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| Subject - any IBEW members here? | |
| Local 26 |
Hi , Any IBEW Members here? Mike E. from D.C. Local # 26.Build Union , Buy American, Boycott Walmart. |
| David Hyatt | What is IBEW? |
| Ryan_J | I teach for the IBEW part time, but I don't pay dues. |
| JimmyDee | Local 275, Western Michigan. 40 years. (Muskegon, Grand Rapids) Still carry the card but haven't worked in the local since 1980. Almost went to work for them as an apprenticeship instructor a few years back. IBEW = Iternational Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. Jim |
| Ryan_J | I would like to add, if I may, that animosity is often created on these forums about union vs. non-union. In an effort to resolve it, I would personally ask that, when it comes to practices, the union issue be a silent one. For the record: I have inspected a lot of jobs, both union and non-union. Each has their share of great electricians and each has their share of morons. |
| JimmyDee | I've seen where religion, politics (union/nonunion), politics (Rep vs Dem) gets out of hand quick on a forum. I agree fully with your complete statement Ryan_J. I would like to see it stay strictly technical in nature. Jim |
| Scott Vickrey | I knew it was a matter of time before this question surfaced. I'm not in the union. I'm not against the union I actually believe in it's reasons for being. I simply have lived and worked in places without a union presence. I was told when I was starting in the trade that I couldn't just join the union that I had to be invited. I don't know if that's true or not but I used to believe that. I can see how this can be a sensitive topic that can easily get out of hand. I'm not going to preemptively ban the topic, but be careful what you post here. Keep it clean.Don't post anything inflammatory on this site. |
| aussiesparky | Gents A fair call! As an outsider looking in, the issue is one that polarizes people around the world. I even have the same conversations with my co workers, but in the end we sometimes agree to disagree but still respect each other for having the guts to stand by their beliefs. Just for the record I'm a member of the CEPU [Communications, Electrical & Plumbing Union of Australia] affiliated with IBEW |
| JimmyDee | quote: Lets get the facts straight here. You, as a registered member are not an outsider.  Welcome as one of us.Jim |
| David Hyatt | I don't think I have ever heard of IBEW so I don't have an opinion. It must be a Yankee thing? lol, hope that didn't offend anyone. God loves us all. I don't think the electrical union is around SC, or maybe I am just in the dark.
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| JimmyDee | quote: Now I am offended! Jim |
| YukonRay | Too funny - Yanks and Rebs (is that what they're called in the south) - that could be a fun forum rivalry. |
| cs409 | "" Posted - 05/11/2004 : 01:44:18 Too funny - Yanks and Rebs (is that what they're called in the south) - that could be a fun forum rivalry."" please dont LOL...i live near Vidor and Evadale Texas.....do i need to say more! IBEW ,,,i thought the IBEW was as well know as Walmart! guess we learn something new for sure each day.....Ryan, i take my hat off to you...it couldnt have been said better,,,,good and bad work with both union and non union....a very true fact. |
| renosteinke | I will have to point out that the first IBEW local was in St. Louis- where they don't much like being called yankees! Groucho Marx said that he wouldn't want to belong to anything that had him as a member. Using that standard, the IBEW must be a fine organisation, as they have always closed their door to me. It's kind of pointless to argue "pros vs. cons" when there is no choice. |
| ravengotu | This post was deleted because of its inflammatory nature. JimmyDee (Moderator) |
| iwire | Great Choice JimmyDee. |
| Pierre Belarge | Raven your post is exactly what they asked not to do  The best work I see as an electrical inspector is performed by ELECTRICIANS. The other work I see is performed by people who think they are electricians (WANNABEES). Electricians are people who span the entire sphere, regardless of education, color, language, or any other qualifier. I say judge them by the quality of the work performed and let it be at that. |
| ravengotu | I apoligize to all who read this. I was out of line...Please forgive me. You are correct that we are all electricians regardless of where we do it. I just get lost sometimes as people push this issue of union versus non union. It is up to us all to help those seeking advice.thanks |
| JimmyDee | You are forgiven. If you want, I can delete all the posts about this and this will soon be forgotten history. Jim |
| ravengotu | Actually please leave it ..it does offer what we( military folk) have fought for ...freedom..and hopefully those up and coming sparkies can see and decide which is best for them....an informed individual is a smart individual....thanks |
| ShaftedbyTexas | IBEW = I am Broke Every Wednesday L.U. 583 |
| shocky | soon to join local 60 in san antonio,tx.reason being is they offer benefits that the open shops here can't afford.neither for or against,just trying to make a good living doing what i love. |
| JimmyDee | What I had to sell was my services. It always went to the highest bidder and money wasn't always part of their bid for me. Go for it. Jim |
| wally | to the union member who says boycott wal-mart.you being a member of the IBEW as usual do not understand.if you were to boycott them for not being union or being union employed,or selling items that are not union made need to realise a few common things. ! 1] dont go to your supply house and buy materials and tools 2]dont buy your truck to work in or make your employer buy you one.this will make you ride a horse. 3]when u sit down to eat,eat only union food for there is not much. i was union in my town for 3 yrs .i got tired of the favortism and was confused on what the union does for you.sure your wage was usually about 1.50 more on the hr,for a jw insurance was okay but non union is really bout the same here.ive seen the IBEW take unskilled labor to build the force up ,to shut down the non union contractor.but who did that affect really? the old timers who got laid off and were to set in there ways to travel and such.ive been in this trade for 27 yrs.fought battles in court.won a few lost a lot.years ago the unions of all trades is what made this great country so powerful.im not saying that all are bad im not saying all ibew members are bad.in my case the ba in the office was a dumbbutt and others had no backbone.i do agree with the boycott on wal-mart on one codition though .they put small people out of business and i buy or trade from them as much as possible.i feel better now.i dont mean to offend.thank you for your time |
| lctrc789 | I am A memeber of the local union here and I have worked on both sides union now and non union for years. I do not boycott any one or anything I beleive in whether it is union or non union. I work in a large city and have a small business in a small suburb, I have heard the pros and cons of both sides. The small suburbs do not have enough revenue for the unions (not that they do not do larger jobs there.) I will say thank God we live in a country where we can state what we beleive in, I think we are all here to do a job and get it done as well as we can. As a former military man (USMC) I stand for what I beleive in and I stand for those who have their own opinions. We all should be able to help one another regardless of union, non union, american, black whire or indifferent. This board is one of the best IMO and many people here have the knowledge and the patience to help one another. |
| renosteinke | I apologise for my earlier post...I must have been having a hard day to be so cynical! Around Chicago, the IBEW quickly earned my respect as a result of the training and workmanship of their members. Only later did I learn that some locals focus on other trades (telephone, power company, etc). Any craft union has two advantages: recognised training through their apprenticeship programs, and benefits that follow the worker from job to job. Let's face it, in construction (in particular) you are always moving between employers- and each time, the benefit 'clock' starts from scratch! Perhaps most importantly, the existance of a "shop steward" means a new guy can ask a question (through the steward) without painting a bulls-eye on his shirt! |
| sparkie2170 | We are a non union shop in Chicago, and I really do appreciate the unions for the most part. They offer skills and jobs to people who otherwise wouldn't have the opportunity. Not alot of people can afford schooling, licensing, insurance, vehicles etc. Now, heres my complaint. I get alot of s**t for being a "scab", however the union buys Hyundai pipe, JCB, Daiwoo and Komatsu back hoes, fittings made in China etc. Where is the Buy American in this? I'm not trying to start an argument, and maybe I'm missing something, but it seems strange to me. |
| lctrc789 | First of all sparky you are not a scab, being a union member havew never been like that and I catch a lot of hype from my fellow IBEW members for my say so as well, but I will say that it is very difficult to buy everything american made any more.LOL The union has trained me in several ways Instumentation,Grounding,theory, application,I learn the code every three years as well as designing and layouts to many others. I know in Chicago it has to be rough to be working non union, but stand for what you beleive in. |
| ohara7 | IBEW I Barely Ever Work. To the person who started this I worked for a union contractor and we wired aand serviced 3 Wal-Marts in virginia. so how is it ok to build them and not ok to shop them hack the union labor is to blame for most of the Wal-Marts that are around. How do you provide your Union Made vehicle with fuel Do you go to the Union Gas station? |
| Mike Local 8 | The only reason Walmart uses union labor to build is because they know it will make it easier to move into the neighborhood. The reason I as a union member don't patronize them is because of their "anti-union" stance. I live in a suburb that is highly republican and the people here like to patronize local businesses. I shop the local places even if thier people are not represented by a union, becausewith them it's not an issue, they are not against the unions like Walmart is. The union has its good and bad points and everyone knows that, and there are those guys that will give you s**t for being a so-called "scab", but those are the unintelligent ones that treat you that way. The way I was taught to look at it is that some people haven't had the opportunity to belong to our organization, or have been told of all the possible negatives like all the dues you have to pay. When all the union dues and working dues are subtracted from my paycheck I still make quite a bit more than the local non-union. But their rate of pay is based off of our pay so even if your not union you should realize that it is the unions that help sustain the standard of living, and it was the unions that brought about the 40 hour work week.I hope this doesn't offend anyone because that is not my intent at all. I look forward to some civil discussion on this topic!! |
| tunahead | I've been in the union for about 11 years(got in when I was 18)I've NEVER BEEN BROKE EVERY WENSDAY!Maybe you have!This is my first time on this website,I hope it's not about bashing the I.B.E.W. |
| Ryan_J | Its not about bashing anything. |
| JimmyDee | quote: I'm trying to figure out what have you read, on this site, that gave you the idea this site was about bashing either side? We try real hard, to not let it happen here, either way. So welcome bro. Jim |
| Wirenutz | I can see how this can be a sensitive topic that can easily get out of hand. I'm not going to preemptively ban the topic, but be careful what you post here. Keep it clean.Don't post anything inflammatory on this site. then don't entertain entities that practice trade racism... ~W~ |
| blackrd | Greetings from IBEW local 21, Northern Illinois. |
| tunahead | I.B.E.W # 654,Chester,PA. |
| Wirenutz | i helped wire the first Walmart in my state, a long story... |
| chrsb | IBEW local 58 Detroit. |
| sparkdude | brothers, one thing that we all have to remember, the union was created by men who were fed up with the lack of wages,long work days and sub-standard working conditions.it is true that in the rural areas where there is not alot of large industrial or manufacturing industry the union has a hard time trying to competivly bid projects. knowing that the non-union bids just low enough to get the job, and does not compensate the wireman for benifits,hlth/wefare,pention,decent working conditions and there probably is not a shop stewart.does that worker(s)really feel that he is appreciated?or being taken advantage of. there is no perfect contractor out there, but, what one should think about is what is best for you and your family.as for myself,I am proud to be a dues paying card carrying member. when work is slow up here in seattle, which has been awhile,i've been able to travel up and down the west coast in my truck and camper hit a couple of good jobs, which is usually in the top 90% wage bracket and to boot get to right off all of my expences.I have met great people while on the road, we still keep in touch and let each other know where the next big one is, where ever it may be, NY to LA and all great places in between. for me this works,so there are alot of benefits to being part of the IBEW, work safe brothers sparkdude |
| sparky13 | We as city employees are not in IBEW. We are in NAPE AFSCME . AFL-CIO. Nebraska Association of Public Employees/American Federation State Civil Municipal Employees. Since joining,we have gained alot of useful help and information.I have worked both sides . I have inspected both . All is good if people just pay attention to what they are doing . As we all know , safety to us and the general public is one of the most important aspects of all of our jobs. I am very glad to have found this site. Thanks
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