We Need To Spread The Word - Electrician Talk - Professional Electrical Contractors Forum

Sparky480 · 08-26-2007, 03:11 PM

We need to spread the word check out these videos and lets see what everybody thinks!!

http://unionreview.com/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWtkiviuAbQ&eurl=

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-dm4...related&search=

Build it right Build it UNION!

MDShunk · 08-26-2007, 03:15 PM

I promise I will watch the videos, but I'm stepping out right now.

I just felt compelled to comment as I leave that I'm in favor of building it right too. That doesn't necessarily always mean building it union, however.

Sparky480 · 08-26-2007, 05:41 PM

You are correct about not always building it union but its time for people to stand up for our trade. If we dont do it now we will be like the laborers, steel workers, masons, and right down the list and we will have 100000 mexicans making 10 bucks an hour cutting our rates. Its a excelent trade that makes for an excelent living lets not let it go down the toliet

frank · 08-29-2007, 04:06 PM

I can't take a stand on a USA dispute but Union is often 'old fashioned - protectionist and bolshie. Doesn't make them always wrong - but far too often they are self seeking. I was union myself at one time. And a strong protagonist - but going against the given view was often dangerous practice.

I like being self employed. I am my own man. I stand and fall by my own efforts. I negotiate my own terms and I am fairer to the customer than I ever was as a union man.

Frank

chrisb271 · 08-29-2007, 05:01 PM

Like Frank i was once a union man ( EETPU ) remember that one Frank

It then went to Amicus after a lot of disputes,typical unions falling out amongst themselves !

All part of the JIB ( Joint Industry Board ) along with the ECA ( Electrical Contractors Association ) used to be the elite of electricians one time didn't it Frank ?
Think they take anyone onboard now though..
Once they did something really worthwhile for me,i had a problem with my pay or lack of it,they sorted it straight away.

As frank says,there are things for and against unions.

Chris

Andy in ATL · 08-29-2007, 05:19 PM

I Love it when the guy asks (paraphrase) "how much money do the Tuttles need?" I reckon as much as they damn well please.

Living in a non-union state it makes it a little easier to understand what exactly free market economics mean. I wouldn't join the union for $20/hour increase. God bless the USA that is "mostly" not socialist!!!

Greg · 08-29-2007, 07:22 PM

I used to be union and it sucked!! Like everyone else I make more money without the union and get more respect. Respect that is earned on my merits and not my senority.

sbrn33 · 08-29-2007, 07:36 PM

If that is their union leader no wonder the Tuttles hire other more qualified workers. Calling the Tuttle's names is always a good gesture.
The electrical industry has licensing procedures in just about every state so not just any moron can take our job and do it for $10 an hour. By the way how much is taken out of your union wage to pay that goofball to stand there a yell obscenities at every worker going on to that job.

bobelectric · 08-29-2007, 08:05 PM

I can't download videos

brian john · 08-29-2007, 08:24 PM

I looked at the Union paper and the videos not sure what one to watch.

I am a union contractor solely because I like the benefits and pay it offers my men.

None of my men came from the Union Hall, I hired them, not the run of the mill guys from the bench.

The issue I have with the union is SOME not all of the men are "Union Lawyers" trying to figure how not to do something instead of getting the job done, additionally the area I am is not super strong union. I am sure if it was we would have more troubles from the hall and possibly strikes, we have a no strike clause. I have worked in other areas were the union was STRONG and I did not appreciate how they treated open shops nor how I was treated as an OUTSIDER. Then there is the guaranteed raises. I AM SORRY but having worked on large construction jobs I know there are plenty of LOSERS, SLACKERS, TROUBLE MAKERS that do not deserve ANY RAISE much less a raise every 6 months.

Several years ago over a major holiday there was a blowup in an adjacent jurisdiction, the local in that area, would not respond, saying they would not work over the holiday, the customer was going to hire an open shop. Instead a close friend of mine, told his counterpart in the other jurisdiction that he could man the job. He did and got the building back in operation by Monday. He and all his men were brought up on charges for crossing jurisdictional lines. He asked the local officials would they rather the job go non-union, they responded better that having fellow brothers turn RAT in their jurisdiction.

Union has a lot of benefits, but if they get to powerful they will go the way of the steel workers pricing themselves out of the market.

MDShunk · 08-29-2007, 08:28 PM

The video's are basically about the Teutul's of Orange County Choppers using non-union labor to build their new HQ building. I'm not sure why the OP put it on an electrician's site, but there you have it anyhow. Hope this thread remains civil and respectful. Union or not, reasons for bellyaching about a person's choice of a particular contractor continues to confound me. A person ought to be able to hire whoever the heck they want to. The last "state of the union" address the IBEW president gave pretty much stated this, and he wants the guys to shape up so that they can be more competitive.

brian john · 08-30-2007, 07:37 AM

And to be honest I feel our local has, I do not believe they are salting anymore, a despicable practice, that I HATED.

wayni · 08-30-2007, 11:13 PM

I'm kind of embarrassed after viewing that video. You can't really fault the owner for making the decision to go with the contractor's they've decided on. It's THIER MONEY.

This guy should spend more of his abundant energy at organizing the "scab labor" if he really wants to make a difference.

frank · 08-31-2007, 01:44 PM

Got the chance to view the Video. Mmmmm! This bloke has a lot of attitude. Don't think I blame the Tuttles too much. And I don't think this fella does much to enhance the reputation of electricians. If I paid union dues - I would not pay to him.

Frank

brian john · 08-31-2007, 05:21 PM

"scab labor"

You mean open shop or merit shop, another TERRIBLE WORD thrown at hard working men, who might have joined a union if given the chance.

MDShunk · 08-31-2007, 06:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brian john

You mean open shop or merit shop, another TERRIBLE WORD thrown at hard working men, who might have joined a union if given the chance.

No kidding. They might not have such a labor pool crunch right now if they'd simply explain in clear terms to the populus of electiricans how you go about seeing about a union job.

Joe Momma · 08-31-2007, 09:21 PM

It's very funny how the union tends to attract the flamboyant types, but that guy accounts for possibly 5% of the union body. The rest of them are great hard working guys making a living wage with great benefits and a very healthy retirement(none of which is taken from their check by the way), and union contractors are as rich as they want to be.

The American way is the way of capitalism and free market, but it's also freedom of speech

MDShunk · 08-31-2007, 09:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe Momma

It's very funny how the union tends to attract the flamboyant types, but that guy accounts for possibly 5% of the union body....The American way is the way of capitalism and free market, but it's also freedom of speech

Yeah, I'm in total agreement with that. It's just too bad the big-mouths sorta give a bad name for the rest of the group. If you ask me, the guy in the video seemed like he might have even been drunk. It was just a shame, overall. I would say that the bulk of both union and merit shop men are genuinely "normal" guys, just trying to make a living the best way they know how.

oldman · 08-31-2007, 11:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe Momma

and union contractors are as rich as they want to be.

except for the one's that get buried by the BA who sends them nothing but hall trash...or the one who has a foreman from the hall that wants to turn the job into an OT job, no matter what....

some are very wealthy, many are comfortable, a bunch are barely getting buy and others are getting jobs...being a union contractor is not a sure fire way to get rich...

wayni · 09-01-2007, 12:28 AM

"Super-bros". "Contract-Thumpers".

I'm all for solidarity, ethics and the union's core values. However, when it becomes an "us or them" mentality I get irritated. Personally, I think it is ok to develop some loyalty and dedication to the shop I work at. I want them to succeed and be profitable. Let a "Super-bro" know this though...