electricalperson

i am thinking of applying at the local union around here. i wouldnt mind the experience under my belt.

the company i work for is very anti union for reasons unknown to me. i had a discussion with somebody there and they said its bad for both the employer and employees

can somebody explain to me why someone would think the union is bad?

no union bashing or anything just facts

according to the ibew website theres about 750,000 union members in america. 750,000 men and women cant be wrong im assuming

Bob Badger

Maybe the fact they loose a lot of control over what they can and can not do. Maybe the fact that many business owners worked very hard to build a successful business and they resent the thought they may be forced to run it ways they do not want to?



I am not a union fan but I can not think of a big reason why it would be bad for the employees. That sounds like anti-union propaganda to me.



Yeah, that will happen.

I am not sure what that proves one way or the other, there are certainly more then that outside the union.

You strike me as a guy that would do well in the union. You want the pleasure of wrapping burndys no matter how much longer it takes and no matter better products are available.

__________________
Bob Badger
Electrical Construction and Maintenance
MA, RI, CT

electricalperson

im the guy that wants to do quality work, take my time and not be forced to cut corners to save a few dollars. union or not

i want to do my trade the way i was taught

augie47

you might want to study your decision a bit longer then

electricalperson

why?

drsparky

[quote=
You want the pleasure of wrapping burndys no matter how much longer it takes and no matter better products are available. [/quote]
What are you talking about? It is up to the employer if you use burndys or other methods, not the union.

__________________
"Pay attention son, this is for your own good." - Foghorn Leghorn

Frasbee

Union down here gets undercut all the time, they just can't get a good foothold down here like they can the northern cities. Both companies I've worked for used to be Union then quit.

A guy I work with "is Union", but apparently his company just don't have enough work, small stuff here and there. Doesn't matter how much more they pay you if they can't keep you working.

Maybe when I settle down somewhere I'll join the Union, but not now, not yet.

Bob Badger

I just remember that electricalperson has a preferences for the pleasures of wrapping tape around a burndy.

__________________
Bob Badger
Electrical Construction and Maintenance
MA, RI, CT

electricalperson

if we ever work together would you slap the burndy out of my hand and fire me? you seem like you hate those things

Bob Badger

To me it is not my money to spend, I am not an artist I was not given a commission to do my wiring. If the customer wants a Kia I have no problem supplying it, if they want a Bentley I can do that as well.

Work however makes you happy and keeps you employed, that is of course everyones right to do.

You and I will never agree about the nature of the work we do.

__________________
Bob Badger
Electrical Construction and Maintenance
MA, RI, CT

electricalperson

im sure ill agree with you on a lot of things if we worked together. i respect you and know you know a lot more than i do

Frasbee

Hey now!

Kias are quality affordable cars.

Lets call it a GM instead!

Bob Badger

LOL.

I was having a harder time with the high end car, it used to be you would say 'Thats a Cadillac" and that would mean the best money could buy ........ it been a long time since then.

__________________
Bob Badger
Electrical Construction and Maintenance
MA, RI, CT

Bob Badger

Well thanks but I am just another working stiff wishing I could do this trade as a hobby when and where I want.

__________________
Bob Badger
Electrical Construction and Maintenance
MA, RI, CT

Lone Crapshooter

I have been bared from the IBEW in my area because I have no realitives in the local. After hearing them talk the only difference between a union electrician and a non-signitured is that the union electrician payes dues.
The IBEW has brain washed it's members into thinking that they are the only ones than can do electrical work. that is just not so.
The way I see it is that if I am not good enough to be one of them I would not employee any of them.
The all want to tell you how good it is to be a union electrician but when was the last time one of them invited a qualified non-signitured electrician to join their with no conditions attached like being a salt.
It might be a better organization if a contractor sponsered a individual rather than a apprenticeship committee selected a individual . You go to work for a contractor then join the you are sponsered in apprenticeship by that contractor.
That would work for a green apprentice .
For a experienced electrician the union would give the contractors permissiom to hire off the street a individual goes to work and if they make it then after a probationary period he can join the union.
There would have to be some kind of tracking system to make sure that the individuals are not being abused by the contractors and the individuals are capeable of doing the work.
LC

westernexplorer

The anti-union propaganda is getting deep....
I have yet to see a Union rep or B.A. walk onto a jobsite and tell an electrician how to bend a stick of conduit, or wrap a splice. I have however, seen them tell an employer to pay the men the wage they are suppose to be paid and I have seen a union rep force an employer to re-hire an employee who was wrongfully fired, in violation of the law......

Thats what this comes down to, most employers do not respect the labor laws or the laws of our nation, when it comes to employee's pay, safety standards or training. And when someone, who is not under there thumb calls them on it, they don't like it......

Just like contractors who work people on Davis-Bacon Jobs and don't tell the employee, he is entiled to the full wages under the law. The non-union contractors continue to pay the employee there normal wage and pocket the rest of the money that is suppose to go the employee......But its the unions fault or the GOVERNMENTS fault because the contractor choose to break the law. I can understand why a non-union contractor doesn't want someone looking over his shoulder......

electricalperson, bottom line is, if all employers treated there employee's fairly and followed the law, unions would not exist...........The more the Republician Contractors try and weaken the labor laws and employee protections, they fan the flames of the labor movement......

Minuteman

To many members, you be will view upon as an outsider, You didn't go through "the program" so, you are not a real brother. If you should join, many will say that you bought your ticket. Some may even accuse you of taking a brothers job, should the books start getting a of of names on it.
Oh, and yes, there will be many that will cast dispersions upon you training and or methods.

You will have to learn how to work slower, how to whine about conditions, and most importantly - that you NEVER GO BACK TO WORK from break BEFORE THE STEWARD DOES!

__________________
Proud dad of Sgt. Mickey, USMC 0311
"The Few, the Proud, the Infidel."
Battalion Landing team 2/4, 11th MEU

John

Don't join the union just for the sake of being "union". Join if you think that it is to your advantage, in that you will learn more job skills, acquire more experience, be able to do types of electrical work that you presently don't have the opportunity to do,...........
Do it if there is something in it for you, if not don't.

Number of electricians that are not.

Attachment 1506

__________________
Doubt All Before Believing Anything.......

InPhase277

Yeah, just ask Hitler's army...

gilbequick

Ohh come on that's ridiculous. Depending on where you live the union could be a big plus or not much of a benefit at all. Compare union vs nonunion wages and benefits, and work. Much of this will not come down to union vs nonunion but more of a company vs company issue. If you go union and get on with a crappy company you can't blame it on the union. If you go nonunion and get on with a crappy company you can't blame it on it being account of not being union.

Bottom line, IMO, is compare training, wages, and who is steadily working.