ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area Interviewing an Employer

True, but the union, not the employeer, is requiring this training.
Don

actually don,

the union is the employer. the employee is simply leased to the contractor. so it's still the employer requiring it.

I definitely appreciate all the replies so far. Ya'll have suggested some good ideas that I hadn't thought of. Don't get the wrong idea here; I'm not looking for a free ride by any means. On the contrary, if I can find a company that takes pride in the quality of their work, then I am more than willing to give 110%. My problem is that as it stands now I'm trying to give 110% in a company that only wants about 65%.

-John

I don't agree...the union doesn't sign my check. Our contract has many references to the contractor being the employer.
Don



[This message has been edited by resqcapt19 (edited 03-09-2006).]

That's fine, I just disagree with you. Is your allegance with the contractor or the union? who really decides your future? who really controls your destiny? it's not the contractor

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the union is the employer. the employee is simply leased to the contractor. so it's still the employer requiring it.
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I also have to disagree with that. My paycheck comes from the contractor.
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That's fine, I just disagree with you. Is your allegance with the contractor or the union? who really decides your future? who really controls your destiny? it's not the contractor
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I control my own destiny. I show loyalty to my local union. I show allegiance to the contractor. Also in our local apprentices are paid to attend classes up to their third year. It is a day school program.

Just a caution here....this thread is getting off track, into (forbidden) union/ non union areas of discussion.

Obviously, a man looking for work in a new town will have his choices very strongly defined by whether or not he belongs to a craft union. Nor is union membership something you can don or remove like a new jacket!

As a union member, i would expect the local to be a resource for me, regarding the local market.

Absent that resource, there is no quick way to "separate the sheep from the goats."

Another item, so far overlooked in this discussion, is that it is rare for a construction worker to stay with an employer for any extended period; he follows the work, without regard to who the actual contractor may be. That's why we're called "Journeymen."

Now, I do have another suggestion....why not visit city hall, and have an informal chat with the inspectors? They just might point you in the right direction.

reno,

you are correct. my intention was simply to make sure big john understood that he was correct for wanting those items from a new contractor.

But he just needed to make sure that he understood and was willing to give the contractor what was needed in order for them to provide those items.

I just tend to come from a contractors point where we get resumes a mile long and the mechanic doesn't actually have the experience claimed.

Sorry for getting this thread of track. But after going through hundreds of employees over the past 30 yrs, you get a healthy bit of skepticism.

For Don and Charlie, I actually understand where you guys are coming from. I've seen it from the other side as well. Never wanted to turn this into a union discussion. my feeling on unions are fairly well documented. For the record, i'm in favor of the unions, just not the union bosses i've come in contact with.

Good luck Big John, by your last post, you should be fine.

reno,

regarding the journeyman following the work:

this is true. unfrotunately, it's more true today than in the past. From an employees point of few, it's hard to feel loyalty to a contractor who you don't think treats you right.

from a contractors point of view, it's hard to spend thousands of $ on training and education on an employee who you think is going to leave you at any moment.

I think today, the best thing a good field mechanic can do it take their destiny into their own hands. Learn everything you can, anyway you can. Make yourself valuable to any potential employer. Be able to backup your resume. Know your worth and prove it.

We are a labor industry. It's very difficult for us to actually prove our ability before we start working for them. There are too many variables to test prior. So the contractor has to go on faith that the mechanic is competent. Educate yourself and really control your own destiny.

good luck

Big John, if you are going to New Mexico you need to be ready for a couple of things...first, the pay scale out there is probably going to be much lower than what you are getting in Virginia, and secondly something I found to be iritating at times which was the "manana syndrome" (tomorrow syndrome). Oh, and something else, get ready to start eating green chilie or red chilie on just about anything and everything. You may just get to the point that you have to have it...lol. ummmm good!! Enjoy also the humidity there (low) which means if it is 90 out in the sun, step into the shade and it will feel like 70. Hope you find what you are looking for there...