r/IBEW

Local 1 stl surrounding area
How does the schooling work? Is the JATC in stl the only available area for me to go to school in local 1?
How many days per week and how long is the school days? Like, will i be working 4 days a week and go to school one full day per week? Or are classes at night? Im unsure how this would work if i work a jobsite that requires travel. Will i be traveling for work and then have to end up back in stl for class?

By the way, I have been calling the hall nonstop for a week and they just will not answer, this is the only reason im coming here unfortunately.

I don’t really feel the need to justify my purchase, but long story short, I put a deposit on one a while ago when they were on sale, and I should be taking delivery soon.
That said, I’ve never seen one on a jobsite, and I’m a little worried people will judge me for driving what some might see as an obnoxious car. Normally I wouldn’t care, but I don’t want supervisors or higher-ups forming a negative impression of me because of it.
Have you ever seen this become an issue on a jobsite, or known anyone in a similar situation?

Hi I’m not a union member but someone served by a company, PECO, with workers in IBEW. Yesterday workers in the union went on strike and today a thunderstorm came in and knocked out power in our area. So my question is what do union workers or even companies like PECO do in cases where there’s mass power outages caused by a storm but workers are on strike?

Hey guys, our local’s contract is up for renegotiation this fall and I’m trying to find out some info from how other locals do on-call pay to bring up to our negotiators cause I feel like ours has some issues.

Currently, we get time and a half for any hours worked, 2 hour minimums for all calls and 3 hour minimums for calls between 10pm and 6am, and all day Sunday. If we work 3 hours past midnight we are due 8 hours of rest starting when your time stops. If any of those 8 hours falls during your normal work schedule you will still get paid for those hours. So we’re basically guaranteed our straight time hours. There’s some other minor caveats with rest but not worth going into. For holidays, we get the day off and paid 8 hours for the holiday. If you get called out, you are paid time and a half for the first 8 hours and double time and a half for all other hours worked. If the actual holiday falls on a different day than the observed holiday (this weekend, for example, our company observed the 4th on Friday), there is no additional pay, it’s just time and a half. If we work any hours during the observed holiday, we can bank the holiday to use later and we are paid time and a half for hours worked.

Now my biggest issue is that last part I mentioned. If we are scheduled on-call for a holiday, we are automatically having to alter holiday plans based around being called out. So to me, we shouldn’t have to choose between taking the pay and banking the holiday. It should atomically be implied the holiday gets banked if you’re scheduled on call, and can’t callout worked should be at the holiday pay rate. My second issue is that the actual holiday doesn’t include a holiday pay. The observed holiday is for the office guys who feel like they deserve a work day off when the holiday falls on a weekend, so if I end up having to work on a weekend holiday (like I did yesterday), it’s kinda shitty I don’t get additional pay cause the office folks decided to move the holiday.

Aside from holidays, I understand some companies do a “standby” pay rate that guys get paid for any hours not worked on call to basically supplement having to be on standby. For those of you who do this, what does that pay rate look like and what is that number based on?

I just got a letter about a class action lawsuit against Prime for failing to give the WAC required afternoon break. I've been retired for a few years and am out of the loop on some things. Anyone have any details or insights on the matter?

I’m a second year apprentice at a hospital job right now and part of that is that we can’t always turn off the circuit (at least that’s what they tell me).

Recently I got transferred to a hospital and since then I’ve had to do 120, 208, and 277 on energized systems now it’s very small job about 5 of us with 2 JW and 3 APs. My JW bought me a pair of insulated strippers, linemen’s, and dykes and essentially said we do it live. When I called our GF and asked to be put in the NFPA70E training they said that that’s only for JW but they’re still expecting me to do live work. I’m nervous and confused as to what to do because I have bills to pay and can’t afford to not work but the waitlist for APs is almost 6 months at my local.

I’m not super afraid of doing live work and have gotten used to it in the last few months but I’d still rather not do it live and I know that we should be scheduling shutdowns or something of that matter is there something I can do about it and a way to protect myself against retaliation so I can keep a roof of my head and my family’s?

From a small Local booming from Data Center work. We’ve an infusion of new money and new blood, and it’s time for some wins. In the spirit of inspiration, share what aspects of your local JATC make it great.

Hi, how feasible is it to get to job sites and classes without a car for the inside wire metro program? Thank you

So I have been studying for my upcoming aptitude test, I’m in Indiana. I’m 30 so it’s been a while since doing any math and I bought a practice exam to study from electric prep. I am definitely not asking what type of questions are on it, but just wanting some advice on the overall skill level needed in math to be able pass. I forgot how to even do long division so it refreshed me on that and I have always had a pretty high IQ so I do remember how to do basic equations and stuff as it’s pretty much common sense. With knowing multiplication and long division, and having a basic understanding of algebra how do you guys think my chances are?

I have about 19 months in the trade. I spent my first rotation (18 months) in a pre-fab shop.

I was very excited to finally get rotated. I’ve been rotated to a data center and the contractor I am with is just doing the DLO, I am told by the crew this is all they do daily, pull DLO I will be here 18 months.

I’m fuckin desperate to get a chance to learn at this point. Our training director doesn’t care about shit like this and will not rotate me, I’ve tried in the past.

What can I do for myself in this situation?

Currently working in local 46/76 areas. I’m weighing my options and one of them is getting on book 2 for local 291 and bidding for micron jobs.

I’m taking my Idaho test the 16th, and want to get on the site early August. My questions are mainly for people who have been called and have insight.

What I’d like to know is:

1. What are the different companies (outside of pay) culture and responsibilities

2. What is my likelihood/ timeframe of getting on

3. What is the turnover like and, are the calls typically short or long? Will that be easily decipherable before getting a call? Ie how reasonably can I judge how long I’d be expecting to be working.

4. What’s the work outlook from august to 6 months later?

What is happening with PECO?

I have a strange question. We were asked to go work in Philadelphia for PECO because they are going on strike...WE ARE OUT OF STATE. We aren't doing it. But some other surrounding OUT IF STATE lineman are...offering big money and they had to sign an NDA. Said not to even tell their friends or family where they were going. It was so shady. ANY THOUGHTS? I have never heard of this in my career of an NDA.

I am a welder, in Los Angeles county area, which local would be best to apply for or possibly get in as a apprentice where I’m able to utilize my trade skills ? My niche leans more on doing pipe. Locals 18, 952, 441 and 440 are closest to me.

My brother is an IBEW second year apprentice. I need him to help me diagnose an air handler unit. I am a fourth year sheet metal worker in testing and balancing. I want to make it worth as well so I would like to buy him a multimeter. What multimeter would last in the whole career or at least a good portion of it.?

Prior to working for my company and joining the union I worked non union for a couple contractors between 2002-2008 had a kid and couldn’t do lay offs after work kinda dried up. I loved doing electrical work then and had wanted to join the union then.

I finally got to take the ce test and got a bump in pay. I’m currently in the tool room at prefab and I really want to get on a service truck. What’s my best positive and constructive way to make that happen?

I was looking into UnionPlus to perhaps change out insurances (home, auto and maybe pet). I want to know what your experiences have been using them, Where they helpful? Worth the price? Hidden troubles? I have good insurance now but it's getting expensive so I'm looking for other options, but I don't want to change if it's not good.

Also I didn't know they offered other discounts and I'm curious what your experience with it is.

With less than 18 hours to negotiate, what’s the general consensus?