Union VS Non-Union?

[zw17]

I'm just trying to weigh out my options. I'm looking for a great career, but still want my freedom, you know. It's hard to find anything that pays a decent amount without having a college education. I'm not really the type to go to school. I ****ed off my entire school career until about 10th and 11th grade, when history ****ed with my mind. I tried college and it just seems like to much work to catch up to where all the rest of the kids are, that actually took school seriously.

Guess what bud, you aren't going to get a free ride in life. If you work hard and go to school you will advance.

You don't wind up with a beautiful red headed wife, $40k SUV in the driveway, steaks on the table, and a nice farm house in the country on some land by sitting around playing video games and "wanting your freedom".

Sounds like it's time to kick your ass out of neutral and do something with yourself.

[qwerty hvac]

No offense meant but you are in Buffalo NY, no one is working in Buffalo and hasn't been for over two decades, union or non.

There is work here you just have to be politically connected to get it.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[zw17]

There is work here you just have to be politically connected to get it.

If you were to draw a line from Detroit, through Buffalo, Rochester, then over to Syracuse... There is absolutely no work and I was politically connected. I could have had a very cushy job at Kodak working for a very established union contractor. Kodak is now half the size it was 10yrs ago and a fraction of what it was 30yrs ago. I highly doubt that job position would still be around so I consider my decision to flee that state when I did a great one.

I bailed out of western NY 8yrs ago and don't plan on looking back.

Except for this weekend when I go back for a funeral.

[chuckcrj]

If you were to draw a line from Detroit, through Buffalo, Rochester, then over to Syracuse... There is absolutely no work and I was politically connected. I could have had a very cushy job at Kodak working for a very established union contractor. Kodak is now half the size it was 10yrs ago and a fraction of what it was 30yrs ago. I highly doubt that job position would still be around so I consider my decision to flee that state when I did a great one.

I bailed out of western NY 8yrs ago and don't plan on looking back.

Except for this weekend when I go back for a funeral.

So who is fixing all the equipment in that area?

[drew2128]

Guess what bud, you aren't going to get a free ride in life. If you work hard and go to school you will advance.

You don't wind up with a beautiful red headed wife, $40k SUV in the driveway, steaks on the table, and a nice farm house in the country on some land by sitting around playing video games and "wanting your freedom".

Sounds like it's time to kick your ass out of neutral and do something with yourself.

Nice post, this field takes alot of dedication if you want to be good. Steaks

[zw17]

So who is fixing all the equipment in that area?

There is no equipment to fix when there is no industry. With no industry you have no jobs, with no jobs you have no homes.

Buffalo, Rochester, and Syracuse New York are a shadow of what they used to be.

All that industry either went overseas or south of the border.

I still have a buddy in local 13 in Rochester, last I spoke with him he said the big service work is dried up no new construction is taking place.

[neophytes serendipity]

I'm sorry if this topic is redundant, but i still haven't come to a conclusion on which side of the fence would be better..

A couple questions i have.

(1) Do you feel the long drives to work in a union job are worth it? Me, i like to play video games when good ones come out + i like to have a life after work period. How much time do you usually have after work, before you go to bed?

(2) I've heard conflicting story's about who makes more money.. I guess, you make commission and something else as a non union tech + you get vacation time, i believe.

(3) Last question, i got a DWAI when i was 17 for driving and while under the influence of marijuana. I'm not sure if this was sealed or not. I don't think it was, but, would this prohibit me from getting either job?

None of those questions are really relevant. I numbered them in the quote.

(1) If video game time is a primary concern, then you have other issues. Long drives are not limited to union or non-union jobs.

(2) Union hourly rates are pretty good, but those hourly rates only mean something when you have hours worked. "Working" in some union organizations has absolutely no bearing on your job related skills. There are commission based non-union "selling techs" that knock down 6 figures. There are union members on this board that claim to knock down mid 6 figures. I can only tell you about my personal union experience, and to make it short, I'd have nothing good to recommend about it at this time.

(3) There are some types of background checks that find things that you think are buried. You might want to pay someone to find out how buried your DWAI is. In any event, honesty is the best policy. Lying about a prior and being found out will be worse.

[ControlsInMT]

Guess what bud, you aren't going to get a free ride in life. If you work hard and go to school you will advance.

You don't wind up with a beautiful red headed wife, $40k SUV in the driveway, steaks on the table, and a nice farm house in the country on some land by sitting around playing video games and "wanting your freedom".

Sounds like it's time to kick your ass out of neutral and do something with yourself.

EXACTLY!! It's not a job, it's a career...

[ThePipeMan]

Great posts guys, thanks so much.

I guess i need to grow up. I really enjoyed learning HVAC in highschool, but if you don't get more freedom, i may have to reconsider. Of course there's always the weekends, but i like to come home and have time to eat, and relax with some T.V., a book, or some video games, you know. I suppose as long as i have an hour or two it shall suffice until i get to the weekend.. IDK, going to have to really think about this.

[zw17]

Life turns into a whole lot more "needs" than "wants"

Your freedom will come after your done with your education, raising kids, the house is paid off, the vehicles are paid off, and you have some money in the bank...

Until then you will be working your ass off to get there...

That is, if you want to be successful?

[KnewYork]

I guess i need to grow up.

Therein is the crux of your situation. I got my first job in the A/C business when I was 23 years old. We worked OT almost every day. In fact, 50-60 hour weeks were the norm. I stayed with that company for five years and by the time I moved on I had two kids. I learned how to work and to take pride in my work at an early age. For some reason I think a strong work ethic has been lost on the younger generations.

But ultimately it's up to you to choose your path in life. Nobody made me do what I did. I did it because I wanted to do my best...for my family, for my company and for me. I have no regrets. I have done things and worked places few others have. There are a couple of things I might have done differently, but in the grand scheme of things I am extremely satisfied with the career path I CHOSE.

[ThePipeMan]

One more question.. . Can you opt out hours in the union, once you are 45ish, or in your 50's? What i mean is, can you cut your hours down to 40 or so when you get to be in your 45/50's?

[dlove]

I'm sorry if this topic is redundant, but i still haven't come to a conclusion on which side of the fence would be better..

A couple questions i have.

- Do you feel the long drives to work in a union job are worth it? Me, i like to play video games when good ones come out + i like to have a life after work period. How much time do you usually have after work, before you go to bed?

- I've heard conflicting story's about who makes more money.. I guess, you make commission and something else as a non union tech + you get vacation time, i believe.

- Last question, i got a DWAI when i was 17 for driving and while under the influence of marijuana. I'm not sure if this was sealed or not. I don't think it was, but, would this prohibit me from getting either job?

Thank you very much, .

All i can say, If you