Union jobs... worth it or no

[Tony Pic]

Learn the trade let them teach you. Make the $ and if it works out, you stay. If not take the trade you were taught and apply elsewhere. One of my good buddies is a steam fitter and he makes a good buck. Even though he only works on fire protection. Sprinkler work.
Go for it.

[Traildust]

Better job security?
More money per hour?
Close to home?
Better Retirement Savings?
Better health insurance? Dental?
Advancement opportunities
Are you happy where you are at right now??

[Kdog]

From everything you wrote, it sounds like you should take the job. There are plenty of stereo types out there (both ways) that for the most part I have found to be untrue in my travels working with both union and non-union tradesman.

Best of luck to you.

[Russ79]

I have never been in a union but have known some that have. I talked to a man one time that crossed the picket line because he couldn't support his family on strike pay. My plant, about 18 years ago, went thru a union recruitment and actually voted on whether to go union. We didn't because the votes were sealed due to accusations back and forth of wrongdoing to the NLRB. This is what I learned thru all of that:
Salary and benefits are negotiated with every new contract. What you got in the last contract is not where you start and what you get with the new contract may or may not be better than what you had.
I don't want someone telling when and if I can work- talking about strikes. If your union says you go on strike, you go on strike and make a pittance of what you were earning while on strike while all the big wigs continue to roll in the big money.
Union will protect bad or lazy workers.
Unions generally support the Democrat party and the liberal agenda they have- pro abortion, anti gun, big government, etc. Your union dues go to support those policies.
Sure they generally pay better and have better retirement benefits, but how many of us have read about some unions and the millions of dollars in unfunded liability benefits to retired workers who are now not sure if they will get what they are "due".

Many have chimed in that they have benefited from being in a union and that is great. I have never been faced with that decision when came to getting a job but I know that there are good paying, non-union jobs out there.

[pervis]

So basically op your saying, you don't mind overtime every now and then, and you don't wanta be forced to work Sundays. But the union contract is for 40 hours......So this is how this story will play out. Your guaranteed a minimum of 40 hrs of pay each week weather you work it or not. That's union contract....but in your case if your getting 12 a day every day you might not want to do it..., Trust me there is a guy right behind you who will. You are easily replaceable when it comes to the companies point of view not the unions. So if your still following me, if you don't want to work that much, but accept the position and go against the grain it might work for you for a while, but the company will start the diaciniplary process and eventually you will be fired. If you sign up for a union job go with the flow do your work keep your head down and be thankful for a 9$ an hr pay increase and countless hours. There s a ton of people out there who would kill for a job like that. It's all different strokes for different folks. Some people want the money, some want time off. I'm younger 38 to be exact. I have small children so I work non stop to be able to have nice things and provide a nice life for my wife and kids. I'm on the upper eschiliom of where I'm at due to the fact I started when I was a teenager. I've got a ton of vacation and live a nice life, but I WORK for it....by the hour.

[backinthegame]

Union hand here. Love the pay and benifits. Dont let the other mess bother me.

[drbonner]

Waiting for this to get good. The non union workers haven't read it yet because they don't get breaks. Wait until about 10:00pm tonight when they get done with their mandatory, unpaid, overtime.

I work non union and have 5 weeks vacation, good wages, matching 401, retirement pension also, get paid overtime for any hours over my scheduled time, 2.5x rate on scheduled holidays to work, work 10 minutes from home, pick up extra shifts from time to time, get paid OT for safety meetings on days off. I’ve worked 18 years there, all non union. Never worked for a union, for some reason I can’t see the reason for needing a union

[justintyme8303]

Of course, but it’s applying at other shops that know your particular area is union @ AT&T.

I guess it's just different with Telecom/ISP work.

Time Warner and Grande love to hire AT&T techs. They know they have been well trained and getting them for half the price. lol

You don't even have to be union to work as a tech for AT&T but id say 95% are. You still get the same pay and benefits just not the "protection" if you get in a situation/trouble.

But even if you get written up they cant do a lot for you.

[drbonner]

So basically op your saying, you don't mind overtime every now and then, and you don't wanta be forced to work Sundays. But the union contract is for 40 hours......So this is how this story will play out. Your guaranteed a minimum of 40 hrs of pay each week weather you work it or not. That's union contract....but in your case if your getting 12 a day every day you might not want to do it..., Trust me there is a guy right behind you who will. You are easily replaceable when it comes to the companies point of view not the unions. So if your still following me, if you don't want to work that much, but accept the position and go against the grain it might work for you for a while, but the company will start the diaciniplary process and eventually you will be fired. If you sign up for a union job go with the flow do your work keep your head down and be thankful for a 9$ an hr pay increase and countless hours. There s a ton of people out there who would kill for a job like that. It's all different strokes for different folks. Some people want the money, some want time off. I'm younger 38 to be exact. I have small children so I work non stop to be able to have nice things and provide a nice life for my wife and kids. I'm on the upper eschiliom of where I'm at due to the fact I started when I was a teenager. I've got a ton of vacation and live a nice life, but I WORK for it....by the hour.

I’m not saying you’re wrong,but that I disagree. I’m 38 with a wife and two kids. Due to retirements I worked 26 twelve hour days in December. I can promise you my family would rather me be around on my days off than bigger paychecks. Work/Life balance is more important to me than just providing a “nice life” for them. I’ve never read a headstone that said “I wish I’d spent more time at work”.

[skeeter]

So I found a job that pays way more, but it's union, I have never worked for a union, can any of you give me your opinion on union work if you have worked /currently working for a union. Thanks in advance

I’ve worked both Union and non union jobs. I liked working for/ with IBEW.
Get to work on time, do your job , don’t call in sick unless you’re sick, u have nothing to worry about and you won’t have any issues.

[tiny's taxiderm]

When I worked at the job about a year ago I was a very valuable person to them with my knowledge of product and skill/quality. Just couldn't deal with never being off, and being newly-wed. It took me 35 minutes to get to work and 35 to get home regardless of the hours I worked. The place im at now takes 50 minutes to get to work and 1 hour to 2.5 hrs to get home depending on if I work 10 hours or 12 hours because of traffic. I'm a very good welder that can pass xray all day long, but it's very difficult to find jobs that pay such as the union job.

I have just recently taken my cwi exam ( certified weld inspector) and still have 3 or so weeks to find out my results. Once that hits (hoping I passed) I will have even more options but.... h*ll, I don't know lol

Thank y'all for all of your info in both directions though.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk

[Dusty Roads]

90% of union business is to protect 10% of the work force

[RdRdrFan]

Not directed at the OP. Just a general thought.

I’ve found that if you are good at what you do then you can find a job paying a fair market wage. If you are mediocre at what you do or are the type that hid behind your momma’s apron when someone knocked on the door then definitely let someone else fight your battles. To each their own.

Don’t pee on my leg and tell me it’s raining. And don’t hide behind people/organizations that are diametrically opposed to your core values just because you don’t have the cajones or skill set to stand on your own two feet.

To the OP, if the company is hiring folks to do the work that you were doing under conditions that are more suitable to you......go to them directly. There are plenty of places that have unions but you aren’t required to be a part of it.

Why limit your upside if you are good?

[CEO]

I had to sit through a union pitch once. The whole thing was examples of members doing something completely idiotic, but not getting fired because they were in the union.

[dbaio1]

Sleeping with the fishes!!!

More likely buried in 10ft or more of concrete. But, the same result.