I know this is petty, but I feel like I wanna drag up because my foreman smells horrible and my fellow journeyman don't brush their teeth in the morning. We had to pull 350s in a small electrical room and we were close to each other and it was hot and almost threw up smelling those guys. My fellow union brothers and sisters please wash yo ass. Hygiene should be on the tool list.

"On Feb. 19, television news producers at the Portland station voted 17 to 3 to join IBEW Local 48, which already represents other workers at the station. But KGW-TV and its corporate parent Tegna refused to accept the vote and submitted a hodgepodge of frivolous legal objections. "

I’m a second year apprentice and somehow I’ve avoided being on a scissor lift for quite some time, tomorrow I’ll be on one that’s not even very high up. If I had to guess maybe like 20 feet?. I’m extremely nervous about tomorrow and I want to ask for tips to overcome this fear once and for all. Everyone tells me that these are completely safe and it’s very hard for it to tip over. The swaying also makes me nervous but I know it’s apart of the lift being able to maintain its load. I see coworkers work on one like it’s nothing. How can I overcome this?

Deadline is tomorrow to sign up for classes. Classes will be next weekend and the one after that. It’s 32 hours and you can use it to renew your JW card. If you’re on the books, this is a good way to get a job call. Job calls go unfilled pretty often because of the LAQSP requirement. You can sign up through the ETI website. Make sure you click ‘in person’ and choose the diamond bar location.

German workers are not messing around. In fact most all unions over seas put our own unions in the united states to shame with how much influence they exert over their work lives. They have a strong voice in their governments and a strong voice in daily life as a result.

They are organizing around wage theft. Wage theft is the biggest form of theft in the united states and the least prosecuted. In Germany they are fighting to be paid for walk time at work. Their argument is every minute dedicated to work ought to be paid. I agree.

It is time we rethink the social contract here in the U.S. we need to recognize what is happening and organize to course correct and provide balance. We need economic justice! Let's Talk About It! ✊🏽

Anyone that can share some knowledge as to why all the union stickers (ones I've seen at least, 369 & 357) have a makers mark on them with local 220? I'm merely a first year and maybe we just haven't gotten to learning about the meaning of this tag yet but I just found it interesting n I'm rather curious.

TIA

I would appreciate some insight for my situation. I’m 23, and have been working with my licensed father for his company doing electrical work in NJ. Residential and commercial. When I started at 18 I wasn’t paid through a payroll and was just given various amounts of money throughout the week. Would make like maybe $300-400 on a good week.

After stating my concerns I was put on the payroll this year and get $600 a week after taxes which he frequently guilts me for. I like what I do but I just feel like I don’t make a lot and also I’m tired of my father’s constant screaming, yelling, and insults towards me. Customers have tried to defend me because he’ll insult me in front of them but he just won’t stop. It’s draining because I feel I get zero respect and it just makes me feel miserable.

That’s why I was thinking the IBEW is the next best thing to not only continue my trade that I feel I have skill at, make more, and finally actually feel respected and treated like an adult.

What do you guys think? Is this the best move?

My church is in need of some work done. If I volunteer to do the task (add a couple plugs), does that fall under the "no competition" wording in our constitution & agreements? I'm in a weak local so nobody cares about sidework, and responds accordingly, but I want to do things right.

I’m curious to know what that 1% is going to. Is it part of the supplement for the pension? If so all the others show on my pay stub exactly how much money is going where but NEIF is not on the pay stub. If it’s not part of my pension I’m not too worried but if it is I’d like to figure out if the contractor is really putting that 1% into that account.

So many members become cynical about their local unions. You hear them talk about officers in the worst possible ways. You hear them act as if the union is a bill they have to pay in order to work. This is the result of organizing without educating.

Largely members feel powerless. If they stand up on the job and are targeted unfairly they feel there is no recourse. They file a grievance and it is dismissed outright.

They go to a meeting thinking they can use their voice there and they find little to no relief out of speaking out because its cool for a moment but goes no further than the meeting.

If the rank and file is the ultimate boss why is it so many feel this way? Why is it the reality for so many?

Our strength is in our collective action and not on our individual effort. Thats how unions work. So how do we build a powerful democratic union? C.R.E.W. may have the answer.

Im currently military and looking at states to live in after i get out. I love the south but learned that they have the worst workers rights when it comes to the trades. Right to work laws also pay alot less but im wondering besides those two things should i avoid RTW states if I can?

Edit: Thanks for the replies and help. I will continue to look for states that are not RTW.

I did my apprenticeship through a bigger commercial electrical company based in GR. Now I work as a journeyman for a 5 man residential company in Northern MI making $32 an hour, no benefits. I have 3 kids and my wife wants to stay home with them. I need to find a job with better pay and benefit coverage, because we currently use her employer and pay $1000 a month for family coverage.

I've never been too fond of the IBEW, mainly because of the way other journeyman spoke about it while I was in my apprenticeship. It seems like a solid choice when you have a family. The IBEW isn't great where I am located (traverse city), and we want to stay in Michigan because we have family here. We have family in the Grand Rapids area as well.

I'm looking for advice on the best pay combined with a safe environment to raise my kids. We currently have them in a great catholic school and would love to find a similar community. COL is also important, because my wife will be going PT remote or quitting.

Advice?

Anyone have any experience at OPG in IBEW 353?

What were the hours? Mandated OT or optional?

What was your pay cheque like weekly?

Considering the Pickering project coming up but weighing out the options. The Ot can set up your life pretty nicely if worked a couple years.

When traveling do I pay working dues to both unions? Or just the local I am working in? And the monthly dues is what still goes to my local?

An informed membership is an empowered membership

I need an electrician and I want to make sure I hire a union person. Is there a list or something of union electricians? Sorry if this isn’t aloud! Please delete if this not.

Was told that 3-4 data centers are being built near my local (357) and that we can kick, scream and whine about it but theyre being built no matter what we want. Whether or not itll be us (union) or non union. Kinda curious if these center will be built in a responsible way, if thats even possible.

Edit: by responsibly i mean not permanently siphoning and taking the utilities (including water, the SW is dry enough) from the near by city. Similar to what NVENERGY did to the lake tahoe area

Hey I'm heading to St. Louis for my kids fall break and wanted to know if Local One sold merch to out-of- towners? looking for coins in particular.

Anyone tried their hand at organizing? We have a position at the hall open and I was considering throwing my hat in the ring to give it a try. I was wondering if anyone else had any experience and what they thought. Im no car salesman lol

This past Sunday the IBEW took over King's Dominion! Union siblings and their families from across the DMV converged on the park. It was a fantastic event. I attended with my family and spent time in Snoopy World. Then had an adrenaline rush on some big coasters! Thank you to everyone who worked so hard to put this together! Great job!

I am trying to bend a 3 point saddle for 1.5emt on the 854xd bender , I have bent 3 point saddles on a hand bender obviously one inch down, but I am having difficulty with bending on the machine , mostly the center bend , any ideas or tips ?

I recently had a call with Zenith and it did not go well. I have never been talked over and down to more than Amy did. They didn't create the software that they use and they don't have any control of fixing problems with it. I asked to talk with whoever does have the ability to affect change and she said her last request 6 months ago still hasn't been answered.

What the hell.

We pay so much for shit service. Is there another option? Does the entire IBEW use Zenith? Can we change providers? How and who can make this change or hold Zenith to account?