Union Welders

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I'm wanting opinions from union welders, I have a chance to go to the local union in georgia to take test and go out to a nuclear plant welding . My question is I've never been union so how do yall like it also I have been told if I come in and go straight in as a welder with out doing a appentiship that I'm gonna catch the devil from everyone was wondering yall s opinion on a man coming in without appentishipping I'm just tring to provide what's best for my family I'm not one to take much crap off anyone  and hate to go in and get into some crap thanks
Reply:I very much doubt that you will simply take a test and then go right in welding at a Nuclear Plant. Have you done much welding previously, do you not have any resumes or recommendations from previous employers?? I know many welders in the UK that have never done an apprenticeship but are the best welders i've ever seen, with a decent CV and good references you can easily get a job anywhere. Why do you want to go with the Unions i thought their pay wasn't any good?? If you work for yourself you could do much better for yourself.
Reply:I have worked here in and out of union shops. Ours is a right to work state so the unions really have little power. In a right to work state I feel I payed dues for little return other than being one of the guys. I have worked in states that tend to be contract work and belong to unions where the unions actually have some power. They tend to have more sway and better jobs than the non Union. That being said, I neither support nor don't support the idea of a union. Some places they do a better job at what I think they should than others.Regards,RobGreat Basin WeldingInstagramBlue weldersRed weldersMy luscious Table DIY TIG Torch cooler
Reply:I belonged to a union all my life, in fact I’m 3rd generation union. I went through the apprenticeship, big dam deal! Some of the best hands I have ever worked with did not go through the apprenticeship. If you can weld good, and do great work no where I’ve ever been do they give a rat’s azz if you went through the apprenticeship or not. It’s all about how much money you can make them on this job!Don’t pay any attention to meI’m just a hobbyist!CarlDynasty 300V350-Pro w/pulseSG Spool gun1937 IdealArc-300PowerArc 200ST3 SA-200sVantage 400
Reply:I don't know for sure how it works with the fitters or ironworkers but there is a bit of stigma attached to a street hire.  Unions are changing though because membership has dropped so precipitously over the last 50 years.  Unfortunately the older membership and the less skilled feel threatened by this.  The union bosses less so. In the IBEW,  (electricians)  you will be hired as a book 4 hire.  Book one is local members with a minimum of 2000 hours (or one year average hour count of the local members) and is usually confined to folks that served their apprenticeship there.  There is a path to book one though for non local members.  Book 2 is for union members from another local who are "traveling".  Book 3 is for "out of class" hires.  For instance in the IBEW we have housing, sign, tree trimmer, and line grades in addition to inside wiremen.  All of those would be hired as book 3.  Book 4 is for off the street hires with no union affiliation.  If I was you I would jump at the chance to come in as a book 4.  Just stay quiet and don't get involved in philosophical discussions.  Your best line is "I was dispatched by the hall and I'm here to feed my family".  There are arse hulls everywhere. Don't be one.DanI hope that when i'm dead and gone, people will remember me and think; "Boy, that guy sure owed me a lot of money!"
Reply:Times have changed, nobody really cares anymore. I work at a union shop that hires non union guys. We work side by side, nobody gives them any crap from what I've seen. Unions can't really man a job anymore, and they know it.
Reply:Sorry for not putting back ground I'm georgia state 6g certified for welding on bridges which is what I'm currently doing ,had a welding boat dock business for 10 years prior and have a cert for automotive mig welding.
Reply:after being a welder/ironworker for a short time the benefits of being union were obvious. pension,health coverage,annuity and safe working conditions are laid out in black and white. i can't speak for anyone else but myself when i say my life is better for working union. i'm no union missionary though and i fully support anyone's choice to work harder for less money.i.u.o.e. # 15queens, ny and sunny fla
Reply:Very interesting question and answers here. I have never been around unions either and always wondered about it. Thanks for asking DocMan.SA-250 TMDSquarewave 200Thunderbolt AC/DC1951 G.E. welder
Reply:Things are changing in the work place daily. Some conditions really suck along with wages and safety. Most unions jobs that I was on were great, safe, and made a decent buck. I am retired union member and my retirement and benefits are awesome. 45 years as a member and they still pay me good just for sitting here typing. I think it would be worth for you in the long term.
Reply:Pay is good 35 hr plus all benefits paid I think I'm leaning towards pulling the trigger gonna hate the 1hr drive one way but hey gotta do what ya gotta do
Reply:Thanks fellas
Reply:Are you looking at the UA or the BM's?
Reply:It's the local iron worker union
Reply:Then it's a structural welding test. You won't be welding any pressure pipe in the nuke plant.JasonLincoln Idealarc 250 stick/tigThermal Dynamics Cutmaster 52Miller Bobcat 250Torchmate CNC tableThermal Arc Hefty 2Ironworkers Local 720
Reply:Yeah its structure  I'll have to go and take 3g 4g and they said they wanted me to take tig test then I'll have to go and take the same test again at the plant.
Reply:Originally Posted by DockMan30817they wanted me to take tig test then I'll have to go and take the same test again at the plant.
Reply:Why would the ironworkers have to take a tig test? Never seen any structural steel welded with tig.JasonLincoln Idealarc 250 stick/tigThermal Dynamics Cutmaster 52Miller Bobcat 250Torchmate CNC tableThermal Arc Hefty 2Ironworkers Local 720
Reply:I looked at joining on permit for a while.  Lot of guys do around here.  Nobody seems to have a problem with it.That said, I have made a lot of money on follow up work from jobs built by fitters from union shops.  The idea behind them is that you call the hall and get a guy good enough to do the job.  Reality is you have a big job that empties the hall, you get some good and some bad.  A good forman will stay on top of or lay off the bad but some jobs are just too big and crap gets through qc.  Figure out how to be one of the good and you will not get laid off till the end if at all.Multimatic 200Ellis 1800Haberle S225 9" cold sawMM 300;  Spoolmate 30A w/ WC-24TB 302GDynasty 280 DX Tigrunner
Reply:We have 2 plants close by and from what I was told that one is in need of tig welders some I guess  if they are sending me out of town to take test they want me to take both and then place me were they need to I guess I'm not 100% sure, I haven't been able to get off work to get down to the hall and go over everything with him
Reply:Dockman.....sounds like the two nuke plants are having major renovations or maintenance shutdowns and the nearest pipe-fitter/boilermaker locals can't man the jobs.  Possibly they put out a request to the ironworkers local to see if they have any members who could pass pressure tests.  They would then 'permit out' to either pipe-fitters or boilermakers.  Maybe you should check directly with the pipe-fitters or boilermakers to see if they're hiring.
Reply:Originally Posted by OldSparksDockman.....sounds like the two nuke plants are having major renovations or maintenance shutdowns and the nearest pipe-fitter/boilermaker locals can't man the jobs.  Possibly they put out a request to the ironworkers local to see if they have any members who could pass pressure tests.  They would then 'permit out' to either pipe-fitters or boilermakers.  Maybe you should check directly with the pipe-fitters or boilermakers to see if they're hiring.
Reply:Yeah there building  2 new reactors redoing 2 and from what I have hear they have plans of 2 more new ones when these 2 are done.
Reply:I have been a union ironworker, millwright, usw and ibew. All great jobs
Reply:Are we speaking of Plant Vogtle?Miller Maxstar 200 SDPiperliner #10 GoldYeah vogel the guy said the tig was for srs
Reply:Thanks fellas