Riding the book

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Dolfan

Senior Member
Hi guys, I have not posted in a while. Last year was bad, but has been better since the elections in November. I am self employed, but I am also a member of the IBEW. I went to pay my dues and figured that I would sign the books. I figured this would make me feel like I'm getting something for my 340.00 dollars. They told me that I could not sign unless I close my business down. This does not seem fair since I'm not taking anything from anybody by being self employed as an electrical contractor(one man shop). What do you guys think?
 

satcom

Senior Member
Hi guys, I have not posted in a while. Last year was bad, but has been better since the elections in November. I am self employed, but I am also a member of the IBEW. I went to pay my dues and figured that I would sign the books. I figured this would make me feel like I'm getting something for my 340.00 dollars. They told me that I could not sign unless I close my business down. This does not seem fair since I'm not taking anything from anybody by being self employed as an electrical contractor(one man shop). What do you guys think?

Do you work as a union contractor or are you looking to have your Cake and also eat it, sounds more then fair to not allow you to sign
 

K8MHZ

Senior Member
Location
Michigan. It's a beautiful peninsula, I've looked
Occupation
Electrician
Hi guys, I have not posted in a while. Last year was bad, but has been better since the elections in November. I am self employed, but I am also a member of the IBEW. I went to pay my dues and figured that I would sign the books. I figured this would make me feel like I'm getting something for my 340.00 dollars. They told me that I could not sign unless I close my business down. This does not seem fair since I'm not taking anything from anybody by being self employed as an electrical contractor(one man shop). What do you guys think?

That used to be the rule here at Local 275, but they have decided not to enforce it so that our brothers could at least eat while they rode the books, which is about a 2 year ride here. They are requiring that those EC's not bid against signatory EC's and so far that has worked out well.

FWIW, in addition to 'I Block Every Walkway, I've Been Every Where and I'm Broke Every Wednesday' we now can truthfully say, 'I Barely Ever Work'.
 

K8MHZ

Senior Member
Location
Michigan. It's a beautiful peninsula, I've looked
Occupation
Electrician
Do you work as a union contractor or are you looking to have your Cake and also eat it, sounds more then fair to not allow you to sign

Well, he has to eat something in order to survive.

If you read my post above you can see that there is a proven, workable compromise.

15 years ago I would have agreed with you without question, but now things are different. Far more different than I could have imagined back then when we were in demand and all had work.
 

fireryan

Senior Member
Location
Minnesota
I agree with the hall on this one. If you have your own shop you are taking away work from the other members because you are doing work as a one man shop and not hiring the other members. It is almost the same as doing side work if you were to sign the books. Hope that helps
 

fireryan

Senior Member
Location
Minnesota
That used to be the rule here at Local 275, but they have decided not to enforce it so that our brothers could at least eat while they rode the books, which is about a 2 year ride here. They are requiring that those EC's not bid against signatory EC's and so far that has worked out well.

FWIW, in addition to 'I Block Every Walkway, I've Been Every Where and I'm Broke Every Wednesday' we now can truthfully say, 'I Barely Ever Work'.

I think that would probably work if you had a agreement like that
 

Dolfan

Senior Member
Do you work as a union contractor or are you looking to have your Cake and also eat it, sounds more then fair to not allow you to sign

I did sign as a Union Contractor and have never had the opportunity to put anybody to work. When you do the math, it's a lose lose scenario in this economy. I figured I would work and learn till times improve, then try and make the numbers work. If I was taking a job from somebody, I could see the point, but I have small jobs that are mainly service related. I have no intention of working out of the hall ever again, but one never knows what tomorrow will bring.
 

satcom

Senior Member
I did sign as a Union Contractor and have never had the opportunity to put anybody to work. When you do the math, it's a lose lose scenario in this economy. I figured I would work and learn till times improve, then try and make the numbers work. If I was taking a job from somebody, I could see the point, but I have small jobs that are mainly service related. I have no intention of working out of the hall ever again, but one never knows what tomorrow will bring.

A good number of the union contractors are now doing small jobs and service work along with the what little there is in new large projects

When our area took a dive in electrical work I pumped gas and did some temp help, odd jobs to keep the bills paid
It is tough out there today
 

renosteinke

Senior Member
Location
NE Arkansas
As I see it, it's not a "union vs. non-union" issue at all. It's a question of whether you're working or not.

If you're not working, you make yourself available by signing the book.

Once you're working, you're not 'waiting in line' anymore.

If you have some way to work, yet hold your place in line, you're not being fair to the rest. Operating your own business can make it too easy for you to cheat this way.

Another 'union' topic that can enter the discussion is just what your job is. You can either be represented by the union - as a working guy- or be representing the company (as management). In a one-man shop, which are you? If the union calls a strike, how will you picket yourself? It's just one of those situations that are outside the scope of the usual arrangement.
 

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
Well, he has to eat something in order to survive.

Do something other then electrical work.

Honor the agreement he made when he joined ...... he would certainly expect the signatory contractors to honer their part of the agreements.

15 years ago I would have agreed with you without question, but now things are different.


Times are tough for contractors as well, maybe they should not provide all the contracts require?
 

SBuck

Member
I did sign as a Union Contractor and have never had the opportunity to put anybody to work. When you do the math, it's a lose lose scenario in this economy. I figured I would work and learn till times improve, then try and make the numbers work. If I was taking a job from somebody, I could see the point, but I have small jobs that are mainly service related. I have no intention of working out of the hall ever again, but one never knows what tomorrow will bring.

If you signed up with your local hall as a union contractor then you are a contractor. What you are asking to do is like picking up a call (which is what you did by becoming a contractor) and then going back to hall and saying you want to sign the book for when you get laid off.
 

stevenj76

Senior Member
A good number of the union contractors are now doing small jobs and service work along with the what little there is in new large projects

Guilty. We are doing a bunch of small commercial service jobs, 8 hours, 12 hours, 40 hours, and such. It's a tough go at it when your #1 competitor pays no benefits or retirement, we're still winning bids.... but it's literally day-to-day, even partial days and partial weeks. The GC's PM is a bid-shopper too, we think we got it one day, and the next day the work is gone.
 

K8MHZ

Senior Member
Location
Michigan. It's a beautiful peninsula, I've looked
Occupation
Electrician
Do something other then electrical work.

Honor the agreement he made when he joined ...... he would certainly expect the signatory contractors to honer their part of the agreements.




Times are tough for contractors as well, maybe they should not provide all the contracts require?

All I did was tell the way our hall handles things. I don't feel I said anything that should be construed in a manner to put me on the defensive.

Suggesting that my report of our current status quo should in some way indicate that I felt contractors should cheat on contracts is pushing things a bit.
 

stevenj76

Senior Member
Times are tough for contractors as well, maybe they should not provide all the contracts require?

I thought this was the name of the game. Better known as, 'cut corners and don't get caught?' or 'cut corners and plead ignorance?' how about, 'cut corners and point the finger somewhere else.' I also seen, 'get caught cutting corners and artfully give as little money back as possible.' The game I haven't seen is, 'don't cut corners and the job makes big money.'
 

K8MHZ

Senior Member
Location
Michigan. It's a beautiful peninsula, I've looked
Occupation
Electrician
I thought this was the name of the game. Better known as, 'cut corners and don't get caught?' or 'cut corners and plead ignorance?' how about, 'cut corners and point the finger somewhere else.' I also seen, 'get caught cutting corners and artfully give as little money back as possible.' The game I haven't seen is, 'don't cut corners and the job makes big money.'

If that's what you have observed you are seeing what it looks like when there is a race to the bottom.

I'd rather bail than participate. I'm going back to college come hell or high water so I don't get sucked down the drain like so many hard working stiffs that deserve much better.
 
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