I'm going to do my best not to get too political about it here. But, this REALLY confuses me. The IBEW created, lobbied for and promoted this law, got it passed, and now it seems they have dropped it like a hot metal halide lamp? I do not get it! The numbers of certifications should at least reflect thier numbers.
Most non-union guys have know idea it even exists, it is a suprise to them when I bring it up. As this is an apprenticeship law essentially, it falls to the DIR/DAS for enforcement (Which hase a new department for "enforcement", although it is not clear what they do yet.
http://www.dir.ca.gov/dlse/dlse.html ) And the CSLB has remained hands off all but entirely, although they handle all other aspects of the construction industry licensing and enforcment.
ABC the non-union side of this seems to also be in the dark here too.
http://www2.abc.org/documents//ElecTest082704.pdf Yet, when I brought it up to Jeanie Kaatz there, I mentioned the low numbers, she made like this next meeting (October 20 - 22, 2004) was no big deal, and that it was full steam ahead. 'But there is only 7500 electricians in the state!' - 'Well, people will come around...'
I do not get it....
We already have one Inspector here in SF that will ask for cards while he's at the job, after the new year he says. That's going to be a rude awakening for some. If he says "Are you "Certified"? and they say, "Uh, Yeah!"
ยง294.0. Enforcement
Any person who displays a certificate, or otherwise claims to be certified, who is not certified shall be prohibited from taking the test for certification for a period of five (5) years.
NOTE Authority cited: Section 3099, Labor Code. References: Section 3099, Labor Code.
For those of us who either have, or want to start a small shop, this type of uncertainy is not encouraging news. Seeing that your helper is going to want, and get a determined % of prevailing wage. As another law now requires apprentices, for public,
and private work to be paid a pay and benifits package 40-80% of state mandated prevailing wage schedules. (1st year 40%, 2nd 50%, 3rd 60%, 4th 70% 5th 80%) As your employees who can not prove 8000 hrs of experiance can not sit for the certification test must become apprentices. 4800 hrs for residential, and they are limited to only working residential! So of course the Journeyman will want and get more. And, you can have only two apprentices (Edit: only one per journeyman, as stated in 3099.4(A)3.) directly supervised by each Journeyman by law.
Yes, electure, we will be in the money, as employees. But if you have or want employees (like I do) as a C-10 contractor, you will soon have some problems. A "B" license can pull electrical permits, and pay his guys minimum wage to do electrical work, how do you compete with that? And, if our prices are high, it will make the unlicensed look like a better deal to many. The enforcement of that is pityfull! So, we may not be in the money just yet.
Ok, I'm starting to rant, and better stop....
[This message has been edited by e57 (edited 10-10-2004).]
