Why can't we just talk

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willybud

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Why are electricians so closed lip? I just traveled through the eastern half of the country and found only 2 out of almost 25 electrical contractors willing to speak of their ups and downs.
One was in Indiana and the other was in Virginia.
Things in Mass. are a bit slugish right now but not as bad as earlier. It seemed to me that most of the states we visited had a lag in their work compaired to last year.
Indiana is booming with new housing starts and commerical building. One guy told me he moved from NJ. to Virginia for work.
Bill
 
Move to Florida...

Even with the supposed national slow-down in home construction, we in the SW Florida area have been seeing record numbers each year for 5 years straight now...
 
willybud said:
Why are electricians so closed lip? ..traveled through the eastern half ..and found only 2 out of almost 25 electrical contractors willing to speak of their ups and downs. ..One guy told me he moved from NJ. to Virginia for work.
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1) In Feb.2005 the IBEW ended a strike in Jersey, so that surge for EC's may have tapered off by now.

2) Maybe most genuinly don't know why work varies, or if economic trends effect their area of expertise.

3) If you felt a "closed lip" attitude from these EC's in general, maybe they suspect some franchise-electrical shop is conducting market research.

Like turnover specialists who force mentorship arrangements, most veterans don't hand trade-secret leverage to some wet noodle, before they suspect how the underpaid whelps are being used.

--Thought for the day:,
The only thing that hurts more than paying income tax, is not having to pay income tax.
 
willybud said:
I just traveled through the eastern half of the country and found only 2 out of almost 25 electrical contractors willing to speak of their ups and downs.
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Willy, I'm in Richmond, Va. Some days, there aren't enough hours and I can't juggle everything, other days, I have to invent things for my guys to do.

What would you like to ask me?
 
Larry, Thats what we heard from the two guys we talked to. The contractor from Virginia was WAYNES Wires Co. What are you doing to keep your guys busy and do you see things in your area going up or staying them same for the near future?
We are having the same situations here. We've taken on solar systems to supplement our work. I just wanted to know how the rest of the EC's in the eastern states were doing work wise.
It seems like EC's are reluctant to talk when things are going slow.
 
ramsy said:
1) In Feb.2005 the IBEW ended a strike in Jersey, so that surge for EC's may have tapered off by now.
Click to expand...

HUH?
I must have been on vacation that day..tell me more.
 
ramsy said:
Like turnover specialists who force mentorship arrangements, most veterans don't hand trade-secret leverage to some wet noodle, before they suspect how the underpaid whelps are being used.
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conan3.jpg

...and when they discover our plotting ways, we simply destroy them!
 
iwire said:
Those would be linemen.

Not seeing how their strike would effect electricians.
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Another reason "Not" to tell these whelps anything. They always have to argue with you.

NECA lineman shops use inside-wiring guys as "Groundmen" to support linemen in the field. Utility substations use inside-wiring guys as "Mechanics," and "Operators".

A "narrow back" can become a "wide back" (real electrician) when they have worked for a lineman shop.

My first lineman tour required my CDL, I thought for driving bucket trucks, until the contractor promptly told me, "Your not driving trucks or climbing poles, your digging holes."

That was 6 to 9 feet deep (10% of pole length + 2') thru bolders, gravel, hardened clay, & mud below water tables.

I felt punked, towing around a compressor, digging w/100lb jack hammers, 12-foot digging bars, shovels and post-hole diggers. But, this right of passage is integral to "Groundmen" and lineman apprenticeships, and remains a traditional test of mettle & character.

The rewards for me came later, while suporting xfmr instalations, meter hookups, and 36-hour shifts during storm duty under public works labor contracts.

Another kicker, was after learning what it takes to install pole-mounted xfmrs, none of my bids will miss Tbl.310-15(b)(6) conductor ampacities, using messenger supported wiring methods.

However, playing Russan roulette with a trade-diverse, temporary-labor pool is no comparative advantage against traditional-focused experience. Jack of all & master of none can be relatively week, dependant and constantly kicked around, perhaps until other skills or formal education forms the perception of a neccessary function.
 
iwire,

that strike seriously cost us 4 good jobs and have delayed 3 others for months. During the strike, it was nearly impossible to get the power company to:

1- come to a site and engineer the locations for meters and transformers
2- setup a disconnect/reconnect for a new service (not residential, but 1600A 480V ones)

no one would give answers or even accept the questions. It slowed things down a lot.

The 4 jobs, just never got done. Owners decided against upgrades, or sold their businesses, etc.
 
ramsy said:
Havn't you been listening? Thats why they pay me the big bucks!
I tell you nothing.
Now, go fetch the 16 foot ladder.

New Jersey Utility Strike Ends
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My days of fetching are long shadows behind me :D...

The "IBEW" did not go on "strike". The linemen for a certain utility did.

NJ has many chapters of the IBEW...6 of which are ["construction"] related. All the others(15 +/- locals) basically fall into [closed shops] ~ like the POCO's, RR's and Manufacuring.

It is completely inaccurate to say "The IBEW went on strike".
It would be entirely accurate to say "The IBEW lineman from JCP&L went on strike".


ramsy said:
1) In Feb.2005 the IBEW ended a strike in Jersey, so that surge for EC's may have tapered off by now.
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The "surge" would have only affected areas that are served by JCP&L...the "surge" could still be continuing in areas serviced by PSE&G, GPU, Orange/Rockland(?), etc.

1 closed shop local *may* have had some impact on *some" projects, but not the entire state.

Get your own dam ladder...and when you're done, sharpen my pencils.
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celtic said:
My days of fetching are long shadows behind me :D... ..Get your own dam ladder...and when you're done, sharpen my pencils.
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I'll sharpen your pencils, and raise you half a cup of coffee.
pencils_jpg.jpg
 
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