Going IUOE... which way

[stumpjumper83]

So I made my mind up to go union operator, talked with the hall and I have two options.

One, is to get in thru the apprentice program, mind you that its a 4 hour drive to the training site.

Two, is to verify my resume and pay my dues and get placed on the "d" list. The d list is the last to be called btw. Once I get called, If I make 11 days I have to buy a book, $500. At any point after that I can test on 3 pieces and move to the "b" list.

Oh, and I'm laid off till warm weather from a small non union outfit, and until I work 11 days union, I can keep working non union.

Now I'm 27, grew up on a farm, and have been in construction since I left the navy when I was 21. Proficent on loaders, backhoes, dozers, scrapers.... ok in an excavator.

Now I live in the heart of the marcellis shale area in Pa, and they are telling us that work is going to go boom this spring. Pipelines, storage fields, compressor stations.... the works.

What would you do if you had to do it over again?

 

[Burnout]

opcorn

 

[Buckethead]

Two, is to verify my resume and pay my dues and get placed on the "d" list. The d list is the last to be called btw. Once I get called, If I make 11 days I have to buy a book, $500. At any point after that I can test on 3 pieces and move to the "b" list.


What would you do if you had to do it over again?

What local is that? 66? It's hard to give advice because it seems their hiring works very differently than ours around here. We don't have different lists here. (Only different ones for different areas.) The only advice I could think of is try to find local people who you know have experience working in your area, and ask them in person. You really have to take what people say on the internet with a big grain of salt, a lot of misinformation out there.

 

[EGS]

I went thru my unions apprenticeship. I was non-union first. The apprenticeship is not as bad as you think it is. I learned some interesting things there. They might credit you some hours for working non-union, they did for me. Just something to look into. Good luck!

 

[Speedpup]

How long is apprenticeship? What is the pay rate difference? How many on D list are not working? Does an App. got out more often?

 

[Panhandler Bob]

66 or 542 ?

 

[qball]

i served a four year apprenticeship. wouldn't trade that experience for the world.
learned about the jobs, not just the equipment.

 

[Mack185]

I was thinking about doing the apprenticeship here in Mo, local 513. I may still do it in the future. Its a great program and the school is only 40 mins. away from me, I might just go ahead and put in an application so at least I'm on the waiting list. I don't know how it is in PA but you can't beat the pay here from what I've heard.

 

[stumpjumper83]

local 66. The apprenciteship requires 5 weaks a year be spent in pittsburg, three spread out during the working season and a 2 week shot during the winter. As an apprentice it will take a min. of two years to get to the "b" list, 2 there, then "a" list, for a total of 4.

If I go in on the "d" list, I can test on three pieces, and buy by book after I get 11 days work. Then its setting on the "b" list for 1 year instead of two.

Payday wise, apprentices are at a reduced rate, unless they are on pipeline work, then its full scale to the new guy.... or so I've been told.

Supposedly the pipeliners from 66 are really good at what they do, and get to travel / stay busy alot due to their familiarity with slopes...

And yes, I'm in contac with another union operator who is helping me thru it.

 

[liebherr1160]

i served a four year apprenticeship. wouldn't trade that experience for the world.
learned about the jobs, not just the equipment.

Im with qball ..

Wouldnt trade it.. especially now after 16yr's service ,my pension .. Naw man wouldnt trade it for anything else ..Its wild what my projections are ..

 

[Arabhacks]

Union.

Hello.

I am over 50, so no union for me.
But, if I could do it all over again I would have gone union.
The sheer crap that goes on in the companies in Texas is unbelievable.
In Texas the push is for Mexican operators, undocumented workers, for a lower price.
So much so that the legit workers have a hard time.
Union is no promise but at least it is a start, better than nothing.

 

[dozerbill57]

Union

Go Union !

 

[Panhandler Bob]

I'm outta 66, the way I broke in was I knew the hall was M/T, went to monroeville(now RIDC park on rt 28) got on the outta work list got called out next day, went to work, went on D list, worked 16 months straight, then did the upgrade, w2ent on the B list, 2 yrs. there(your requestable, big advantage) then the A list. Ask your buddy if he has a copy of the Training News? Lots of good classes for 66 members. Just spent a week down there for sucker hoe(vaculift) also got my pipeline operator qualification certification,D.O.T. required to work on the line. Went back yesterday and forklift cert.(power plant outages good money) PM me with any questions you may have, do my best to help ya out.:drinkup Bob aka ZZ

 

[Panhandler Bob]

What district of 66 is that up there? I'm in Dist. 2 rite now.Have worked outta Dist. 1 also. Live in Mercer Co.:drinkup Bob aka ZZ

 

[53cummins]

if your district is anything like mine (5) then your best bet is get to know someone that has a union company and tell them you are buying in and they can get you out and working for them. they say you cant be requested off the d list but i see it all the time over here.... its all in who you know ... atleast thats my experience .... i did get in through the apprenticeship on the first try which is rare the certs you get while at school are good

 

[stumpjumper83]

I'm district 4, Potter co.

Some are saying that the pipeliners are going to be hollering for more help come June... time will tell.

The rumor mill has Haliburton buying over 500 new Cat d-6's.

53, I'll find out new week sometime if I have an in that way, Pretty good chance that I can get my 11 days in that way.

So once your in, you can go down to the training site and get trained on whatever right? See I learned to operate from observing other operators and getting a 15 minute lesson here and there and by teachign myself, so its possible that I don't know it all yet... so maybe the apprenticeship isn't all bad.

 

[Panhandler Bob]

Some of them are non union, 3 that I've heard of.:drinkup Bob aka ZZ

 

[Panhandler Bob]

Rumors do not pay the bills!!!! :drinkup Bob aka ZZ

 

[NL1CAT]

Never understood that union thing in NA.
What's the diff between union and non union?
Over here (the Netherlands Europe) you can be a member of a union (not mandatory) but they only help you on issues with your boss and maybe some other things that I don't know of because I'm not a member.
The unions over there get you jobs or?
And if you're union you don't have boss but you get hired in or so?
Does that system of unions apply for Canada as well?

 

[Mack185]

Never understood that union thing in NA.
What's the diff between union and non union?
Over here (the Netherlands Europe) you can be a member of a union (not mandatory) but they only help you on issues with your boss and maybe some other things that I don't know of because I'm not a member.
The unions over there get you jobs or?
And if you're union you don't have boss but you get hired in or so?
Does that system of unions apply for Canada as well?

I'm not Union but I think the Union generally provides better pay/benefits and treatment for the worker as well as finding work for it's members. For example, When I lived in metro Atlanta a non-union motor grader operator I knew made $14.50 an hour. Now as far as I know the motor grader operator is kind of the top man when it comes to a grading crew. Here in metro St. Louis a Union operator makes around $28.00 p/hr plus benefits. at the journeyman rate. Thats to operate anything from a skid steer to a motor grader. Also the cost of living here is just as much if not lower then metro Atlanta. So which would you rather work for?