ibewwolf

You've bounced back pretty well since hitting bottom. With the economy the way it is I hope your plan comes true. Before this economy picks up (which I think will be quite some time, I think alot of contractors (union and non-union) will go out of business. Remember that part about not "putting all your eggs in one basket". I've been a Business Rep for a year and a half and talk to the non-union almost on a daily basis. I understand what you mean by talking up the good points about the IBEW. I never get confrontational and merely explain our good points and show them our wages and benefits. Some make close to our wages but none of them have a pension and when they are offered a 401K, they always have to match out of their paycheck. What sucks is that I can only organize the ones whose shop is in my local and most are from the neighboring jurisdictions. I get complaints from the non-union about getting beat up by the illegals. In my area of my local mostly are Polish and Russian from Chicago. They work for a song and a dance. Some are down right dangerous. I gotta ask you just how old are you? It is gonna piss me off if I find out I'm older then you. I just hit middle age, 55 with 7 more to go. If I make it it will give me 40 years in the IBEW. I do have to say the IBEW has changed alot in the last 15 years. Drug testing in most every local and big job, no wobbles or you will answer to the I.O. I can honestly say for a fact that here we are definitely more productive. We control about 80% of our work, and probably 80% of the residential (back when they used to build houses). The one thing I have to say is that the way the laws are written I will never be able to organize a non union contractor unless he wants to come in. Any ideas? Gotta go been dancing with a snowblower for two hours and 5:30 comes awlful fast for this "kid".

i was asked to leave by pwr-something or other...i wasn't looking to cause trouble...heck, i'll go back any time...but he asked politely...should i return?

scratch that idea, i was banned...oh, well...

we are looking 9-12 month out at this time...we'll be going electrical, mechanical (tinknockers and fitters) and plumbing...

we have 3 separate companies, and we'll bring them all in order to bid the entire projects...

however, at this time, we need to get about $400k in the bank to make the transition and cover the upfront expenses...

i hope you guys stick around here...