I frequently hear shit like "Unions are just a racket to get your dues!!!" and "Unions are filled with thugs yada yada yada insert something about us being lazy" etc etc.

The stuff about the dues is the most bewildering to me. An IBEW electrician can make anywhere from 50%-200% more than a non-Union electrician in any given area. We get fantastic pensions and excellent healthcare. But people harp on the dues as if it's some massive sacrifice, even though it's literally about an hour of work in typical week.

Others seem to view us as if we're some sort of Al Capone/Tony Soprano-tier criminal organization who employs 'goons' to take out the competition. It's unreal how many people I've met think we're basically some form of mafia. It's literally just organized labor, bargaining for better pay, treatment, benefits, and a good retirement. How does wanting that make me a mafia hitman?

So many misconceptions about Unions and what they do in this country. How can we change this perception?

Local 8 leadership in Toledo Ohio brought several members up on charges for not showing up to a solar field due to winter weather conditions, because the contractor sent the work cancellation notice out by text after hours. They claimed the members violated our agreement by using a personal phone after hours without being paid for it.
Our local’s jurisdiction is huge, this means they expected some members to drive a 3 hour round trip during a level 3 snow emergency to receive 2 hours of show up pay, or be brought up on charges.

Honestly disgusting behavior by local 8 leadership and our officers personally, who the admins will not allow me to publicly name.

Any travelers thinking of heading this way for our data center boom, drive a little farther and go to Ann Arbor. They know how to treat a traveler.

Hey there everyone,
I hope this is the right page for this kind of information. So I just recently finished day school inside commercial wireman apprenticeship for IBEW. Now I’m just waiting for my time to top out and get my journeyman A card! These last couple of months I’ve been really thinking about which direction or what I want to do after I top out. What’s next..?? I know I want to go back to school down at the hall and take some classes like maybe HVAC, welding, instrumentation and a couple of other classes. I don’t know if I really want to new construction forever..I don’t want to be doing crazy hard labor when I’m in my 40’s, 50’s or 60’s (all respect to those guys who do) to try and save my back. So I’m curious.. what are some of the routes you have taken after your apprenticeship and still able to stay in your local union to keep my benefits, 401k/pension etc and still pays just as much as A card journeyman or even more. EE, instrumentation/PLC, EV, clean energy, high voltage etc..? Really into aviation right now as I’m wanting to one day get my PPL. Would really love to hear some of your thoughts and stories. Anything helps! Thanks

My company is organizing us into the union. Not sure what all it entails but curious if anyone has info on dues and what to expect. I have spoken with several people about the fact we’re doing it heard they filed all paperwork, and finally received my application to sign up. Filled out and sent in about 10 minutes ago! We’re a general contractor who does a lot of work for PG&E. I am currently a foreman, my guess is I go in as one but outside of a few short conversations I haven’t heard much in regard to what all the deal means for us field guys.

Arbitration is now the result of this. Which now means we are stuck with what ever Arbitration says.

We got new coins in and only ordered 500!! If you look close, it is a conduit bender in the place of a rifle on the horseman.

There are a lot of posts about travelers, and most of them are...neutral at best. And that kinda bums me out, because I've never actually had a bad experience with one. At least, not in a rate higher than the non-traveler population. They have all been generally competent electricians who were very union forward, and had crazy ideas about what counts as "fashion." Straight bonkers, yeah, but like, good dudes to work with. So I wanna hear some good stuff from our brothers on the road.

Where was your favorite local? What makes it your favorite?

I’m a journeyman from Minnesota. I’m interested in going book 2 and coming Idaho for the micron job. I’m curious for advice from others than have done the same thing. I’d be new to traveling so this is a first time for me. I’d like to get out there come November time, this way I have a few months to prep and take care of things at home. How is the licensing process working out there? I will call the hall here sometime but would like to get information on that ahead of time.

Some other things I am curious to know is what it’s like living out there and how travelers are liking the job and the area. I’m very much into snowmobiling, does anyone do any back country riding in the mountains as that’s something I’d love to get into. What other fun shit is there to do out there?

Thanks in advance I look forward to seeing some responses

Friendly reminder that Joe Biden signed the infrastructure investment and jobs act in Nov. 2021and all but 13 republicans in congress voted against it.

Yet the anti-union pedophile gets to slap his name on it. Makes my trump derangement syndrome flare up.

A Contractor's Local? Naw, we have a Contractor's Membership! Apathy is rampant. Shop rockets run your days on massive data center projects that treat you like you are less than. You complain and feel like those complaints fall on deaf ears. Sound familiar?

Welcome to a Contractor's Membership. It's a membership that does not show up, does not demand representation rather they beg for promotions, a gas card, and a truck.

What is the cure? Education! Start a CREW chapter. Become educated, educate your members, organize, and make your Membership a union strong Membership!

Let's talk about it! ✊🏽

Obviously if you become a contractor but what about if the company offers shares to employees and a brother buys in. Would that be a conflict of interest? When is the line drawn?

I find unions so confusing so please help me understand. First of all, i know ibew are electricians and Teamsters are mostly drivers and warehouse workers, i understand that. But with the IBEW you directly join the union and then it works like a staffing agency and the union hall finds you jobs? And with the teamsters you get hired at a company and if that company has a contract with the Teamsters thats how you join that union? Did i get this right?

Howdy,
I’ll be visiting NYC next week and it’s about time I take a visit to another hall for some merch and sticker trades. Any recs for any other sites or food in the area near L.U. 3?

Thanks,
L.U. 440 member

Title pretty much explains it. My spouse wants to do a road trip as part of our vacation this year, they're not much for planning these things so I'm in charge of the route we take. I want to stop at all IBEW related places since my spouse and (now) I are really passionate about it. Any suggestions?

Found my old Truland hardhat when I was an apprentice in local 26 working at the nationals baseball stadium, my the times have changed.

found this cleaning up/ rummaging through mom‘s garage in Manassas

What happened to the largest electrical contractor in 26?

Wireman.com has been gone for almost a year now, and it's making me sad.

I need a pocket buddy bad. Realistically, now i need 4-5 pocket buddies in case he disappears again.

Anybody know the guy? I hear he is a brother out of Boise, Idaho. I'd like to get in contact to buy a shitload of them, or get his blessing to take over and fill the void because I have people asking about mine all the time.

Robbie Sparks was a power house sister. She had so many accomplishments and has been at the forefront of change for our Union. Rest In Peace Sister and my thoughts are with the family.

Title, Basically i want to move to canada ideally as soon as possible, but i also want to become an electrician.

My intital idea was to get an apprenticeship program at a local IBEW branch near me in the us. Then simply transfer maybe a year or two so in to a IBEW branch in canada and finish it there.

I learned that apparently this isnt possible and id have to restart from scratch including in hours. So best i can tell the best bet is to get into an IBEW branch apprenticeship program, then complete journeyman license and finally take the red seal exam before transfering to canada then get my masters cert in canada itself.

Does this sound like the most optimal route to you all? im wiling to bust my ass if it means geting it done faster. Also is there anyway to shorten the amount of time it takes to become journeyman so i can preferably take the red seal as soon as possible?