, which keeps a lot of people busy.


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## bostonPedro (Nov 14, 2017)

cabletie
What I don't get was in another post was someone (I know who) said they had two lists. One for drug test jobs. I can't see that happening if the IO knew about it.[/QUOTE said:


> 2 lists or 2 available pools?
> Boston has a drug free pool. Most are in it. You take a swab test get your card and you're on your way. Most contractors are in the drug free pool as it lowers their insurance rates and it just looks better to be honest so they can only and will only take members with the drug free card. Members without the card can not work for employers who require the card while members with the card can work for either option. I believe that if a call comes up requiring a drug free card and you arent in the pool that you get a refusal but I am not certain because it doesnt apply to me since I have the card


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## bostonPedro (Nov 14, 2017)

I dont know how to delete 
sorry


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## Voltron (Sep 14, 2012)

Mike94 said:


> Lat's say you are number 30 on book 1. Your name slowly works it's way up the list as the weeks go by. Eventually, long calls make their way to your name.
> 
> So here is my question...When this happens are you able to take a good look at the job offered to you before you accept it? For example...
> 
> ...


You have plenty of time to figure this stuff out later. Right now, you need to make sure your homework is done. Just an Fyi.... It's inside wireman. Might want to correct that on your profile.


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

Voltron said:


> You have plenty of time to figure this stuff out later. Right now, you need to make sure your homework is done. Just an Fyi.... It's inside wireman. Might want to correct that on your profile.


Yeah, I see he is just starting his apprenticeship.

Mike94, no offense, but being an Inside Wireman is something that you earn after your apprenticeship. Calling yourself one is like a guy who just signed up for the Army calling himself Sgt Major.

Right now you are an apprentice. You should be proud of that, a lot of people would love to be in the IBEW NJATC program.

Good luck.


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## Voltron (Sep 14, 2012)




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## telsa (May 22, 2015)

Mike94 said:


> Lat's say you are number 30 on book 1. Your name slowly works it's way up the list as the weeks go by. Eventually, long calls make their way to your name.
> 
> So here is my question...When this happens are you able to take a good look at the job offered to you before you accept it? For example...
> 
> ...


Can you afford to be picky ?


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

telsa said:


> Can you afford to be picky ?


*Best question in here so far!*


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## Mike94 (Jan 14, 2018)

HackWork said:


> Yeah, I see he is just starting his apprenticeship.
> 
> Mike94, no offense, but being an Inside Wireman is something that you earn after your apprenticeship. Calling yourself one is like a guy who just signed up for the Army calling himself Sgt Major.
> 
> ...


I changed it to apprentice. I should have used apprentice when I first made my account.


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## vasparky27 (Sep 3, 2010)

Mike94 said:


> Lat's say you are number 30 on book 1. Your name slowly works it's way up the list as the weeks go by. Eventually, long calls make their way to your name.
> 
> So here is my question...When this happens are you able to take a good look at the job offered to you before you accept it? For example...
> 
> ...


Recently topped out....laid off. Hoping for a call soon
Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk


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