Question, Could'ent think what Forum to put it in .. so

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wattey

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For thoses who have followed my posts you'll know I am a UK Electrician looking into setting here in the US with my wife. So over the next weeks I'll be asking lots of what may seem *silly* questions until I pick up on some terms y'all use and get my NEC and Masters text books through the mail :)

Question: Unions.

In England I was a member of two Unions, EETPU (Electrical/Plumbing Union) and ISTC (Iron and Steel Trades Confed).

I am wondering how the Electrical Unions are over here? In england my union was active in pay negotiations and any Discipline cases. Membership was not compulsory to work in the trade but dues were reasonable and they looked out for us. We had Reps on site etc etc?.

How do the Unions here weigh up? Worth the time? Just wanted to get some input (from both sides) on Union Pro's and Con's.

Thanks,
Shaine~
 
Re: Question, Could'ent think what Forum to put it in .. so

A lot of it has to do with where you plan to live. Different areas have different union representation. The IBEW (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers) is a very strong union, but the contracts are negotiated locally. So if the Union doesn't have a good market share in a certain area the pay won't be as good in that area. I am a union member living in Portland OR. The union market share for commercial wireman is approx 75%. We make $31 a hour on the check and about $45 a hour including benefits. If you were to travel to another state the pay would be different. I hope I helped a little bit. Good luck
 
Re: Question, Could'ent think what Forum to put it in .. so

Ah it varies that much by state, dang.

Well I am thinking of settling in Dover DE due to the fact I have family there. So if anyone has any opinions on the Union situation in DE, NJ or surrounding areas I'd be interested to hear about them.

Of course I would still like to get a feel for the *over-all* Union situation here in the US.

Thanks for replys :)

Shaine~
 
Re: Question, Could'ent think what Forum to put it in .. so

Wattey
What you may want to try is going to the google.com site and search for the local union in the area you are going to move to. Then you can contact them about joining the local - there is no guarranty that you will be accepted into the local.
Good Luck!

Pierre
 
Re: Question, Could'ent think what Forum to put it in .. so

wattey,
we're an open shop. I will not discuss the issue on this forum but you can private message me and I'll give you any help I can. Todd
 
Re: Question, Could'ent think what Forum to put it in .. so

Wattey: I agree with Todd. I retired after 50 years, 33 years as a member of the IBEW. I will be glad to answer any questions, off the board.

Bennie
 
Re: Question, Could'ent think what Forum to put it in .. so

While we're on the subject of unions, why is it the average union electrician makes DOUBLE what the average non-union worker makes?
Does anyone have a valid reason?
 
Re: Question, Could'ent think what Forum to put it in .. so

Speedy,

It's not double! It generally is more but depends on where you live and the type of work.
 
Re: Question, Could'ent think what Forum to put it in .. so

I guess I am glad I live and work where I do.

I was put on a a rate job in RI and complained to payroll when I did not see my pay go up.

She asked me if I wanted to take the cut in pay to match the RI residential rate. :D
 
Re: Question, Could'ent think what Forum to put it in .. so

I want make it perfectly clear that I have nothing against unions, but I was never in one.

In Utah, it used to be that the IBEW would send you some propoganda in the mail discussing their wages (which were higher than non-union shops), and you could take that letter to your boss and discuss it. The problem now is that the IBEW in Utah, I'm told, has about 750 guys on the book staying home everyday.

You may want to look into how busy your local hall is staying before making the move.
 
Re: Question, Could'ent think what Forum to put it in .. so

websparky,
If Tim's wages are in the $45/hr range gross they are in fact double. In my area a GOOD mechanic will make $20-$25/hr. And good mechanics are hard to find.
IMO it's the travel involved and the fact that you may be laid off several months out of the year. The last few years though around here the books have been clear most of the time.
 
Re: Question, Could'ent think what Forum to put it in .. so

Pay rates vary tremendously across the US. A journeyman in FL may make 17 or 18 / hr and in NY or NJ he make 40 or 50/hr, before benefits.

As it is true that a lot of locals have a lot of men on the books (out of work), there is no way of knowing how many non union electricians are out of work to compare. So it is not a fair comparison. Also I have heard of union electricians working only part of the year and making as much as NU who worked all year.

IBEW is organizing new men at this time but may not have much work due to the economy
 
Re: Question, Could'ent think what Forum to put it in .. so

I don't know what to make of this article. It could mean it is possible to work on union projects and not actually have to pay dues. :D

Roger

[ January 03, 2004, 07:54 PM: Message edited by: roger ]
 
Re: Question, Could'ent think what Forum to put it in .. so

$28.50 an hour full benifits,work year around. Work for my father. Two other employees- each making $20.00 an hour with full benifits. Non union.
 
Re: Question, Could'ent think what Forum to put it in .. so

I have worked union and non-union and found both to be the same. Good and bad, sloppy and decent work. So why not get the most one can get for their 40 plus hours they work each week.

Some complain about dues (about $1250.00 a year), but that is outweighed by salary in most cases.
Even if one can find similar benefits, are they transferable to other contractors? As for losing jobs regularly, my union employees work 40 hours a week plus all the OT they want and seldom miss a day. Work does get slow every where and union and non-union shops ask men to stay home, slack off, paint houses ect. (I did this with union and non-union shops)

Most of the lay offs are from BIG jobs when they wind down if there is no where to go then they lay you off, that happens union and non union if you are a big job worker. In Washington DC the work has been good since 1991 was slack then for 18 months before that the last slow period was 1980.

Delaware and most places as you head north of Washington DC are strong union states, not saying there are not non-union shops, just more union shops then here.

We have a very open union, non-strike clause, and I have never been brought up before the board for work issues (though they did get my dander up last week), education is good, as is the open shops school, but we require education, the open shops make that decision on a shop-to-shop basis.

In our area, for the most part (not a hard fast rule) The better electricians are in the union,
IMO, the union shops court them and pay them over scale with plus scale benefits, why wouldn’t a man/woman work where he/she can get higher wages and beni’s? But there are a few VERY GOOD non-union shops that retain their men with good wages and benefit packages.
 
Re: Question, Could'ent think what Forum to put it in .. so

Originally posted by roger:
I don't know what to make of this article. It could mean it is possible to work on union projects and not actually have to pay dues. :D

Roger
Click to expand...
Yes I am digging through the old stuff :D .Roger I think your post was tongue-in-cheek but in case you didn't know,you don't have to pay dues to work on Union jobs.All you have to do is fit the criteria,which is 4 or more years in the trade,1 year living in the geographical jurisdiction of the Local and been certified or licensed as a journeyman electrician.Anyone who meets this criteria can go to the local Union hiring hall and sign book 1.
 
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