Union VS Non-Union?

[drew2128]

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?

I wish I worked with you, I'd take your hours

[drew2128]

I can tell by your posts that you aren't going to cut it in this trade.

Please forget about joining a union shop, we already have enough lazy slackers that want to go home and play video games and don't care about OT, project deadlines, and craftsmanship. We don't need anymore.

K?Thanx.

As direct as he is, he is right

[elran]

I can tell by your posts that you aren't going to cut it in this trade.

Please forget about joining a union shop, we already have enough lazy slackers that want to go home and play video games and don't care about OT, project deadlines, and craftsmanship. We don't need anymore.

K?Thanx.

He's kind of being a d*ck about it. But he's right. You're looking for an easy job where you can be lazy. This is a hard trade. You have to keep learning from the day you start until the day you retire. Everyday you learn something new. And if any tech tells you he knows everything he's lying or stupid.

Go to a mall and work at a clothing shop. That sound more up your alley if your main concern is having enough time off to play video games.

[Wendo]

He's kind of being a d*ck about it. But he's right. You're looking for an easy job where you can be lazy. This is a hard trade. You have to keep learning from the day you start until the day you retire. Everyday you learn something new. And if any tech tells you he knows everything he's lying or stupid.

Go to a mall and work at a clothing shop. That sound more up your alley if your main concern is having enough time off to play video games.

One good thing about the competitive job market. Lots of jobs in our local advertiser but all of them asking for skills of some sort or another. I could recommend you getting a job as a greeter at Wal Mart but it seems that even a number of them are older people. A lot of places where you would start out are looking for more than someone with a pulse. The first thing you have to do, is show up for work on time and show up every day. A little headache or something of the sort is not considered sick in the real world. IF you're lucky enough to get in the trades, you need to go in with the attitude that you know NOTHING. The more experienced guys will be glad to give you advice if you ask, and by doing that, you will save your self a lot of problems by not making the same mistakes that they made!!
You'll probably get home so tired out that playing a video game will be the last thing on your mind. There, now I can get off my soapbox!

[zw17]

He's kind of being a d*ck about it. But he's right. You're looking for an easy job where you can be lazy. This is a hard trade. You have to keep learning from the day you start until the day you retire. Everyday you learn something new. And if any tech tells you he knows everything he's lying or stupid.

Go to a mall and work at a clothing shop. That sound more up your alley if your main concern is having enough time off to play video games.

I am being a dick about it and for good reason. I go to school twice a week for continuing education, take all the tests and get all the certs I can to further my career. I want to be remembered as someone that gave their all in this trade, I strive to be the best at what I do and I want to better this trade as a whole.

The largest problem I see, and I see it A LOT, is hacks. We all need to step it up a notch to make this industry look better and make up for the guys that want to go home after 8hrs to get high and play video games.

For the record... I was that guy at the beginning of my career, so I have zero compassion for them now, if I can better myself so can they.

[KnewYork]

For the record... I was that guy at the beginning of my career, so I have zero compassion for them now, if I can better myself so can they.

I find this statement interesting. You were that guy and yet you have no compassion for that guy to get started and maybe become a top notch mechanic. If there had been a forum like this when you were first starting out and you were basically told "Stay the hell away, we don't need no slackers." would you have stepped into the trade?

Pointing out the fact that it takes hard work, dedication and a willingness to continually evolve and learn is important and it has been done on this thread. Let the OP decide for himself if he's got what it takes.

I commend your dedication to the trade. I'd rather see the pillars of the trade encourage young men to "step up their game" and get into the trade. Be honest and describe the challenges and also describe the rewards.

I got into the A/C business because I couldn't find a job for the life of me. And you know what the deciding factor was? I wore a jacket and tie to the interview. The guy who hired me said if I were serious enough to wear a jacket and tie to an interview for a $2.50/hr. job he knew I would take the job seriously. That was in November of 1972.

[elran]

I got into the A/C business because I couldn't find a job for the life of me. And you know what the deciding factor was? I wore a jacket and tie to the interview. The guy who hired me said if I were serious enough to wear a jacket and tie to an interview for a $2.50/hr. job he knew I would take the job seriously. That was in November of 1972.

I hope it was 1972. Otherwise some serious labour laws have been broken

[zw17]

I find this statement interesting. You were that guy and yet you have no compassion for that guy to get started and maybe become a top notch mechanic. If there had been a forum like this when you were first starting out and you were basically told "Stay the hell away, we don't need no slackers." would you have stepped into the trade?

I had zero business being in the trade. I didn't deserve the job I had and I was a complete loser. In fact I dropped out of a good union apprenticeship program and went to non union residential.

It took a few years to grow up, become a man, quit drugs, and now I am making up for that lost time with a vengeance, graduated a union apprentice program, taking extra classes, becoming a EMT, etc...

Sometimes it takes someone to tell you that you're a loser to realize your a loser.

[bribrius]

I had zero business being in the trade. I didn't deserve the job I had and I was a complete loser. In fact I dropped out of a good union apprenticeship program and went to non union residential.

It took a few years to grow up, become a man, quit drugs, and now I am making up for that lost time with a vengeance, graduated a union apprentice program, taking extra classes, becoming a EMT, etc...

Sometimes it takes someone to tell you that you're a loser to realize your a loser.

lol. age and priorities. you cant shine **** but sometimes when the **** grows up, gets some more responsibilities and some mouths to feed they stop being **** and step up to the plate. Course other times, well the **** just stays ****.

[nairb25]

I've been trying to go union for about a year now, maybe the company I work for just sucks but the grass must be a little bit greener?

[dlove]

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.

looking back to the 70's through the 80's and early 90's i would disagree. a Blue collar trade was in high demand in most places. late 90s to 2005 the trades took a hit. But today i see a trend in the need for more skilled trades. people are realizing you can't fix your AC with a computer. With all that said, IMO a union that has good training and good reps is far better than the private sector overall. (if you can handle the politics) not to say there are exceptions. But remember if it wasn't for the unions the private sector wages would be less. The unions have always set the standards. That's a fact!

[KnewYork]

you cant shine **** but sometimes when the **** grows up, gets some more responsibilities and some mouths to feed they stop being **** and step up to the plate. Course other times, well the **** just stays ****.

Maybe if you could make your point without the use of four letter words we'd all understand what you are trying to convey. Even when substituting a word that begins with "S" and ends with "T" your statement doesn't make a whole lot of sense, so maybe I'm wrong.

[cavalieri85]

I was a union apprentice for my first job. And I screwed myself and took a job making more money at a residential shop I quicly learned that the grass was not greener. I figured it out when I went to get insurance for my wife and newborn son and found out it would cost me 225 a week. I tried desperately to get back to my old job and could not. I also learned that u was not going to get any training and that I hated residential. Since that day i jave been trying to learn myself by asking advice from guys on the net going yo classes and since a few days ago read books for 4 hours a night that came from a kick in the ass from people on this site. If all someone wants is free time than I would say this is a bad trade to be in cuse I know thats one thing I don't have. If you want a job with unlimited growth opertunity than this is the trade to be in. Oh and since i have left the guys that stayed union as an apprentice now make more than me with better bennys and more knowledge and they work on the type of equipment that I would like too. Sometimes when we are young we make mistakes and spend a lifetime making up for them. I am considering now taking a pay cut to become an apprenticr again.

[TheChillerMan]

Wow, I definitely didn't have the attitude starting out that the OP has.

I started out in the Union in 1990 and never looked back. I bought my first house when I was 20 years old while I was still an apprentice. I worked hard because I wanted to learn everything I could.

I never really worked crazy hours though. Most weeks were 40 hours, except for weeks I was "on call", then I would get 20-30 hrs overtime.

Now that I have been in the trade for 22 years, I work a regular 40 hour week, with occasional overtime maybe once a month. I'm 40 years old now, so I don't mind it. I'd rather spend the time with my twin boys anyway.

So for you young guys new to the trade, don't think you'll be working 80 hrs a week until you retire or drop dead.

[cavalieri85]

I want to clarify my previous post. I love this trade and love the challenges of it I just get upset with myself when I think of my wasted opertunity. Just didn't want to come across as a jerk as I said my anger was with myself

[zw17]

I want to clarify my previous post. I love this trade and love the challenges of it I just get upset with myself when I think of my wasted opertunity. Just didn't want to come across as a jerk as I said my anger was with myself

No need to clarify, I understood your post perfectly.

I got a second (and better) chance and got back into the union after years of working non union both residential and commercial.

I know guys that are begging to get into the union, heck I know guys just begging for work, so it's a little insulting to have some kid start asking about how he can skip out after eight to get high and play video games

I said it before... We don't need guys like that in our trade.

[fitzyfitta]

True that!

[ThePipeMan]

I love how you continue to judge me. So what, i like video games? Are you from the 1960's..? I like to get high.. atleast i dont get drunk. And what do you know about my work ethic?

Also, i never said i wanted to skip out. If work needs to be done i will see it through. I'm asking if its normal to be granted a few months or more even, of 40hrs per week. I dont want to be a ****ing drone with no time to butter my wife up and no time to relax/do things around the house/go out.

I worked for a warehouse taking all the pallets/garbage off of trailers.. I worked 10 hrs and that seemed fine. I had enough time to do what i wanted when i got home. Now, working for HVAC, you also work 10hrs, but you also have to factor in your drive to work and home. I'm sorry i dont meet your standards.. >>The era of judgment, as stated in the bible<<. You do you, and i will do me.

[qwerty hvac]

Getting drunk is way better then getting high IMOP. LOL

[ThePipeMan]

Keep believing that. You won't be saying that when you're old. Alcohol is very dangerous. It's a liquid, biological vacuum.