boulengerina

To address something you said earlier regarding divisions in the Brotherhood... I've worked around CW/CE's, and as long as they are members in good standing, they are fine with me. I don't feel threatened by apprentices, so I certainly don't feel threatened by CW/CE's. If they can take my job... they can have it.


To my understanding, it works like this... If you are green, you are a cw. If you are a "mechanic", then you are a CE. There's like seven or eight or nine levels to it, all separated by 2000 hours. And when they hit the top, they have to pass some big scary test to become JW's. They can advance, but don't have to, but the ones I have worked around ALL WANT TO ADVANCE. That brings me to my next point... Training.

I don't know of many locals that are training these guys. And most are working them. If you trained them some, and worked them, maybe you could get apprentices from their ranks. When I started out, the only way in was the apprenticeship. My 1st year class started out with like 35 guys, and graduated 9, one of which transferred in. My home Local (& local NECA Chapter) wasted a bunch of money on a bunch of guys who had never worked construction a day in their lives, and had no idea what they wanted to be when they grew up!!! Imagine if you could see them work, and witness how many advancement classes they come to (as advancement is voluntary), and make the good ones apprentices. It would save the JATC's a lot of money, and I think that the drop-out rate would decline.


I knew this was a good idea... Here, we can change the world!!!

Black4Truck

First thing the IBEW needs to do is get rid of the 25' RAT, lawn chairs, American flags, and the sign.. "XYZ IS HURTING OUT COMMUNITY"

All of the above is what goes on when a job goes to NON-UNION trades.

I can understand the UNION is upset about losing work, but all that stuff paints a negative picture of UNIONS.

You never see a NON-UNION trade do ANYTHING about losing work to a UNION shop...

smitty1358

Never saw a sign that said......XYZ was hurting the community. But I have walked lines holding a sign saying contractor XYZ pays sub standard wages. WE did not have a 25' rat. lawn chairs or flags.

alann53

Are you serious? Is this a joke? You want to know what employers (contractors) think of unions? You think you can do something to improve relations between the union and employers? You think the union is to blame for their bad reputation?
Given the choice no employer wants to deal with a union. Why would they? Unions are advocates for workers. Unions are always demanding more money and better benefits. Unions file grievances against employers and prevent employers from firing workers.
That said, I am a union member and believe unions are an important part of the nations economy. Given the differing goals of employers and workers there will always be friction between the parties.
The job of the employer is to maximize profit for the owner's and the union's job is to capture as much of that profit as possible.

oldman

there are a few simple things:

1) realize that no work is "Union Work"...there is no entitlement to any particular work...

2) deliver what you promise...promise me the best men in the industry? then deliver me the best men in the industry...don't send me overpriced kids that I have to babysit as much as the guys who work for 1/2 the rate...

3) realize that pay needs to be commensurate with ability and productivity...get a tiered scale for JW's (like you have for apprentices)...here in NJ, an A journeyman has a total package of over $70/hr...plus employer taxes...a 1st year JW typically is not as valuable to me as a 10 yr JW...but I have to pay them the same rate...

these 3 items will change the industry as a whole...

Bob Badger

Yes without a doubt.

Black4Truck

The XYZ would be the name of the store having the work done.

Twice last year it was KOHL'S who got the RAT treatment.

william1978

Hey Boulengerina Do you work for PECI?

Peter D

I live in a heavily union area but the vast majority of retail is done by the medium and large non-union contractors here. They pulled the rug right out from under the union in that market and are working on others.

Black4Truck

Did the UNION put up the RAT, flags, lawn chairs, and "HURTING THE COMMUNITY" sign??

Peter D

If they did, I highly doubt anyone cared. I know they picketed a supermarket near me a few years ago and they do picket non-union jobs on a fairly regular basis, but otherwise I'm not sure.

Black4Truck

Here is the story that goes with the pic

http://www.newsday.com/long-island/n...rose-1.1380853

smitty1358

I see nothing wrong with pickets, hand billing. I do see the when a company hires out of state contractors it can hurt the community and local working peeps. Tell me in that state they have no one that can do that work? What ever craft it may be? So I say yes they do hurt local families.

brian john

As an employer I have to tell you, YOU ARE WRONG (not completely but wrong none the less), with the current status quo YES to some extent, but that needs to change. Show employers that the union advocate is a positive force in the work place.

There are many employers that would embrace a union that had a more positive attitude.

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brian john

So you prefer to limit freedom? Now that seems very American. We have union contractors from Florida, NC and baltimore working in my area SHOULD THEY BE BANNED?

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william1978

Brian you are in Local 26 right?

JacksonburgFarmer

Well, as a contractor whom was trained (5 yr apprenticeship) in the IBEW, and has started his own buisness, and yet to sign w/ the IBEW, here are several points.....

1) JW and apprentices should be able to solicite for work, and ECs should be able to hire who they want off the list. Yeah, I know the theory of backstabing, shoprockets, ect, but overall, it would be better.

2) ALL MEMBERS have to understand and believe and work in a partnership with a contractor, instead of working against us. So what if we occasionally make a good profit, look at what we have on the line.

3) Training needs to be more hands on. You dont/cant learn everything from a book. In my 5 years of school I had one year we regularly were in a shop to work/learn. You cant learn how to bend pipe from a book. The idea yes.....but how to actually do it....no.

4) All memebers need to learn to be glad to have a job, and loose the attitude that the employer is lucky to have them. I have 2 guys working for me whom I found OUTSIDE of the hall.

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Mamas dont let your babies grow up to be Kanyee, just let em play guitars and drive them old trucks, cowboys have manors they dont interupt. Brad Paisley

JayH

What the hell does this post mean?

In my 5 years of school I had one year we regularly were in a shop to work/learn.

You have two guys working for you from outside the hall and your non-signatory. Wow big surprise there. What would be surprising is if you had hands from the hall working for you.

It's etc. not ect.

It's lose, not loose.

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Charlie K

I tell the apprentices its not a job its a career. Its hard to explain to the guys that they can be replaced if something happens to them. I call them all Team members and there is no I in team. I can send a man back to the Hall if he cant do the job and get one who can.

Charlie

brian john

what are you missing I got it.

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