Electrical Knowledge Repository - any IBEW members here?

Old EKR Archives: 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: As an outsider looking in, 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.
JimmyDee	quote: It must be a Yankee thing? 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: Originally posted by 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. 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.
lbr enterprises	I tried to get a job w/ a non union residential contractor so I could learn electric. I didn't get hired. I walked into a local and started as an apprentice and finished, now I can work union jobs in NYC if I want. I will say even though I'm not gung ho union I try to do a good job for the contractor because I represent the union even if the contractor borders on being rather "below standard". The apprenticeship training, even though doesn't always coincide w/ the on the job training @ the time, can't be beat for the money; $0.00 in tuition costs. And preparation for the NEC exam. Have a nice day.
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
jcarl	IBEW LOCAL 103 BOSTON,MA.
kapakahi	I am now involved in construction for over thirty years. I hold a master electricians license on several places. When I started learning electronics when I was about 9 or 10 I didn't know how far it would lead me. I am curious about the training programs of the Unions. I have a friend on my block who I advised to try to get in the union. He did, they trained him, he works most of the year, but I am not really confident in his expertise as a master electrician. He might shlep cable, drill holes, even install receptacles faster than I, but after 16 years he still can't upgrade his electrical service from 120 volts to 240. This is not to relect poorly on the union. My friend has put in his time and probably has his own limits that will always limit him. I am always sharing with my employees exam questions. Recently they had a slew of low voltage pool lighting with voltage drop issues. Here they get a nice education. Again, regarding the union training, I never had it, I passed tests with knowledge from what I mostly learnt 35 - 40 years ago. For my own education in "how to teach" I would like to experience a structured training program. Lucky we are in America. I am proud to be an American.
shelco	I am a union contractor and was a union member when working with the tools. I believe that there is a place for and a need for both union and non union shops. Keeps the balance and no one can power leverage. Unfortunately the unions get a bad name some times because of the harrasment non union contractors and employees get. It has been my experience that the loudest and most vocal are the minority of the union membership but they are the ones that get heard. Most rational and reasonable members just do the job, support there craft and get it done. They understand that orginizing efforts do not benifit by intimidation and insults. Again the most vocal are the radicals and the minority. They do not represent what the union is all about. Every one deserves the right to choose. It is the American way.
robotmagic	I just wanted to say the U.A.W. United Auto Workers Local 898 are here. I did some work for I.B.E.W. a long long time ago:)
riffraff	Local 481 Indianapolis. I worked non-union 8+ years before getting into the I.B.E.W. The biggest difference for me, besides better pay and bennies, was they (the union) wanted you to be knowledgable, but the "merit" shops just wanted you to get by on what you could pick up on your own. Every thing seemed to be a big secret; everyone's pay, why and how things are done, etc... The union always have free classes for thier journeymen to improve thier skills, from code update classes to instrumentation, telecom,etc.. I guess it's not for everyone, but it works for me.
Speedwire1	Oh my!! Sore spot here. I'll start by saying that these comments I'm going to make have no disrespect directed towards anyone. I have respect for anyone who can carry the pouch with pride. I wish that our trade wasn't continually polarized (and paralyzed) by subjects such as this. I was IBEW for many years. It's not about union labor vs. non-union labor. You either work for a good contractor or you don't. I'm currently a non-union contractor without shame. I'm not a bad electrician because I'm not in the union anymore. I'm not a bad employer because I'm not in the union today. While talking to union contractors in my area and on this site (as well as other sites), I'm not part of the problem with the trade. I work tenaciously in my capacity as a contractor and an inspector, to make my trade better. My employees make between $19.00 and $29.00 p/hr, plus vehicles, plus gas, plus insurance (including dental, optical, prescriptions), O.T. when applicable, retirement program (Simple IRA with full matching), education and training, sick time, personal days, vacation time that is spelled out in our company handbook....you get the idea. Thank God we had unions when we needed them, but that doesn't mean I'm less of a contractor because I chose a different path. Some of the people I respect most in the trade (and in life) are union. As a union electrician, I worked beside some people that made me ashamed to say what I did for a living. My own brother is a union electrical contractor in a different part of the state where the union is necessary, dominant and very functional. I couldn't be prouder of him, and anyone that works for him couldn't be luckier because of his incredible knowledge and high moral standards. If I lived in his area, I would be a union contractor as well. I believe that if he was a contractor in this part of the state, he would agree that union affiliation would not be any indication how my employees are treated or whether or not quality of work was held as a paramount concern. Places like this site are the first step in making our trade better by having an honest and open exchange of information. Being union or non-union has nothing to do with our industry's demise. It's all about fairness, respect, and an adherence to a personal policy of pride in what you do. You don't have to carry a card in your pocket to possess those qualities. OK...you can all get pissed now <argh!>
JimmyDee	quote: It's all about fairness, respect, and an adherence to a personal policy of pride in what you do. I agree 100%. Jim (Local 275 IBEW)
Tony2pop	Is it possible for labor to come together as one voice? Tony I.B.E.W. 369
mahlere	quote: Originally posted by Tony2pop Is it possible for labor to come together as one voice? Tony I.B.E.W. 369 only if we realize that we are in this together. instead of looking at eachother as enemies and trying to pull each other down. instead we need to pull eachother up. only then will it be possible.
Rick_1964	I am here to share my thoughts and views with the men and women in my trade. I will not ask whether you are union or not, and if you tell me either way, I will not be judgemental at all. I'm so thankful for this forum, and I look forward to hearing from all who have anything to say. I consider myself to be a knowledgable electrician, but do I know it all, HA, far from it! I'm here to learn and share with others.....Thanks, Rick
sonnyet	IBEW-Itty Bitty Electrical Workers. IBEW L.U.1631
Nero	Sorry to bring this from the dead as I didnt want to start a new topic. I'm looking for IBEW members to chime in here. Could anyone tell me about the apprentiship program?
jwhite	Nero, you can start new topics all the time. If the moderators think it is not appropriate they will let you know or change them. I am not IBEW, but I learned the trade in northern PA. A highly unionized area of the country. I did not join the union for political, and economic reasons, but IMHO, they train the best electricians that I have ever meet. The drawback where I lived was that the union companies could not compete against the non-union contractors on other than big jobs. This meant that for a union electrician to keep working he had to travel alot to places where the larger jobs were being done. I didnt want that much travel, so I choose non-union. I did work, at a non-union company, with alot of union trained people, who were working with us locally waiting for the next big job. IMHO they were some of the best trained electricians that I had ever meet.
JimmyDee	I served an IBEW apprenticeship back in the 1960s. Without being biased about this, I think it was and is still the best apprenticeship in the trade. I went on to get a college education some 20 years later and the IBEW apprenticeship allowed me to receive 30 additional college credit hours that I claimed as electives. Apparently the college system thinks highly of the training also. Some of the apprenticeship programs are a joke. I would say that some of the private colleges that give a so called training program will not do as good of job. One thing I will tell you is, you will study a lot with the IBEW program and they put up with no crap from the apprentices. Back when I was in, 2 failures of tests and you were gone. Its hard but it will give you the foundation to become one of the best in the business as well. Go for it. Jim
Nero	Thanks guys! Anyone IBEW Local Union 38 in Cleveland Ohio? Regards, Nero.
Goldelc	Nero,I went through the IBEW Apprenticeship program Local 26,they gave me 6 years of schooling.The first program was the "R" program(Residential)it was for 2 years.The second program was the "A" program mostly commercial,it was for 4 years.I think the 4 year program is now 5 years.It was great,met lots of good guys I still keep in contact with.The local gave me the confidence to start my own business,and thats been 18 years now. Good Luck.
Nero	wow, good to hear you guys learned lots of good stuff! Regards, Nero.
Nero	Well, I finally had an oral interview with local 606, The Disney crew. So if any one has any contacts with Disney tell em I am a good guy!.. I hope I get selected!
sicsteve	Yes, Hello Brothers and Sisters Local # 3 NYC here and out of work.( what else is new ) Things are not looking so good in the Big Apple these days. There is a 26 week wait. And our Leaders are not doing their jobs. They took in tooooo many non union men and now we have too many undertrained around that have not done thier time in the apprentice program.
GalwayElectric	quote: Originally posted by sicsteve Yes, Hello Brothers and Sisters Local # 3 NYC here and out of work.( what else is new ) Things are not looking so good in the Big Apple these days. There is a 26 week wait. And our Leaders are not doing their jobs. They took in tooooo many non union men and now we have too many undertrained around that have not done thier time in the apprentice program. Hey Steve. Local 3 awhile back as well. A quote like too many non union men is not going to win any sympathy here. Best leave that to ML3.com
Romex Racer	I'm a former member of IBEW local 11 and proud of it. Now I'm a low balling, minimum wage paying, underhanded, dirty dealing rat and equally proud of it! God bless America!
jimmy	I agree I belong to a union but respect a person's right to not belong. When you have a trade as powerful as electrician you can afford to be more independant.
stevenj76	On the non-union side, everyone was always concerned about who made what and who was going to be promoted into office work, work is slow should I call around to other shops, which shop has the 'big job,' which shop has better health benefits, and new hires were only making such and such. There was alot of drama and some people thought their situation justified dishonesty. It was strange to me that none of the drama like that is on the union side: you know your pay and benefits because it is all standardized. I know that not all electricians are equal, and not everyone works equally, no matter which side you are on, I have noticed though that there are alot more older electricians in the union. At least 10 years older on average. That to me shows stability and experience. I am a 'shoppie.' I think the reason my shop does so well in such a competitive environment is that all the guys in the office seem to have spent at least 20 years in the field. Not only that, alot of the guys in the field have been with the shop for 10 years. I really don't know how the office has managed to retain such great help over the years, but it is surely one of the keys to their success. One thing I have noticed is that apprentices who don't 'get-it' are sent down the road pretty quick. I respect that because its better for a squirt to quickly get a second chance somewhere else. Anyways, my 2c.
knowshorts	quote: Originally posted by stevenj76 There was alot of drama and some people thought their situation justified dishonesty. It was strange to me that none of the drama like that is on the union side I would guess it would depend on which local you belonged to. I have heard some pretty good things about Portland, so you might be lucky, but all locals are not the same. quote: Originally posted by stevenj76 you know your pay and benefits because it is all standardized. You know your minimum pay scale. You have a CBA and it is the minimum. Since we are only a few weeks away from the start of the NFL season, I will use it as an example. The NFLPA CBA states a minimum salary for rookies (apprentices) and a minimum salary for veterans (journeymen). Their contracts are loaded with bonuses and incentives. That is where the majority of their millions come from. They have agents that negotiate for them on an individual basis. Your BA wont do that for you, so if your lucky, you can negotiate a better wage for yourself. Since you are a "shoppie", I am betting you are working for a very large contractor. You will not be able to make more than scale unless you are one of the elite. It's much easier if you are at a smaller shop. On a side note, I am still carrying a stainless switch plate in my cab in case I run into #56 again.
deano	good morning, it's 8:15am in AZ and i knew even though a few days old that i had to respond to this before i even selected the heading. i was once a member of 640 Phoenix, AZ that lack of steady union work was the only thing that made me "drop" my ticket(stop paying dues). i can only say that i have found the benefit in union membership in this area at least is training is provided and tests are given before one can call themselves a journeyman, yet I'm embarrassed to admit but i met a journeyman inside wireman that had no idea on how to even begin roping a house. i can only speak of my experiences but i have seen that in this area the major differences are budget that is allowed on big jobs is definitely easier to work comfortably in the union market, meaning usually you don't have that foreman in fear for his job screaming his head off for you to hurry and speaking of management i have found that usually journeyman turn foreman can relate better to your "problems" probably because he could wake up tomorrow and be back at the hall signing in. in the end i would have to say that its probably not so much the affiliation of the man or even the company, but more the quality of his work and the pride in his heart to do the right thing not just the quick thing. BUT WHAT DO I KNOW!!!!!!!!!!!!
kapakahi	quote: Originally posted by Romex Racer I'm a former member of IBEW local 11 and proud of it. Now I'm a low balling, minimum wage paying, underhanded, dirty dealing rat and equally proud of it! God bless America! As usual it seems Romex is trying to gas up the topic. I get a laugh every time I read his comments. Truth is, I think, it does represent a sizable percentage of contractors in the field.
Celtic	quote: Originally posted by kapakahi [ As usual it seems Romex is trying to gas up the topic. What are you talking about? RR posted that 02/11/2006....2 YEARS AGO. The last post in this thread was 6 months ago ~ 08/04/2007 Who is putting gas in the car?
sbrn33	I miss Romex Racer
zr1sparky	Yeah, what happened to him?
Running Dummy	IBEW local 150 here, glad I joined
Jim15	Hey guys, Just wondering, since this is an old topic, how many Local 103's are around here? I got a couple questions. Jim
JimmyDee	quote: Originally posted by Jim15 Hey guys, Just wondering, since this is an old topic, how many Local 103's are around here? I got a couple questions. Jim Boston, right? Jim
Jim15	yup, I know there was a local 103 who posted on here before, but that was a while ago, and I'm not sure if they are still on here, and there is no PM function on this forum like on some other forums, so I'm just looking to see if someone could answer a couple questions I have, although anyone I can email off the forum about a couple things, as long as they're in a union, would probably work, thanks, Jim
wrkhorse	new member. nonunion. around here ibew is not that "strong" we had a "falling out" 20+ years ago. i consider them a necessary evil. i do not intend to "start" anything. just stating what i feel.
iplaypearldrums	I could write stuff that would raise cain but overall the electrical education from the apprenticeship is top notch,if not overkill. I haven't added any capacitors to a motor ckt. to offset the power factor yet. Romex has inspired me to alternative sources of income. ..... The colleges here laugh @ the apprenticeship. It's all about the $$$$.
JimmyDee	quote: Originally posted by iplaypearldrums Romex has inspired me to alternative sources of income. ..... Legal? Jim
JimmyDee	quote: Originally posted by iplaypearldrums The colleges here laugh @ the apprenticeship. It's all about the $$$$. I got 33 credit hours for my apprenticeship toward my bachelors degree. I don't know what they are laughing about. I think the IBEW training was and is second to none. Jim (Local 275, Muskegon, Michigan, Long ago retired)
Ryan_J	I was a non-union electrican, but I have taught for LU 1394.
u2slow	I found IBEW was great for getting me started in the trade. Now I'm my own non-union contractor (one-man shop). IBEW is not a strong union in my area... but it's pretty similar across most of the building-trade unions here.