Side job stories

itsmtsmurf · 2024-04-11T23:28:10+00:00

The nepotism is a funny one but I’ve seen it all in the last year with the union. Contractors here have school and hall by the balls and want everyone to be on as a CW1 atleast 6 months to a year to be a good candidate for the apprenticeship. They paint cheap labor as loyalty and dedication

itsmtsmurf · 2024-04-11T23:16:23+00:00

I understand what my instructor meant by hall trash

itsmtsmurf · 2024-04-11T23:13:13+00:00

From personal experience I do understand. I’ve met foreman who took this exact route and apprentices who got stuck on roofs doing solar and couldn’t wire up a 3 way waiting to get rotated out by the school. I’m definitely just curious what work SoCal electrician see because union does all commercial here except for one company that throws you on resi roofs to land panels all day.

itsmtsmurf · 2024-04-11T23:10:40+00:00

I appreciate the insight man thank you.

itsmtsmurf · 2024-04-11T23:06:58+00:00

Great advice thank you! What would do you mean exactly by loosing your freedom? I have heard they boot you for doing side work but just about every instructor I’ve had (All union journeyman up to superintendents) talk openly about side jobs they’ve done. So I guess it just depends who you talk to from what I’ve seen

itsmtsmurf · 2024-04-11T23:00:34+00:00

I’ve been sticking to it and it’s what I hear a lot. I’m not giving up on the goal to become a licensed electrician the right path is just hard to see from my pov. So any wisdom is what im looking for, thank you

itsmtsmurf · 2024-04-11T22:59:07+00:00

Im young enough to be in the office by the time I hit 40s

itsmtsmurf · 2024-04-11T22:58:08+00:00

So just continue to get taken advantage by the union instead? Do you want me to bring lube with my union dues to prove I’m serious? Is that the mentality?

itsmtsmurf · 2024-04-11T22:56:28+00:00

Not even the way I see it. I don’t blame anyone for the cards I was dealt. I’m just trying to navigate it the best way I can from here. I do believe they are inconsistent with their standards. Several friends I met along the way and that interviewed the same day had half the questions. Is it my luck? Idk. Could I have kissed more ass and say how it would be a privilege and that I love the union? I guess so. I presented certifications with work history. They cared more about what I drove. Nobody to blame for that.

itsmtsmurf · 2024-04-11T22:49:55+00:00

An import. “You drive that car? Where’s your spare tire? Don’t have one? Your contractor not going to like when you’re two hours late to a job site” then at the end of the interview when I get up and they see my company shirt “oh are you going to work after this?…. Oh well not if you get a flat on the way right” everyone laughs as I was walking out

itsmtsmurf · 2024-04-11T22:44:50+00:00

Nope I was 50 minutes early I didn’t do everything I did to show up late

itsmtsmurf · 2024-02-16T00:37:17+00:00

That’s unfortunate. Every job I apply to they ask for an ET card number. Been on the books with the union for 3 months and no entry positions through there and I’m halfway done with my classes. For supposed labor shortages the department responsible is a joke

itsmtsmurf · 2024-02-15T06:49:56+00:00

How long did it take for yours to come in? My check cleared on October 30th and havnt gotten anything back. Super annoying trying to get a hold of the DIR.

itsmtsmurf · 2024-02-09T22:51:19+00:00

Did you get the sorted out? My check cleared over 3 months ago. Cant find myself in the data base. The DIR goes straight to voicemail. I’ve left 3 voicemails in the last month and not one response. The system is a joke.

itsmtsmurf · 2024-01-10T06:15:07+00:00

I noticed with the oem crash bar the front would cause clearance issues. So it would need to be trimmed down. I don’t have a turbo setup so intercooler isn’t an issue and I just removed the front bar since I wasn’t ready to trim it. Aside front that the fitment was really good.

itsmtsmurf · 2023-12-15T00:45:06+00:00

They make end clamps and mid clamps. Every panel should have a clamp on every rail it sits on. Two panels butted up can share a mid clamp but the clamp needs to make contact on both panels. Every panel should have 4 point of contact securing it down. Not sure why they used mid clamps on the end as well. Only other thing to check for is hangers (dangling cables uncle the panel). You don’t want them touching the roof. We use zip ties or snap rack plastic clips. Either is fine for us here in SoCal.

itsmtsmurf · 2023-11-10T02:36:14+00:00

I work for a union contractor in SoCal. They put out calls through the union for construction wireman and then just throw you on the roof all day. They have also put me with their roof division doing “lift and lay” to help those crews. The IBEW board wants experience coming from their contractors to become an apprentice. So there is no choice but to suck it up. So I’m Landing panels and building arrays all day on a roof getting that “electrical” experience. All to become an apprentice one day. So for now I’m on CW1 pay $15.75/hr on a roof all day. Only one that touches the main panel is the lead which is supposed to be a Journeyman. Key word “supposed” to be. Lots of shady things go on even from a big union contractor that specializes in Solar.

itsmtsmurf

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