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Hey guys,So I noticed today that Local 537 Pipefitters is having their once a year apprenticeship thing, and I am going to throw my hat into the ring, I enjoy plumbing and welding, and pipe, so I figured its a logical(ish) moveIf anyone belongs to, or knows anything about what to expect going into a real deal union, post it here and clear up the fog!My main questions, and this may just apply for the pipe fitters.1) if applicable, how long are the layoffs2) what do they look for when you go into an interview for an apprenticeship3) do they work on prevailing wage jobs only?thanks a ton!Miller Spoolmate 200 w/t S-52 WirefeederMM 211'09 Miller Trailblazer 302
Reply:1. Boy that's any body's guess.2. Attitude, work ethics. 3. Not always, but it doesn't matter you'll always get union scale.Dont pay any attention to meIm just a hobbyist!CarlDynasty 300V350-Pro w/pulseSG Spool gun1937 IdealArc-300PowerArc 200ST3 SA-200sVantage 400
Reply:Around here, sign your card Pipefitter, not Welder. Fitters get waaaay more work than Welders- even though they're welding.... Go figure. Layoffs are company and economic dependant. I know a few shops who, if they like you, will keep you gainfully employeed year round, no matter what. Others just grab bodies off the bench and dispose of when a job completes.When the Baby Boomers start to actually retire, you will see a massive need for competent welders.Lincoln Power MIG 210 MP ( boat anchor )Lincoln Weld-Pac 100 HDHobart IronMan 230Cutmaster 42Jackson NexGenSumner Ultra ClampsDWM120
Reply:Originally Posted by MadMax31Around here, sign your card Pipefitter, not Welder. Fitters get waaaay more work than Welders- even though they're welding.... Go figure. Layoffs are company and economic dependant. I know a few shops who, if they like you, will keep you gainfully employeed year round, no matter what. Others just grab bodies off the bench and dispose of when a job completes.When the Baby Boomers start to actually retire, you will see a massive need for competent welders.
Reply:Unions usually have set wage scales but there can be extra's for being a foreman for example or just being a lot better at what you do than less experienced guys. The better ones usually get more work too. It's not supposed to be that way but I know a guy who quit the Boilermakers union because there were too many name hires instead of calling the next guys on the list who had been waiting. Sometimes name hires are OK for a specific foreman or required skill but for welders with the same qualifications, it's supposed to be on a rotating basis. If things are busy, everybody has work but if things are slow, some guys will go month's without work while other guys work steady. Of course there's always a few stragglers that have been around forever and never get laid off despite not doing too much. Some unions are better than other's but one good thing about a union is somebody can't railroad you off a job because they have a personal issue with you. You at least get to tell your side of the story and have some representation. A non union job can basically make up what ever excuse they want and there is nothing you can do about it.
Reply:Ian, Check out local 537's web site... It has most of the info you'll need..http://www.pipefitters537.org/index.aspx#contentThe way I look at the unions today is like they are a temporary hiring agency. With great benefits. It can be the best part time job you'll ever get. Or worst if you don't save your money for the rough times. Good luck in your future.A puddle is a puddle ...
Reply:Originally Posted by Welder760Ian, Check out local 537's web site... It has most of the info you'll need..http://www.pipefitters537.org/index.aspx#contentThe way I look at the unions today is like they are a temporary hiring agency. With great benefits. It can be the best part time job you'll ever get. Or worst if you don't save your money for the rough times. Good luck in your future.
Reply:Originally Posted by Ian Duffinwhat is the Union scale?
Reply:Local 602 in DC area has scale and apprenticeship scale listed on their website. Apprenticeship is always a % of scale based on what year you are in. I know some fitters here that have been solid work for 20 years and others that are always asking if I am hiring. In the past, you get to be foreman on some of the big data centers and they have mid 5 figure bonuses if the job goes well. Not so much anymore.Multimatic 200Ellis 1800Haberle S225 9" cold sawMM 300; Spoolmate 30A w/ WC-24TB 302GDynasty 280 DX Tigrunner
Reply:pay scale depends where you're at. Here is kind of low, on the check. Up north can be pretty good. Our apprentices get $25 once they pass their pipe welding tests.
Reply:As mention you need to check the union in your area for all their policies and procedures. Pension and 401 K's maybe available too along with insurance. I'm retired from Pipefitters 597 Chicago and our benefits and pension is great. I never thought about pension and benefits at the time of my apprenticeship many years ago . Well, those years flew by and now I sit here typing this and collecting pension money for doing it. Hiring and finding your own work varies by locals. No matter what you decide to do , today you need to sell yourself. You need to know and be able to do as much as you can so you are in demand. You need to be the go to guy. I was never out of work and only worked for a handful of shops. Things are tougher now but you can work year round. Good luck !!
Reply:Originally Posted by BD1As mention you need to check the union in your area for all their policies and procedures. Pension and 401 K's maybe available too along with insurance. I'm retired from Pipefitters 597 Chicago and our benefits and pension is great. I never thought about pension and benefits at the time of my apprenticeship many years ago . Well, those years flew by and now I sit here typing this and collecting pension money for doing it. Hiring and finding your own work varies by locals. No matter what you decide to do , today you need to sell yourself. You need to know and be able to do as much as you can so you are in demand. You need to be the go to guy. I was never out of work and only worked for a handful of shops. Things are tougher now but you can work year round. Good luck !!
Reply:You could be laid off forever or never get laid off. That's the million dollar question. Your work ethic, hate to say it but who you know and where you live and are willing to work are the major factors. If you get hooked up with a contractor that Has steady work on the books they could keep you around. Or not. I have been union for 15 years. I also have one of the weakest unions ever so its got some pros, and some major cons. I wont get into that.... As far as what was said earlier, I have never heard of a different pay scale for someone "better at something than someone else"...???? Union scale is set, now, that scale may vary depending on the contract. For example, oilfield maintaince around here might be 90% scale. But oilfield new construction might be 95%. Local call out work might be 100%, military work might be 100%. So you see you need to ask before you get on jobs. (after your a journeyman). Usually good apprentices work a lot. Pay scales do matter on how strong your union is and where the union is. I don't know if you could go wrong joining a pipefitters/steamfitters unions. Don't ever join a divers union!!! hahah.. we are 100% name request, so that means that contractors call for you specifically or they look at a list and decide who goes. So the out of work list is pointless. I have been a hard worker for a long time, so I have stayed busy all my years. They want a solid reputable hard working, ambitious person with potential in their apprenticeships. They also don't like it when people drop from their apprenticeship programs, so they want someone who will stick the hours out. good luck and let us know how it goes!
Reply:I'm a project manager for a union company, so I'm management and not part of a union. Before I worked for this company, I had a fairly low opinion of unions, mostly due to people I knew that I never thought had good work ethics (motivation to work hard). Since I started with this company my impression has changed 180 degrees. Our locals are 21 (pipefitters) and 38 (tin knockers). I'm proud to say that our guys work their asses off and the quality of work is noticeably better than most other companies, union or not. Both of these unions are self promoting, so you can cold call any companies with work. That being said, our company works hard to find work so they keep guys that know what they are doing. You'll probably take a salary hit by starting out as a fist year apprentice, but as a welder you could be in higher demand depending on the work where you live. Not many jobs these days offer the same benefits that our unions get. That being said, local 21 just changed their rules so you can only get 1 year of credit towards pensions regardless of the hours worked, I think it was 1.5 years prior, but I'm not sure. Check with your local, it's a gamble, but the hopefully you can find other members and see what they think. I was in Boston a month ago, and saw alot of construction going on, but I don't know if they are union jobs or if that is close enough for you to work there. Good luck to you whatever you decide. As others have said it's easier to make a bad impression than a good one. Always be on time, and pay attention to your foreman. Sadly who you know can make a difference, but I don't think that is any different than any other industry out there.
Reply:Originally Posted by Ian DuffinHey guys,So I noticed today that Local 537 Pipefitters is having their once a year apprenticeship thing, and I am going to throw my hat into the ring, I enjoy plumbing and welding, and pipe, so I figured its a logical(ish) moveIf anyone belongs to, or knows anything about what to expect going into a real deal union, post it here and clear up the fog!My main questions, and this may just apply for the pipe fitters.1) if applicable, how long are the layoffs2) what do they look for when you go into an interview for an apprenticeship3) do they work on prevailing wage jobs only?thanks a ton!
Reply:May of missed it mentioned earlier but one of the big benefits is that unions will call on their other locals when they are shorthanded. Everything is up in the air now because of the drop in oil price but for us north of the border, we regularly took out 'travel cards' to follow the work. Guessing it's similar down there.
Reply:I am also looking into getting into the apprenticeship program down here in PA, I was told that having a pipe welding cert I can't do the program in 4 years in stead of 5, and start at second year apprentice pay rate. Maybe your union is the same.
Reply:Union scale, and apprentice scale are only a minimum. From my second year on in my apprenticeship I got journeyman scale. As a journeyman I got over scale several times. No harm in asking, that's how I got it.Dont pay any attention to meIm just a hobbyist!CarlDynasty 300V350-Pro w/pulseSG Spool gun1937 IdealArc-300PowerArc 200ST3 SA-200sVantage 400
Reply:Proud to be union for 20 years. Last 2 have been new construction with the ironworkers. You develop good work relationships and much trust with your Union brothers (if your good in your craft). If your not good in your craft/trade, you won't last long. I started as a temporary permit worker, got my 3 positive work reviews done (one per month) by the job steward, applied for full membership at the hall, went to a meeting, paid my membership joining fee and got sworn in. A month later I got my Union membership card in the mail. The key is your work. You have to be good in your craft/trade and do quality work. You must be able to keep safety a top priority. You must take pride in your work and be a good representation of the Union. Keep your dues in good standing. Since joining the ironworkers I have been working non stop.Last edited by snoeproe; 01-14-2015 at 09:15 PM.JasonLincoln Idealarc 250 stick/tigThermal Dynamics Cutmaster 52Miller Bobcat 250Torchmate CNC tableThermal Arc Hefty 2Ironworkers Local 720
Reply:You will have to start complaining alot or everyone will think your a company geek. |
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发表于 2021-8-31 22:46:19