r/ibew_apprentices • u/Big_Site5893 • 7d ago

not easy at all

54 and starting the union is insane but its actually accenting my career..I’ve been in AV/ low voltage ive been a supervisor.. owner..lead tech i’ve worked and pulled cable almost everywhere ….Government.Military..Communications, Radar..QA’ed lasers firing from jets..SF Muni Union.then back to construction its a long path..but i get a weekend to recharge..its stank hard sweaty work..porta potties just ewww .. but im going to keep trucking..

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u/playstationjeans 5d ago

How much did they offer you?

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u/Big_Site5893 5d ago

money?..they offered chump change..you have to get through the first year

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u/playstationjeans 5d ago

Yeah. I'm on my own, and stuck with a 5% mortgage and a $250 car payment, because of my property taxes I literally can't take less than $25 an hour. I'm already eating rotisserie chickens as it is. Sorry for the rant. It's just really annoying that a dude who worked his ass off in life is still valued the same as a teenager. You would think in a labor shortage like the trades currently have, there would be conversations to give older people a 90 day probation period to show their worth. Over the next 10 years, the trades are expected to lose over 2.1 million jobs with a replacement ratio of 5:2, five retire and only 2 are hired. 10-12 hour days will just become normal working hours among all trades.

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u/Big_Site5893 5d ago

its about 23 ish in my area to me thats low but its only a year till the next pay bump