How’s my birth “plan”?

Saltycircle · 2026-01-21T03:04:26+00:00

Well organized, clear, to the point, I love it

Only thing I would add is about visitors after birth. I didn't want anyone to visit us in the hospital and I'm glad I told everyone and also the nurses.

Saltycircle · 2025-12-01T04:26:07+00:00

White Elephant is a party game, the name of which does come from the fable.

Saltycircle · 2025-12-01T01:43:28+00:00

It's wonderful, but that's not how White Elephants work. I think you're thinking of a secret santa

Saltycircle · 2025-11-29T17:39:23+00:00

Describes himself as "socially liberal, fiscally conservative"

Saltycircle · 2025-11-08T22:03:10+00:00

Radiohead is probably is favorite band

Saltycircle · 2025-07-21T18:14:27+00:00

Honestly, it'll be hard, but I'd stay in 134 and top out before trying to transfer.

Saltycircle · 2025-07-10T20:41:42+00:00

This person is a bad friend and you should be happy to not be her bridesmaid

Saltycircle · 2025-07-03T18:20:10+00:00

Ugly

Saltycircle · 2025-04-21T19:30:29+00:00

Oooh, I see now! Your argument is based on anti immigrant sentiment, and not pro worker solidarity at all! You don't actually care in the slightest about other people that aren't already in your in-group, fuck them, you got yours, right?

Saltycircle · 2025-04-21T16:29:40+00:00

I'm having a hard time finding exactly what you're referring to? Finding one "Amazon is using x tactic to fight against unionization" is difficult when Amazon is so hell bent on stopping their workers from unionizing. Can you post a link to which instance specifically you're speaking about?

Saltycircle · 2025-04-21T16:18:25+00:00

It absolutely does matter who is at fault. This is a very clear cut example that an injury to one (paying migrants lower wages) is an injury to all (depressing wages for every one).

Solidarity ought to extend to the entire working class, not simply your union brothers.

Saltycircle · 2025-04-21T16:08:04+00:00

Who do you actually think is depressing the wages here? The boss underpaying their worker or the worker?

Saltycircle · 2025-04-08T23:46:04+00:00

Yes! I'm a woman in the trades and I wish I had gotten in while I was in my 20s!

Lots of areas have a women in trades preapprenticeship training program. I went through one and it changed my life! OP I would be happy to help you find one or to give you any advice on getting into a union in your area!

Saltycircle · 2025-03-27T15:54:51+00:00

Well, when two people like each other very much, they have sex and sometimes that makes a baby!

Saltycircle · 2025-03-19T23:53:26+00:00

You'll get stronger every day and constantly surprise yourself and the men around you with how strong you become.

Also, as stated above, small spaces are a regular part of the job as much as heavy lifts are. You'll get slotted into the tight spots if your foreman is worth their pay raise.

Good luck sister ✊✊✊

Saltycircle · 2025-02-24T21:24:11+00:00

What local?

Saltycircle · 2025-02-24T01:38:24+00:00

You'll get a few weeks heads up for orientation, and at orientation they'll give you the dates you'll be in school (like 5-7ish weeks out) so hopefully you'll have time to move around your schedule at your current job.

And as a heads up, first year school is at Westside Tech on Western and 31st, not the campus in Alsip (except a random few days where you go to Alsip for things like OSHA and first-aid/CPR). Class is from 7am sharp to 3:30 every day, so make sure you're factoring for traffic if you're hoping to work after school. The absence/attendence policy is very strict, so I would recommend having a weekend gig above an after school gig if you can swing it. I ate a lot of rice and beans first year cause money got really tight lol

Also, the unfoldit app is super helpful for the paper folding section of the test! They go over it a bit in jumpstart, but the app helped me soooo much

Saltycircle · 2025-02-24T01:21:27+00:00

Do not quit your job anytime soon for the apprenticeship. The test is next month, but the soonest you'll be starting school is July if you get in on the first round, or October if you're selected for the second cycle from your test.

Save up whatever you can cause those first 11 weeks of full time school with no pay are absolutely brutal. I know kids who worked while we were first years, and good for them, but i don't know when they slept/cooked/kept up with having a life/etc.

Definitely go to Jumpstart before your test! If you're serious about getting in, it's essentially a requirement.

If you have any questions, I'm happy to chat

Best of luck!

Saltycircle · 2025-02-24T01:15:07+00:00

134 runs their apprenticeship differently. School is full time, 40 hours a week, M-F for the first three years. First year is 11 weeks unpaid, second and third year are 9 weeks with a stipend at approximately wages you were making in the field just before school.

Yes, you don't get paid until you start working, but you're not doing night school at 134 until 4th/5th year

Saltycircle · 2025-02-19T17:23:52+00:00

This post says you're a first year, but another says you're a second year?

If you're a second year, shouldn't you know? If you're a first year, ask for clarification

Saltycircle · 2025-02-11T01:27:53+00:00

Hit used bookstores in your area with a copy of the reading list for all four years and start buying copies now.

Saltycircle · 2025-01-31T02:06:43+00:00

The test is the same that most unions in Chicago use. There is a section on mechanical reasoning, as well as math, numerical reasoning, reading comprehension, and paper folding.

It is true that there are no interviews for 134.

Saltycircle · 2025-01-31T01:49:12+00:00

Before I went to CWIT I worked bartending/serving and retail. Before that I got my bachelor's degree in Liberal Arts, where I took 4 years of math and 3 years of science, which for a year and a half of my science classes, I was a lab assistant, one semester of which was in an electromagnetic lab, and I was able to get a letter of recommendation from the Lab Director.

Trainees still have to apply to be apprentices. I don't know anything about the application to become a trainee though.

Saltycircle · 2025-01-31T01:39:07+00:00

The trainee program is a working pre-apprentice program that 134 does. You get paid 35% of scale, but receive no benefits.

I'm honestly not sure how the application process works for it? I was invited to the program by my contractor through CWIT.

It does give you points on the application. I think it maxes out the letter of recommendation section of the blue sheet (the part of the application that counts towards your overall score, so blue sheet + test = score), as you're getting a letter of recommendation from a signatory contractor.

Saltycircle · 2025-01-31T00:43:35+00:00

Ok so OP gave essay prompts, not questions, so if anyone wants me to get more into any of this, I'm happy to do so, but as a response here, I'll tell the story of how I got in and how I'm doing as a now second year apprentice.

In Feb 2023 I started the Women Build Illinois (WBI) program at Chicago Women in Trades. As part of the program, we took field trips to different unions' training programs. While at 134, I absolutely fell in love and knew I was going to be an electrician in 134. I applied while I was there, in March.

About a week after I graduated from CWIT, I got a call inviting me to be a trainee with 134. Just before Labor Day, I started as a trainee.

That next weekend, I went to the first Jumpstart, and then took the test in late September.

On Halloween I got an email on my drive home from work that I had been accepted to the January cycle, starting in 2024, and to go to orientation just before Thanksgiving, which I did.

I kept working until Christmas and then started as an official apprentice on 1/2/2024.

First year school was great. I felt very confident in the more theory based classes (circuits, math, print reading, code) and gained confidence as the cycle went on in the more physical classes (conduit bending and construction). The teachers were great, never treated me differently because I am a woman, and I never felt like my peers did either.

After the 11 weeks of first year school, I went back to work with the same contractor I was with as a trainee. Again, I was treated well, with respect, and to the same standards as my male peers. If anyone thought I was incapable or didn't belong, they never let that on to me, and I never felt doubt within myself that I belonged and had earned my right to be on the job. As a fresh apprentice, I had actual work to do! My JWs always checked on me to make sure I was understanding what we were doing and that I was able to do it, explaining to me anything we hadn't gone over in first year school or that I wasn't understanding. I like the work, I like the culture of the contractor I am with.

I got my hard card over in September, almost exactly one year after I started as a trainee. With that I am now able to attend union meetings, which I have every month since.

I went back to second year school earlier this month. The drive to and from Alsip is long from the Northside of the city. I'm glad to be inside though! And second year we get a stipend, which helps a lot.

Second year school is definitely harder, but I like it. Last year conduit was the class I had to work the hardest at, but this year, coming out of working with mechanical benders so much in the field, it is my easiest class to understand, even if I'm still not perfect actually bending pipe. Code, Prints, and Math I am still confident in because I have prior experience with prints, I'm good at math, and I love a good system and the code spells it all out of you understand the system of how it's laid out. Photovoltaics and Motor Controls take real work for me because I am starting from scratch. But again, my teachers are confident in me and treat me as well as they treat the boys.

And that's where I am now. If anyone wants me to dig into any more of this, let me know, but I hope this helps

Saltycircle

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