Texas and the state liscense

[ventingelectrician]

I have been an electrician for 17 years. I would just like to vent a little. Texas went to a state liscense and any one with 6 years experience such as helpers were grand fathered in for a state journeymen liscense. Well some of these guys have never opened a code book and do not even make good helpers. It is a slap in the face to any one who has ever taken the test. Just venting . I asked a guy who got grand fathered in had he ever opened or owned a code book and he said no.I'm sure if it happened in your state you would be upset to.

 

[redfish]

Re: Texas and the state liscense

I feel your pain. The only consolation is that they will have to take their test to become a master. As journeymen, they are now literally a dime a dozen. Being a journeyman doesn't mean what it used to since most two-wire electricians have been grand fathered in. I think that the experience that some journeymen have will be the deciding factor on the pay scale, not the mere fact that they have a journeyman's license.

 

[hardworkingstiff]

Re: Texas and the state liscense

At least it is a step in the right direction.

 

[ventingelectrician]

Re: Texas and the state liscense

Originally posted by redfish:
I feel your pain. The only consolation is that they will have to take their test to become a master. As journeymen, they are now literally a dime a dozen. Being a journeyman doesn't mean what it used to since most two-wire electricians have been grand fathered in. I think that the experience that some journeymen have will be the deciding factor on the pay scale, not the mere fact that they have a journeyman's license.

I know a guy that got grand fathered in for a masters since he lived in a rolyal county. That guy never passed any kind of test and has since started his own company

 

[tx2step]

Re: Texas and the state liscense

Any time a state goes from just having local city licenses to an overall state license, this same stuff occurs. I've seen the same thing happen in another state. Eventually everything will shake out and the dead wood will all sink. It just takes time. Painful in the beginning, but eventually the best route for the state and for us.

Some states probably do a better job than Texas did at prequalifying everyone, but they were also dealing with a lot fewer numbers, too.

I'm sure that there were some guys that got masters licenses that shouldn't have -- false reference letters, etc. But I think there were a lot fewer of them than there were journeymen.

Once they are through with the initial licensing glut, hopefully they will turn their attention more toward finding the liars and the unqualified? Probably not, though, without something to attract their attention to a truly unqualified specific individual.

Edited to add -- that last comment was a hint. Just use good judgement and don't shoot yourself in the foot.

[ August 07, 2005, 11:40 PM: Message edited by: tx2step ]

 

[GG]

Re: Texas and the state liscense

I know of 6 j-man in DFW running their own EC business. TDLR doesnt care, the cities they operate in dont care, and the customers that hire them everyday dont care. So what are those of us that follow the state law suppose to do? Go broke? Join the hacks? Go to work for a J-man? I think TDLR and their GF was a ploy to make some serious cash. Where did all that money that we sent them for our licenses go anyway? As of Aug. 4th they have issued 101,000 licenses. My masters and EC's license alone were around $300. So lets just say they received $80 per license. Thats 8,080,000 MILLION DOLLARS, but the actual figure is probably well over 10 million. Plus I read where TDLR is bringing back the grandfathering until Dec.2005. Was 8 mil not enough? Thats enough money to have atleast 1 employee in every city who's job is nothing more than to catch hacks posing as EC's and fine them into the next century.

 

[tx2step]

Re: Texas and the state liscense

Originally posted by GG:
I know of 6 j-man in DFW running their own EC business. TDLR doesnt care, the cities they operate in dont care, and the customers that hire them everyday dont care. So what are those of us that follow the state law suppose to do? Go broke? Join the hacks? Go to work for a J-man?

I feel your pain!!! But in reality, the local AHJ's are the main enforcement arm and always will be. If they weren't already keen on enforcing their own municipal licensing ordinances, then they'll be no more keen on enforcing state licensing regs either. The problem already existed in each of those cities -- it just remains the same. Those particular cities (and their AHJ's) were already just as inclined to allow Jmen to operate as contractors and to allow unlicensed hack work. I don't think it's gotten any worse, it's just that implementing state regs hasn't made that issue get any better.

Originally posted by GG:
I think TDLR and their GF was a ploy to make some serious cash. Where did all that money that we sent them for our licenses go anyway?

Well... Knowing the great state of Texas as I do, you certainly have a point there. Just look at all the stuff that's gone on with the lottery. Hardly any of that money has gone where they said it would go when they were dangling carrots in front of the citizens to get them to approve having a lottery. Sure, it'll pay for all of the schools. I believe you! Depressing!

Never fear, your "big brother" is looking out for you! Sleep well... just lock up your wallet first!

Edited to add:

Now if we could just get across to the TDLR that handing out whopper fines to unlicensed contractors is another very good revenue stream, then we might get some action going? That angle might actually work, eventually?

[ August 08, 2005, 11:44 AM: Message edited by: tx2step ]

 

[GG]

Re: Texas and the state liscense

Originally posted by tx2step:

Now if we could just get across to the TDLR that handing out whopper fines to unlicensed contractors is another very good revenue stream, then we might get some action going? That angle might actually work, eventually?

That might just work.

 

[OneWay]

Re: Texas and the state liscense

As if Texas wages weren't suffering enough, they have to flood the market, suddenly before the next wage determination which obviously will be effected by the overture of J-man, which half wouldn't know DC from AC, just one more move to keep the wages surpressed and make it hard on brothers that pride themselves in the slogan "made in America" we need a blue collar president.
There are some out there that are pretty sharp, craftsmanship is where it is baby, wins every time!

[ August 10, 2005, 03:59 PM: Message edited by: OneWay ]