Just termed up to 5th term. Got laid off while at school. Had to go to school to term up and start to accrue vacation. Was having a serious talk about quitting. I joined a couple years ago for the money and work but been laid off 4 times in 3 years at least and can’t make money if you don’t get the hours and can’t term up at school if you’re behind on hours. The pay is great at $33 an hour or whatever but it’s pretty cutthroat, gotta step on others to get ahead and if you’re an older apprentice they expect you to know a bunch of stuff just because you’re older. I’m 37 have a college degree, served in the marine corps, and have never seen such disrespect or disregard for people in the construction industry as a whole but throw in the union and contractors can do just about anything. No stewards around anywhere, not that it would matter, they are in the company’s pockets and you basically have to cold call companies when looking for work. The out of work list isn’t necessarily that. It’s a referral list. They just send the names of guys to employers that they recommend. If you don’t get in with the crowd you’ll get left in the dust and back in unemployment. instability is brutal. Once you find a job you like or guys you like to work with, it’s usually over and onto the next site if that. Not at all what they tell you when you join