anyone in the sheetmetal union?

[stlhvac]

Hello,
I am trying to get into the sheetmetal union and just wanted some opinions on it. What is your typical day like and do you like the work? What about pay and benefits?

[air1]

Join the electricians union instead.

[tinner73]

i'm in local 73 in chicago. i don't like the work. but then again i don't like ANY kind of work. i work for one of the bigger shops in the area. it's not a bad job i guess. we have about 20-25 tinners on this particular job. i have friends in every trade (plumber, carpenter, electrician, etc) and no job is perfect. just different kinds of headaches. some jobs are obviously better then others. some days you fight everything all day, some you don't. we typically have the biggest stuff on the job and finding room isn't always easy. new construction seems to have more room then re-hab work. my typical day consists of getting up at 4:45, at work by 6:00, break from 9:45-10:15, back to work and out the door at 2:00. learn the trade,you will get out what you put into it. if you are lazy or incompotent you will bounce from job to job, company to company. if you are any good you will make a good living. the more you know the better off you wil be. no union is perfect either. but they are on your side. nothing is perfect so you take the good with the bad. be prepared to work. our bigger stuff is usually pretty heavy. on this job i have ductwork that is 14'-6" by 6', you can drive a car through it and it is heavy. local 73's package is as follows...........
wage.......$33.40/hr <--------on check
savings....$ 1.50/hr <-----in bank or on check
local pension $2.79/hr <----retirement
annuity fund $3.00/hr <-------retirement or on check
national pension $2.06/hr <--------retirement
health/welfare $6.46/hr <-------medical/dental/glasses/etc

if you run work add about $3.00/hr


for us first 8/hrs is straight pay
next 4 is time and a half
after is double time

saturday is time and a half up to 8/hrs then double time

sunday is all double time

oh yes my dues are about $300/qtr....but it is tax deductible

[lakeerie]

I am in local 33 sheet metal,,, pay is 11.78 per week to them and company pick up the rest, my yearly dues are 157.00.

[1-Hvacdoc]

Stlhvac,

Heres a link to Sheetmetal workers local 36 in St. Louis

http://WWW.SHEETMEATAL36.ORG/

[frozensolid]

Oh the sound of tin knockers in the morning. What was that, excuse me I could not hear you, would you repeat that please, oh never mind I'll ask you when the knockers go home.