When called on by Union Electric, had three face to face interviews, HR personnel mgr. then the Fleet department mgr. and finally a shop foreman. Had taken four written tests as to various skills levels for application acceptance that after renewing my app for seven years annually. Foreman had a box of old parts, had me ID to what purpose they were, I had seen enough of 99% of them to also ID the type machines they came off of. Final test two day practical at the shop I was to work in, given a tools to bring in list added a few of my own specialty pieces and went to work on a Monday. Met by a sub storeroom(Parts) man, a day shift working foreman and the line crew superintendent. Had coffee with all as was twenty minutes early, clocked in and set to the test jobs. At end of day of testing was explained I had completed BOTH days testing in one, had to come back the next day to NOT present a issue for the man I was going to be working with as took him five different tries and barely completed the tests in his two day trial, that and he had worked for UE for Twelve years prior to testing as a Mechanics Helper.
Surprised everyone I could handle any posed issue with little grief if any, they were actually impressed. First month on crew had several line crews try to ask for ONLY myself to work on their machines but that was not allowed. Had several problematic machines got some well defined bugs worked out of then went to work just keeping busy. No one had ever expected self motivation, self direction from anyone off the street. Worked for one full year as a Temporary, No benefits full time employee agreed to by Union Contract then expected the lay off as was normal for that type employee, one week from my one year anniversary the shop super took vacation and did not return until I had passed thru a full year anniversary making me a full timer automatically.
Hateful part was enjoyed the people I worked with in that headquarters. At 22 months the management for the department had a major rotation and retirement where the New guy coming in made the statement was not there to make our lives easy, was there to repair or fully kill that department. My day boss told me then and there to sign EVERY out bid sheet that came up and take the first one I got called on as this was looking bad he then retired. He was correct as after I took that bid in two months that shop as well three others were closed and those personnel either retired or laid off as were in the wrong locals to transfer elsewhere. I had moved from IBEW 309 into IUOE 148.