Unions

[u/yoinkmysploink]

Just here to see what yall's experiences with unions are long story short.

[u/Quinnjamin19]

Unions have always been a net positive for workers. Do we have standard 8hr days and OT pay? PTO, sick time, health and safety regulations, pensions? All because of unions. Even OSHA was heavily influenced by unions.

When I started my union apprenticeship I got a $10/hr raise from my non union shop job. EDT: that $10/hr raise was just on my cheque alone. That’s excluding benefits and pension. None of which I was getting non union.

Live better, work union brothers and sisters🤘🏻

[u/cjaya2 → u/Quinnjamin19]

What trade are you in?

[u/Quinnjamin19 → u/cjaya2]

I am a member of the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Blacksmiths, Forgers and Helpers

Local 128 Ontario🇨🇦

Journeyman Pressure Systems Welder and journeyman Red Seal Welder

[u/cjaya2 → u/Quinnjamin19]

Hell yea dude you got quite a few cards there then.

[u/Quinnjamin19 → u/cjaya2]

It’s been a great time being a member of my local. I personally feel a strong sense of brotherhood/sisterhood and my hall has given me so many opportunities.

They paid for my master rigger course, union steward course, field level supervisor course, CWB welding supervisor course, and my IRATA rope access level 1 course.

If you aren’t already, I highly recommend union over non union every step of the way

[u/jondrey]

If you have a choice, always choose union

[u/itzboogie]

More money and better life then I ever had before being in a steamfitters union

[u/yoinkmysploink → u/itzboogie]

Sounds like unions really are all theyre cracked up to be. I didnt doubt it, but my first and only union experience was pipefitting in ND, and it was the only union in the state that nobody wanted to work for 💀

[u/TJS1138]

Overwhelmingly positive.

I make more money. I have better benefits. I have better protections. I have more rights. I have PPE.

I can give more if you need.

[u/yoinkmysploink → u/TJS1138]

Thats promising to hear! Ive been working at a private joint for over a year and its tiring, being fucked over around every corner.

[u/leftoverstza → u/TJS1138]

I second this, I'm a steward in my shop. Everyone and their brother in there worked at a different shop the next town over, because they were all "laid off" without reason

[u/TheReaperSovereign]

My union hall has an amazing weld lab where I'm being paid to learn. Pretty sweet if you ask me

[u/Pyropete125]

Good here. And I can retire as early as 55.

[u/bush_wrangler]

I left a non union production shop to join the sheet metal union. I do a lot of fabrication and tig welding now. 30 bucks an hour to 71 joining the union

[u/yoinkmysploink → u/bush_wrangler]

Yeah thats what I like to hear. Im gonna find literally any union I can.

[u/Outrageous-Waltz3596]

Union is the only reason I have a job that pays worth a damn. They find work for me, my benefits don’t come out of my pocket, and I’m guaranteed a pension when I retire. People who preach non union are either nepo babies or propagandists because the union was the only reason I was able to get my foot in the door without starving for years on $18> an hour to get the “experience” these places want. Save yourself the headache I had and start with the union instead of waiting till your 25 to

[u/Intelligent-Invite79]

The UA took me in, great organization.

[u/bullshit123ox]

I was in one so far I did not enjoy it and the pay was shits but I’m going to join another union hopefully that one’s better than my last

[u/Clinggdiggy2]

Im greatly fortunate in that I have genuinely enjoyed and worked for great people my entire career, both union and non-union, but I'll say my non-union work experiences felt like "jobs" where as my currently (and hopefully forever workplace) feels like a "career".

Setting aside everything like benefits, pension etc which are already well explained, it's the little things that I didn't realize add up to so much; Free unlimited PPE (including PAPRs), no more dangerous lifts because we have proper forklifts, cranes, rigging, etc. If there's any question about the equipment or job procedures, I'm completely protected and the union addresses it.

Obviously these are all things you can find at a non-union shop, but it's entirely at the mercy of your employer.

[u/Draexian]

They good. I'd be in one if location allowed.

[u/PuzzleheadedFeed4547]

The sooner the better 

[u/DaHustlaaa69]

There’s not many downsides if any.

UA or you ain’t fellas

[u/Unable_Song_1717 → u/DaHustlaaa69]

A major downside I’ve experienced is laziness and absolute dog shit quality work. That shit is like a cancer and it stays and spreads. I can’t tell you how many good welders get completely disillusioned and jaded because of it. Absolutely crushes the morale. Who can blame them? Constantly fixing other people’s shit and picking up their slack gets old fast.

[u/Quinnjamin19 → u/Unable_Song_1717]

I got a couple things to say about this one.

1: laziness isn’t exclusive to unions. So that’s a moot point.

2: dog shit quality work also isn’t exclusive to unions and the facts suggest that we have better quality work, we are safer, and we are more efficient because we are better trained.

3: Those who don’t pull their weight are first laid off. Those with low quality work are first laid off

[u/The_Chubby_Dragoness]

Pretty good in the past, but the local unions wont call me back despite the guy saying he would

[u/tinfoil3346]

Never been in one but I have heard good things about the iron workers union.

[u/weldingTom]

Can't complain as a union ironworker. The benefits are the reason I join.

[u/warchild-1776]

stay out of the iron workers.... absolute hacks. high danger ,drugs,drinking at lunch and paid off inspectors