What exactly is Building Trades in the UA?

[beenthere]

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[MrHVA]

Learn how to weld? How would someone learn how to weld if they don't weld for a living. So, I'm sure I can take a course or BOCES class to learn how to weld but I doubt once I receive a Certificate Local 638 A side will be like "ALright hope on board Champ". I know it doesn't work this. I'm in 638B and I would love to weld and hop on over to the A side. BUT, theres this thing called "KNOWING SOMEBODY" on the A side. As some people on this site stated here unless you're buddy buddy with the BA you ain'tgetting in.

[Jimmyhat 597]

Sorry about 638. 597 has an open door policy in it's weld shop. Pass the Weld test requirements and you will get a chance. Come to Chicago Service Fitters & Construction Fitters actually get along

[MrHVA]

Wow that is cool about the open door policy. There's nothing better than to hear Union members getting long. UNITED we stand, DIVIDED we fall!!

[hvacapprentice5]

Being a building trades Apprentice do you still have a chance to work for Hvac-R contractor?

[ammoniadog]

Being a building trades Apprentice do you still have a chance to work for Hvac-R contractor?

Try reading through the first 44 posts to this thread. I think somewhere in there it mentions that it depends on what local you are in. By the way, what local are you in?

[Jimmyhat 597]

In 597 all Apprentices are classified as Building Trades. Many Contractors have Service and Construction. So a building trades Apprentice can work for an HVAC Contractor.

[hvacapprentice5]

Okay thanks i'm in Local 469 AZ

[MechanicallyInclined]

Local 469 has a split scale which is comparable to some Locals' A, B, and C Cards. The highest is Applied Service Jm and then comes Commercial Service Jm.

[Jimmyhat 597]

Does 469 have a split scale for Construction?

[MechanicallyInclined]

If I'm not mistaken, Industrial Construction Jm is $4.30/Hr. higher than Commercial Construction Jm. Both Service and Construction are Building Trades. There's no Metal Trades in Local 469, but they will accept a MT Jm Traveler as a "residential and light commercial AC tech". This makes better sense that a Local classifying all HVACR Service as Metal Trades.

[neophytes serendipity]

In 597 all Apprentices are classified as Building Trades. Many Contractors have Service and Construction. So a building trades Apprentice can work for an HVAC Contractor.

Then why do they make you (apprentice) choose HVAC or BT when you sign up?

[Jimmyhat 597]

Because the training is separate. Even though most of the skills are common the Service Contractors are very specific that they want service training only. They want second year Apprentices to fix any roof top equipment thrown at them. They do not want any influence from Construction, they as afraid Apprentices may be influenced to jump to construction. Yet they insist on a lower scale.

[hvacapprentice5]

Does anyone have any information, or know anyone from Local 189 Columbus, Ohio? need to know my chances of working for a Refrigeration outfit as a Pipefitter/Refrigeration since i'm not MES.

[MechanicallyInclined]

There's no way that HVACR Technology can be classified as Pipefitting!

[Jimmyhat 597]

I'll stay as a Pipe Fitter who works on repair of mechanical equipment. Occasionally installing it.

[MechTech2013]

here in NYC we're Metal Trades covering start-ups repairs HVAC and such steamfitters 638B .fitters that actually do the installations,riser piping, towers any thing that handles fluids..are the 638A steamfitters.now when you look at the contractors listing for 638 Steamfitters.... B is service fitters,and A is Building Trades forget about doing any thing you want under UA on a job it is well defined here.get caught with a 24" pipe wrench or B tank over your shoulder unannouced they will be calling the BA in...LUNCH BREAK and then there is this group... http://www.nyspipetrades.org/

Are you saying your Local is "Metal Trades", but yet you work on heavy metal? That doesn't make sense.

[3G Mechanical]

Local 441 in Wichita Kansas. HVAC service tech in the Building Trade.

[Carbon]

Yep,
They are called Metal Trades and if you as much as pick up a piece of sheet metal on a building trades job they will bring you up on charges.

[zw17]

Does you MES top off at Service Craftman i.e. Serviceman or do you have an MES Jm? Some Locals refer to their HVACR Service as Mechanical Equipment Service. Like I said, it gets real confusing.
Technically in the Pipe Trades, Plumbing and HVACR can be both Construction and Service (Truck-based). All the other trades Pipefitting/Steamfitting, Pipe Welding, etc. are generally Construction.
As far as being cross-dispatched, how well would a Construction-Pipefitter Jm fare on an Svc-HVACR Tech Jm dispatch?

Sorry, took an extended break from the site... To dig this one up out of the pits and answer your question, our MES guys stay MES until the contractor they are working for decides to sponsor them to become a journeyman. There is no hard rule that says they have to sponsor them at all. We have guys that have been MES since the day they got out of the apprenticeship 30+yrs ago. What it comes down to is how well you work, your knowledge base, not taking an absurd amount of days off, etc... If you are valuable to the contractor you will get a shot at what we call "upgrading" to building trades journeyman. Our company typically sponsors 1-2 guys a year for the upgrade.

I cannot remember the exact limits of MES but I think it's 20tons or under, no new construction, etc.. BTJ can work on everything.

My card says "Building Trades Journeyman Pipefitter Refrigeration" but I am, and always have been, service and small projects. I went through the service apprenticeship and have never taken a pipefitter class or welding.