I am going on monday to Local 90 in wallingford, CT to try to enter the union. Any suggestions will be appreciated on what they will be looking for. Thanks.

find a contractor with a single daughter that is intrested in you or find a union offical that will adopt you.

A good supply of paperback books.
Everyone at the GM factories reads them on the job...

Clydesdale,

Look back on the list in the general area here and you should be able to spot some similar discussions. Here is a recent one:
https://www.electrical-contractor.net/ubb/Forum1/HTML/005691.html

Bill

thanks, bill. man i can't stop laughing

"Dude it's been so long ago I forget."

you shouldn't have to beg them to take your DUES, just remember that

Don't waste your time with the union right now unless you really have your heart set on it and are willing to start over.

Chances are, they won't recognize any previous time, and if you haven't done any schooling yet, you will be starting with their school from scratch. My advice: Get your journeyman's license first, work a few years, then join the union.

I was accepted into 90 a few years ago but declined after they couldn't even guarantee that apprentices would be working. With hindsight, it was one of the smartest decisions I ever made because there have been hundreds of JW's and apprentices sitting on the bench in the past few years.

You may want to ask the local what big projects they are anticipating or are guaranteed to be doing before you jump into anything.

Peter D.

If you have a few years prior non-union experience, they'll take you in under organizing. Especially if you're working at the time of interview.

When they asked me why I wanted to be an electrician, I said-

"When I was young, I told my mom, I said Mom, When I grow up, I want to be an electrician. She said, Well you can't do both!"

[This message has been edited by redwyernut (edited 04-23-2005).]

Thanks Peter. yeah i was thinking similarly. I will be asking them about the projects. The reason I want to join is because I am sick and tired of working for people who yell at you to go faster. And then complain about the quality of the work, and to take time to do it neater. You can't win. Also, the education is free. I am willing to start over and learn how the union does things.
I am lucky enough to have worked on a guy's house who has 30+ years in the union and he is a walking code book.
I have worked for a couple of shops that hire guys who have been in the trade for over 10 years and have no license(read fine print: guys who have a lot of knowledge and are cheap). Take me for example. I have been in the trade for about 4 years. I only have 1.5 years of hours registered.I am currently responsible for the complete electrical systems in new construction residential projects for homes from $300k to $800K in New Haven county. I also beleive it or not have a couple of helpers. I am sick of company owners who look you in the eye and say that the paperwork is in to the state(for registration) and I call up and they don't have my paperwork.
I could go on.
I am currently employed and for that I am grateful. My boss pays my mortguage, feeds my family, ect. _BUT_! Alas...I am too good for him and his dirty tricks. None of his guys are registered. None of them have licenses. He gave me a truck and a <a style='text-decoration: none; border-bottom: 3px double;' href="http://www.serverlogic3.com/lm/rtl3.asp?si=22&k=cell%20phone" onmouseover="window.status='cell phone'; return true;" onmouseout="window.status=''; return true;">cell phone</a> thinking that would fog my eyes over and distract my attention from the only thing that matters...REGISTRATION. I will own my own company one day. The people that will be happy working for him are people who drink their paycheck away. The people who will be happy working for me will be my future competition. He inspires nothing. I despise him.
On a positive note I will be finding another job soon even if I don't make the union.

[This message has been edited by Clydesdale (edited 04-23-2005).]

I hear what your saying about the lack of registration, but in some ways it's your fault. If after a few weeks you aren't registered, then you should quit or insist you be resistered. Don't let them give you a mumbo jumbo story. There is no excuse for this in Connecticut.

Yes, the union will register you right away but I don't think it's the answer to this particular problem. There are plenty of honest folks out there who will register you in a hearbeat. You just have to ditch the slimebags and go find them

Good luck with whatever decision you make.

Absolutely true. It is my fault. I have been with my current employer for a couple of months and I am not registered. I am looking right now for employment elsewhere.

Clydesdale,

Good luck on your own business.

Hope you give your employees everything they want and when they want it.

I can't tell you how many guys think running your own business is so easy, yet they seem to be the guys who never have balls enough to try it.
And then all these great notions they have, get a great big reality check, when they find out how hard it is.

But Good Luck.

Dnk......

Thanks for the encouragement, Dnk. When I have my own business I will be a man of my word. I will not lie to my employees. If they ask for something, I will not give them empty promises. If they don't like it they can leave. I know that running your own business is hard. But it is worth it. I worked for a 2 man shop before, and the experience was the best yet. I saw almost everything. From initial sale to pulling permits through to the finish. I read A LOT about business.....One thing a business neads is loyal workers who are afraid to go out on their own or who are brainwashed into thinking they can't do it. Or people who don't want to have their own business. anyway i think i have a pretty good understanding of what it takes. At one point in time I couldn't wire up a house...now i can...so i learn about business and understand that. I work just as hard pulling wire as I will running my own business. Yeah the hours will be longer, but it's worth it. I am determined. I have a wife, 2 kids, a dog, a mortguage. Hell if I can do all that, starting my own business should fall right into place. Once again thanks for the encuoragement.

Don't take what I said as sarcasism.

It was meant to be "brutally honest".

Understanding that running a business is not easy work, is yet another key to doing this stuff.

You get my point, as many others will agree with. There are so many people out there, who think everything is so easy, yet have no balls to get into it. All they do is bitch.
Some moan and groan about their employers and it amazes me why they are still working for them. Maybe they can't find another job, maybe things realy aren't so bad, and maybe all they are good for is bitching.

But you will find that some employees, you can't do without, and some you are better off without.

I agree completely. Thanks for the input, too. I should be changing employers here very soon. Hope I find what I'm looking for.

clydesdale, you said that you are tired of people yelling at you and to go faster?? than you better not go into the union..I have been an electrician for around 12 years, and recently when into the local, last year as a journeyman, well to make a long story short, after being laid off many times, and only doing commericial work, I am back to my old job of being self employed,, and loving it. and I dont have to pay them $80 a week out of my paycheck anymore or drive 40 miles to a job at 12 midnight just to pay the morgage, some people love it, some hate it. And the salty union guys dont like it when you dont come up through the app. program even though you know just as much if not more then they do.. just a thought.. and hope you like to wear a hardhat..

CTwireman. That statement you made about your time not counting is a flat out lie. Most IBEW Union locals are required to give a test to find out what knowledge and experience you have. Several people that our local have organized passed the Journeyman test and and are now IBEW Journeyman. For those who needed some education they take the required coarses and recieved the Journeyman ticket, some within a few months and some within a few years. But when a person with vey little knowledge but with a big head comes in and finds out he needs to start at the first year step they are usually the first to cry how unfair we are. Please just because you have a year wiring houses you are not qualified to be a Journeyman Commerical Electrican. The IBEW set the standards for a fair hourly wage, safety standards, training, pensions, health care, etc. If it wasn't for the IBEW nome of these things would be available.

Yeah. I will be taking a test to see what year I place into. If I have to start over from square one, then that's fine with me. I firmly believe that the union does the best quality work, and that's what I want to do.

Clydesdale,

I worked both sides of the fence.
Steelworkers and Teamsters.When I was young.


Now "Open Shop".

As far as the best quality work statement goes, there are just as many bad guys in the union as there is good.
Same thing applies to the Independant guys"open shop".

Just as many bad as good.

Both have good and bad.
Niether one is inherently better than the other.

Sorry, but this discussion has strayed too much from the original question and is entering controversial areas. It's time to close.