Going IUOE... which way

[Mark Thompson]

Well the union is only as good as your local, I was a member of IUOE 77 for three years, my family was union and after getting out of the military the boom was on in the D.C. area and they were begging for bodies. They were not taking just anyone and the master mechanic tested you out and after three weeks of jump hoops and the stories about pay and benefits I was in, heavy highway and was cleared on 7 different machines with prevailing scale wages.

After three years I learned many things, best one was that the hall was looking out for the BA's and if anyone with less than 30 years with a card said anything it was ignored.

Good luck if you want to be union, some places have good halls from what I hear but 77 is not one of them.

 

[carlsharp]

I've been Union for many years now, It's been the difference between working 60 hour weeks, barley making ends meet, and a comfortable living. I agree that it can be who you know more then following the rules. When I asked who was supposed to pay my bills while I went thru the apprentice program and wait a couple years to get called up they just shrugged :beatsme

This is how I heard it was done-
Have someone at union co. that you know. Get on the D list. Put a fictional machine on your experience list. The union co. calls the hall and orders an operator for that fictional machine. The hall looks thru the out of work list, and finds the first person qualified on that machine- YOU!
I'm not sure if the union office girls are complicit in this or not, it's just what I heard....

 

[623B]

middle of the road on unions..but if the employer is out of work...How do you expect them to pay wages?

 

[Radrock]

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?

I didn't become a union operator till I was 36, Not that I didn't want in but wasn't really an option earlier. I would do it again if I had to for sure. I wish I had more time in the union than I have. I've been in for 21 years now. 58 years old. I was always running a motor grader and I kind of just walked in the door. Knew some people that knew I could do the job. I would tend to think like lots of others here. An apprenticeship would no doubt help you. You will alway make mistakes learning and you will always learn no matter how old you are but I would think if you were an apprentice you would be forgiven a little more easily. Quote me if I'm wrong.. Hopefully the work for operators really gets going soon. Good luck on your decision.

IUOE #101

 

[stumpjumper83]

Well, to update everyone, I didn't go union. Instead I went self employed. Started out with an old trackloader that I'd had, added a mini hoe, then a dumptruck, dozer, and a tree biz, and things are working well so far... Third year now self employed and every month is better than the last...

 

[Radrock]

Well, to update everyone, I didn't go union. Instead I went self employed. Started out with an old trackloader that I'd had, added a mini hoe, then a dumptruck, dozer, and a tree biz, and things are working well so far... Third year now self employed and every month is better than the last...

Well i didn't realize that this thread was as old as it was until I already posted it. There is absolutely nothing wrong with starting your own business. It's tough cause you always got to spend money when you are starting but it gets better with time. Sounds like you are finding that out. Best of luck to you!