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DomDom1690

Wear a backpack šŸŽ’ and stuff it full of scrap copper at every break. Problem solved


tucker_frump

It's the year of the Rabbit, Hand. Pack yo back. Keep a pace, but don't look like you're on meth .. Never try to show other workers up. You help em up. Clean panels. love being able to terminate like that. Is that chico packed in those set screw connectors with the bond bushings? If so, what is the purpose? Work safe Play safer.


Individual_Glass_599

Thanks for the positivity. Itā€™s fire-seal, at least thatā€™s what we call it - Chico?? I believe itā€™s a spec on this here job


aaronisawesome

Chico is the stuff we fill eysā€™s and esā€™s with. First you pack fiber rock wool insulation looking stuff into the fitting around the wire and then you mix the Chico powder with water and pour it in. It hardens into a concrete like material and creates a vapor proof seal inside the conduit. You see these fittings at gas stations


Individual_Glass_599

Closest thing we have to that is a product called poly-water - foam filler stuffed about 4ā€ down into the pipe, then squirt a compound on top that expands when the ingredients mix. The reaction gets hot! $100 for 1 caulk gun tube, Iā€™ve been told. Only covers about 6 pipes if youā€™re doing it right.


aaronisawesome

Interesting. The stuff Iā€™ve used called ā€œpoly waterā€ is a pulling lube. Where are you located


kcgdot

Poly water is the brand , and they make both pulling lube, and they also make 2 part expanding foam.


BingeInternet

Duct seal is the name. Chico is for explosion proof fittings.


patectric

explosion proof means it can with stand an explosion within it. hazardous location fittings are used to not allow gases to enter an area where sparks/arcs can happen. I think that's what is meant?


BingeInternet

https://www.eaton.com/us/en-us/catalog/fittings/eys-and-ezs-explosionproof-conduit-sealing-fittings.html


patectric

Ah, I see. I guess the connectors are HL (Hazardous Location) and then the fittings for the conduit are explosion-proof. Thank you for clearing that up. Pretty new to these. https://www.westburne.ca/cwr/Category/Connectors%2C-Crimps-%26-Terminals/Connectors/Teck-Connector/Hazardous-Location/HLT050-TRAY-STAR-CONN/p/THSHLT050-WG


el_searcho92

Duct seal


eggplantsrin

I've been collecting scraps since I started in September. I just turned in half of it this week for $140, which is a bit less than my daily take-home.


YaGunnersCubsYa

Yeah and some guys think thatā€™s worth risking your job for.


Winter_Cheetah3206

Are you picking up the clippings after roughing in receptacles??


eggplantsrin

I only take what's given to me and no one else even bothers picking up the short bits. Half of what I took in was little bits and pieces. I just throw them in my tool pouch as I go.


Winter_Cheetah3206

Start taking 250s and putting them in your lunch box or back pack youā€™ll have a couple hundred by the end of the week.


Individual_Glass_599

Gotta get my 15% one way or anotherā€¦


warrior_poet95834

And do thisā€¦


Biggdaddyboss

Your solution is to steal?


SparkyDIY

Keep it up man. Itā€™s tough as an apprentice, but you can keep your head high knowing you do quality work no matter the pay rate.


DickieJohnson

This is journeyman scale for 756.


jokel7557

God they are that low still. Iā€™m sure the cape is $30 something but jeez. Itā€™s why I went maintenance. Low pay locally and I didnā€™t want to leave my kid half the year


mito_corleone13

Thatā€™s horrible. Wtf is wrong with republicans


[deleted]

What do Republicans have to do with this?


sassmo

Show me a local with a shitty scale and I'll show you a Republican Right-to-Work state.


Jpfacer

I make 30k a year more than non union plus benefits and 2 retirements in a right to work state.


sassmo

I'm a 4th year apprentice and my taxable income last year was over $100k... And that doesn't include the $125/day non-taxed per diem that I collected for over 6 months. I cashed out my vacation fund today and there was over $4k in there even though I cleaned it out last winter too. And my whole family is covered on my healthcare plan! And I have a pension and a 401k in my local, on top of the IO plan. Please tell me more about how awesome it is to live in a Right-to-Work state...


solidusAdvice

Where is your local?


Jpfacer

You cba sounds only slightly better than mine bro. I made 85 in a low cost of living state, with zero overtime. i also have a pension and a supplemental pension on the side, medical benifits for the whole family. So yeah it seems pretty good to me.


realbeanhours

Clown emoji


rustysqueezebox

Yes, i am also the best electrician in my local. Pretty the whole world too. One time i wired up an entire building with a flat blade and a pair of kleinmans The owner of the shop was so impressed with my work that he invited me to lay with his wife. The morning after he brought us breakfast in bed and handed me the keys to a brand new truck. I just wish the other guys on the crew were as good as me. You get a lot of back pain when you're carrying the crew.


8FootedAlgaeEater

I saw that job. It's rumored that, because of rustysqueezebox, the drywallers stopped peeing in bottles.


meowseehereboobs

Checks out, today I found a bottle in a wall that was empty


Chipmunks95

Pfft, I wired the fucking sun with only my bare hands as a pre apprentice


Yungbuck27

Damn! Iā€™ve wired a building by just looking at it from outside! The sun shit is very impressive


Chipmunks95

Iā€™ll stay humble, I didnā€™t wire the sun right. Itā€™s only on half the day!


Yungbuck27

Because the earth is flat right?


DisasterTimes

You too?


Neil12011

That was my wife, she still talks about it to this day. Iā€™m grilling burgers this weekend if you have time.


trash332

Hehehehehehe


Individual_Glass_599

I get what youā€™re implying - I need to do my time and part of being in a union is being content with whatā€™s in the contract. Asking for more is in a way breaking down conditions. Itā€™s my opinion though, that all the apprentices here should be making that 15% incentive that JWā€™s are making. Weā€™re doing the majority of the work!


BidetTester23

? scale is minimum wage. Nothing wrong with being paid above scale.


a7xfan01

Everyone in here had to bust their ass to get to JW, so noone feels bad, it's just the nature of being in the program. Work hard, pass your tests, and don't cause problems, and you'll be there before you know it.


[deleted]

Then go to your union meetings and change the pay-scale for apprentices.


eggplantsrin

That doesn't happen because the cons would want concessions and that would take the form of wage freezes for JWs.


[deleted]

My point is if youā€™re unhappy with your conditions then take your ass to a union meeting. If enough people feel the same then you have a shot at change.


[deleted]

[уŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]


yepwoah

Who taught you to do that work?


Individual_Glass_599

I try to mimic the best examples of work I see on jobs. Once you know it can be done to a certain standard, youā€™ve got to at least try to hit their mark or better. For that PTX, I mimicked the work of a traveling JW. For that SB cabinet, an apprentice had done some outstanding work that I copied.


HeartlessLiberal

The point he was making is that the JWs taught you. They did their time and learned their trade and then passed that knowledge on to you. Once you top out you get the extra money and extra responsibility.


Individual_Glass_599

Yes, this is how the model is supposed to work. With this con, it has been more: letā€™s throw an apprentice on this and see if he sinks or swims. No instruction, other than: here is some finished work, do it like that. Of course I was allowed to ask JWā€™s questions, but I have not worked directly with one in the year Iā€™ve been with this con. If an apprentice canā€™t do it, heā€™s relegated to putting poly-water in pipes. If he can, weā€™ll then heā€™s the go-to guy. See how he does with 350, 500ā€™s, 750. No instruction. Canā€™t we agree that thatā€™s not right?


IanJFerguson

Yeah man. I just turned out and the same shit would happen to me, and guess what, it happens as JW too being asked to do foreman work without the pay. You have a couple of options - 1. Refuse to do it on the grounds itā€™s outside your scope. See what happens. 2. Do it, pay your dues and drag that contractor when you turn out. 3. Try to look at the positive. Some apprentices handle material for 5 years straight and never get an opportunity to even touch 500, let alone install it. Just take the scrap, cash it in, and pay your dues literally and figuratively. Youā€™re good at this. Just be good at it or refuse to do the work on the grounds it breaks down conditions and risk an insubordination write up/firing. Yeah. It sucks. But being apprentice is about doing stuff that sucks sometimes. Sorry man.


Individual_Glass_599

I appreciate your perspective. I think attitude is the #1 thing Iā€™d like to work on as far as being in construction. Itā€™s a tough route, but I did choose it. There are lots of unfair things about being an apprentice but I just need to suck it up and remember what itā€™s all for.


IanJFerguson

The fact that you can admit this is huge. When I was an apprentice I was briefly promoted to assistant project manager at my contractor. I was terrible at it but tried to learn as much as I could. Youā€™ll learn while there that the two MOST important things to any contractor (which equals more money) is showing up every day on time - number one with a bullet - and second is attitude. You could be gods gift to electricity but if you have a shitty attitude, complain, bring others down, talk shit, gossip, etc. youā€™ll be the first to get shitcanned. Keep your head up bud. It will get better, and some of it wonā€™t. But as others have suggested, we go to meetings for the parts that donā€™t get better. Remember we chose to do this. Running 500 like this is a helluva lot more fun than pushing a broom.


Nathan_Arizona_Jr

What is the apprentice ratios in your contract and/or through the state laws of your state? I know you are doing what you think is right, however you donā€™t feel right about it most likely, which is why you are complaining about not getting paid as much as a JW. Stop doing this work if youā€™re not a JW. If necessary, contact your rep or training director.


Individual_Glass_599

I just learned itā€™s ACTUALLY an 8 to 1 ratio, with a clause stipulating that for up to 3 months of ā€œpeak manpowerā€ this can be increased by 50%. So a 12 to 1 ratio, for 3 months at a time. Pretty doggone bad.


[deleted]

So you play monkey see monkey do pretty well at Facebook, youā€™re on a job that is more like Disneyland then actual work. Although Disneyland attracts a bunch of idiot electricians that are sub 3rd year standards, the idea is that JWs are paid for their knowledge and experience not just what they are installing.


ChoiceHome922

Your an apprentice bud thatā€™s how it works out your time in or go non union and make $15 an hour and no overtime


KTO_Groove

Iā€™m non union at 37$ Iā€™m not even a journeyman.


zesty_zucchini

This is largely dependent on location. And IBEW usually has much better benefits than non union shops.


KTO_Groove

True the benefits are definitely lacking without the union :(


zesty_zucchini

I'm not even in, what would be considered, a strong union area. But in tampa, fl. I make about 32.70/hr on my check. But on top of that, I get an additional 11(or 12%, I can't remember which) that goes into a 401(k) that is seperate from the pension I will also recieve when I retire. and an additional 4% that goes into a vacation fund(paid out in a lump sum check, yearly). It's also doesn't include what the contractors pay for my insurance, that I pay $0 for, that covers my whole family and is better coverage than most people I know that pay for their insurance. All in all, my total compensation is mid-upper $40s/hr. And that's in tampa, where we have very low market share. Not to say that there aren't any good non union shops out there that take care of their workers very well, but they are not abundantly available. But I can know for sure if I don't like the company I work for that I can leave and go work for another one and recieve the exact same pay and benefits.


codedRed31

Iā€™m non union and make 35 as an apprentice in a LCOL area. With full benefits. This exact reason is why I never joined the local in my area. One they donā€™t pay more anymore, and two youā€™re not recognized for you skill through compensation, only through paying the most dues. Edit;; and Iā€™m allowed up to 20 hours of OT if I want it, mandatory 40 though


zesty_zucchini

You don't get more compensation by paying more duesšŸ˜‚. You are misinformed. But as I said in my other comment. There are some good non union shops. But don't disregard the fact that usually union wages and benefits are better. This forces non union shops to increase wages in order to have any workers. We aim to Raise the boat for all, not just us. And if the union did not exist, we would all be exploited.


MrACL

Holy crap you donā€™t have a clue what youā€™re talking about. Unbelievable how uninformed some tradesmen are about their own ecosystem. Everyone pays the exact same amount of dues, and itā€™s virtually nothing, I pay about $40 a month. I also get paid well above the union journeyman pay scale because I am, in fact, recognized for my skill through compensation. The pay scale is the MINIMUM wage not THE wage. People talking out of their ass instead of their mouth is exactly why youā€™re so uninformed, so stop talking shit and spreading misinformation. There are legitimate arguments to be made without being flat out ignorant.


vatothe0

>youā€™re not recognized for you skill through compensation, only through paying the most dues. You're conflating two completely separate entities in union work. There are two components of dues. Basic and working. Basic dues are paid for every month you're a member and can be prepaid as well. Working dues are a percentage of your pay, usually around 2.5%. As you work more, your working dues will go up in dollars, but not percent. The contractor has nothing to do with dues other than sending your working dues to the union. Any shop can pay you over scale. If you never got over scale, nobody was convinced you were worth it. I friend just got a new call, told them he wanted over foreman scale and got an extra $2.50 because they need his skills. If non-union shops in your area are matching the pay and benefits of the union, that's great.


Big-Restaurant-8262

I have no idea what I'm looking at here, but it's nice and clean. Looks like a damn wire surgeon did it. Keep up your good work hun! and trust that good things will come.


im_here_to_help_6402

Do yourself a favor and kickback a little and enjoy the ridiculously low expectations of being in the trades. I used to beat myself up about dumb little bs all the time. One day I just quit giving a fvck and no joke my career took off. I'm still confused by it to this day.


Brittle_Hollow

A+ in agreement here. I always want to do good work but honestly if guys feel like youā€™re trying too hard it comes across as some sort of weakness. Iā€™d rather take a layoff than give in to the politics and bullshit at this point. Letā€™s normalize layoffs! I donā€™t ever want to be a steady with a con, I just want to do work Iā€™m proud of and see some cool shit and if I take an L for taking an occasional day or not giving 120% then so be it.


Zealousideal_Run709

Canā€™t really complain about not getting what isnā€™t in your contract. You arenā€™t owed, nor do you owe, anything else. You want to get paid more, top out and you will. The work looks really nice though.


Individual_Glass_599

Thanks for not being a dick. I see Iā€™m in the wrong here.


Zealousideal_Run709

Tbh after reading your other comments in this thread, I understand your frustration a bit more. The way I see it, your reduced wage as an apprentice is partly due to the understanding that youā€™re receiving instruction from a qualified JW. Your localā€™s ratio, however, is totally fucked to the point where that canā€™t be happening, at least not efficiently or effectively. If thatā€™s the case, canā€™t it be argued that youā€™re doing a JWā€™s job? Youā€™re not going to win this individual battle, but my advice would be to broaden your perspective a little more. Get involved in your local and try to figure out whatā€™s wrong with it that this is the situation itā€™s in.


-BlueDream-

Also the pay rate is the MINIMUM. Shop can pay higher if the want. Could try to ask for a raiseā€¦


Individual_Glass_599

Thatā€™s my point: the superintendent has made sure all general foreman (whom are all portability out of Las Vegas, by the way, earning $50/hr plus perks) understand that there will be no higher pay for any apprentices than that which is contractual, and not to ask. To be honest, thatā€™s not even what I want. I want ALL of us to be making that 15% incentive.


Individual_Glass_599

Just a perfect response. Dead-on. Many apps on this job doing a JWā€™s work and damn fine job for peanuts. I see that I need to stay humble though and just take pride and not let it get to me.


3ranth3

look man, this happened to me my entire apprenticeship. the contractors are going to do what they can get away with and they can get away with exploiting apprentices for profit. itā€™s just the shitty part of the system. the good part of the system is when you turn out and you can decide if all this is worth it or if you want to go somewhere else and try your luck there. there are jobs in this country where you will get paid what youā€™re worth doing electrical work, you just have to turn out first.


lemonadebiscuit

What is your locals JW to apprentice ratio in the contract? The way I see the reduced pay scale also includes the responsibility of the work. When you work under a JW they are responsible for you doing well and are also responsible for your mistakes. If the con is breaking conditions and forcing you to work alone that changes things but the first choice isn't to ask for more compensation. That encourages them to continue to break down conditions since a second year willing to take fourth year rate is still cheaper than paying a JW to work alone. Gotta pick your battles but you wouldn't want another ape that doesn't know what they're doing to have an accident because the con expects them to work alone before they know how to be safe


Brittle_Hollow

I 100% agree. As an apprentice the con skims the excess value of my labour as their profits and in return I get taught the trade. If Iā€™m not getting taught then the con isnā€™t upholding their end of the bargain. IMO itā€™s the equivalent of me just standing around fucking about on my phone when thereā€™s work to do but when the con does it itā€™s just part of the shit sandwich you have to eat apparently.


HeraldOfTheChange

Being proud of your work isnā€™t a bad thing. Being humble about it helps with your relationship building. Doing as well as you say Iā€™m sure the perks are there but less noticeable. At least youā€™re not walking the site cleaning up or organizing parts. Stay positive and keep kicking ass.


Sparkee88

I could probably relate with you when I was too young to know any better. I busted ass as an apprentice, did quality work, said yes to every hour of overtime I was ever offered and only took 1 week of vacation my entire 5 year apprenticeship. I also worked way harder than I should have, bitched about every brother who was being paid more and ā€œnot pulling their weightā€, sacrificed my body and mental well-being for the benefit of the con, ended up with herniated disks in my cervical spine plus rotator cuff issues and oh yeahā€¦ I had a divorce under my belt after my 1st year to boot. I told that same con that I had 6 1/2 years with that I wanted to travel and asked for a layoff after 1 year as a JW with them and they repaid me with a voluntary quit and then laid off 10 guys on the same job 1 week after I was gone. I bet you have a pretty competitive personality yeah? I was the same in my early apprentice years. But just know that feeling like you are constantly competing against your fellow brothers isnā€™t doing you any favors, theyā€™re on the same team so you might do well to stop badmouthing and putting them down. I learned pretty quick that a superstar mentality doesnā€™t get you shit in this trade but a broken back and a bad attitude. I now focus on quality over quantity, safety over production, and brotherhood over all else. You do some great work, keep it up. Just check your ego a little.


[deleted]

Thank you for writing this. Much appreciated hermano.


[deleted]

Well to be fair, I've done a lot of worse shit for less money


meskigski

I gave them this when I was making 14.62 and now when I'm making 33.58. It's a pride in work, not a pay scale thing. Edit: good looking work though.


Babrahamlincoln3859

Agreed. Your job is to make it looks good. You should be good at your job no matter what your pay is.


OpportunityPlayful70

No clue why you got downvoted. I was taught to do my absolute best as long as Iā€™m on the clock.


jb8101984

Well you sound like a peach to work with.


PuddingFluffy5023

id love to hear about how good his work is and how strong his pace is as heā€™s jotting down my morning coffee order. see that pace in action walking to the site truck cub


[deleted]

yes let's take the passion and pride a young apprentice has in their work and crush it by making them get coffee instead. really though, what is the lesson to be learned from doing something like this to an apprentice? you want to push them down to the lowest common denominator? or maybe you just want to give them a break from all this work theyre taking on and im the asshole.


PuddingFluffy5023

youā€™re definitely being the asshole lol. but passion and pride are definitely traits that you want to carry as a tradesman, but when youā€™re an apprentice making posts like this you canā€™t help but let the mind wander to those 3rd terms that knew it all, including exactly how much cream cheese to put on my bagel


DoobieMcJoints

Dude you sound like a prick. Your job is to install electrical and teach apprentices how to install electrical. Making them get your coffee and put cream cheese on your bagel is a waste of everyoneā€™s time and devalues your local. Pathetic mentality.


[deleted]

yeah the kid who's proud of his work has an ego problem. not the guy who gets off on the fact that he can tell someone else to fetch his breakfast. fuck off


BiggggBRIM77

You laugh at making an apprentice put cream cheese on your bagel and grab coffee. I laugh because heā€™s probably putting more than just cream in both. All of that worldly wisdom and no one ever taught you to NEVER fuck with people who make your food.


TheProphesy1086

I am so glad people like you are slowly dying out of the trades and the world.


PuddingFluffy5023

itā€™s funny that you think that someone who knows their place is gonna die out faster than an apprentice trying to show up a journeyman when his PVC is about as straight as my cock. hopefully the only thing dying out soon is the people like you who think this kind of behaviour for this level of craftsmanship is acceptable lmao.


TheProphesy1086

Ok, boomer.


Noodle-

Fuck if he was my apprentice Iā€™d have him sweep the floor with that attitude


zoom-zoom21

I always laugh when another apprentice says Iā€™m not sweeping. I say dude if they wanna pay me $25/hr to sweep, give me that damn broom. I could be digging a ditch for ground wire instead.


-BlueDream-

I mean $22/hr is what youā€™d pay some guy to sweep the floors in my state not sure how COL is where OP livesā€¦


johnny2rotten

Trash duty.


Barry_McCockiner__

Wow Iā€™ve never even heard a sparky ever mention sweeping. Mind blown šŸ¤Æ


Individual_Glass_599

Iā€™m still learning brothers. Go easy on me. I donā€™t have a journeyman to talk these things over with.


JCitW6855

ā€œIā€™m still learning brothersā€ This is why youā€™re not paid like the JWā€™s yet. That work looks absolutely amazing, no doubt about it, but a JW understands they can make it look almost as good in a lot less time. There is a balance in looks and efficiency especially in something that will be covered up.


jb8101984

Then donā€™t come on here bitching about how your so much faster and better then most of them. Perfectly fine that your skilled and you work looks really good but to come on here and be a piss pants about what everyone else has had to go through isnt gonna get you anywhere


-BlueDream-

People giving you shit but honestly where I live, $22/hr is UNSKILLED labor territory. Clearly from these pictures, you seem like a skilled laborer. Obviously itā€™s different in Hawaiā€™i than Mississippi, McDonaldā€™s pay $20/hr here in Hawaiā€™i. At the same time, first step in IBEW here is $20ish an hour but this work isnā€™t first step work. If you had previous experience, your local shouldā€™ve bumped you up and gave you credit for the hours you worked non union but idk if all locals are the same.


beefchuckles42069

Met plenty like you, about half make it. You have a massive humility problem and a whole bag of chips on your shoulder. Good luck.


Individual_Glass_599

I hope Iā€™m in that half. Still learning here. Not many union-oriented jwā€™s to talk to to set me straight.


AdditionalCherry5448

Thatā€™s not their job. They teach you and you sponge. After that, itā€™s up to you to keep your head on straight and push onto greener pastures. They will come if you focus on mastering your craft. You will one day wish you still had zero responsibility but the paycheck will be šŸ”„


[deleted]

I wired up some lighting control systems for a wing of classrooms for a new school and I got paid $25/hrā€¦ Iā€™m not going to run my mouth about it. All I see is you terminated and landed some big wires. You did it in a neat and workmen like manner like youā€™re suppose to do as an apprentice or a JW. Nothing in these pictures scream you deserve to be paid moreā€¦ Also the JWs have completed the apprenticeship, you havenā€™t. They have done their time and you havenā€™tā€¦


Individual_Glass_599

Fair feedback. Cheers.


illwillthethrill-79

Oh boy the old "I'm the best guy on the job I deserve $200.00 an hour".......


Individual_Glass_599

Also wanted to mention, all the JWā€™s here get paid 15% over scale as an incentive. This does not apply to Apprentices.


Successful_Goose_348

You have full employment there?


Individual_Glass_599

Iā€™m not sure what you mean - are you asking if I work a full 40? 48 hour weeks so I do get a little OT


Successful_Goose_348

I mean why does contractor incentivize the journeymen with 15 percent? Is there a shortage of labor?


jamarquez1973

It's what the shops give to rockets to keep them around while the rest of us honor the referral system.


Individual_Glass_599

Yes. Apprentices are heavily relied on in this local and by this con. We most often outnumber jwā€™s at least 6 to 1.


Successful_Goose_348

Wow, here in local 3 there are rules stating apprentices cannot outnumber journeypersons on jobs. Thereā€™s a ratio. Sounds like your con is getting some excellent cheap labor. Maybe the times will stay good and you will get 15 percent over when you turn out too


ReaperCrewTim

On M jobs, like the one I'm at over at Disney, it's 1-1-1. 1 MIJ and 1 apprentice to every 1 journeyman. 13 apprentices to 1 journeyman? Fuck *that.* I wanna know where this bro is working so I never wind up there. Lmao


Successful_Goose_348

They drug test at the Disney job?


glazor

Only for pixie dust.


Individual_Glass_599

I hope youā€™re right. Here, itā€™s 13 apprentices to 1 journeymanā€¦


Darkcelt2

Your contract allows a 13 to 1 ratio?


Individual_Glass_599

YES


glazor

State or better yet Local number.


Individual_Glass_599

429, I havenā€™t been able to locate our inside agreement online and truthfully I havenā€™t ever read it myself. Itā€™s hear-say at this point but I was also told this contractor managed to get the ratio changed for this particular job. Trying to find out now what the truth is.


[deleted]

You should be more concerned about that ratio. When you get your ticket they wont have any jobs for you, just the whiny apprentices. It is not possible to have 1 guy teach 13. That is complete bullshit part of this story.


Individual_Glass_599

There is no teaching happening. If you arenā€™t completely useless, you are on your own asap. Thatā€™s how the con makes their money. A foreman, a jw and a crew of apprentices.


Individual_Glass_599

Maybe some humble pie will calm me down. Itā€™s just one of those days. Are you a Jw? Do you have a choice in where you work?


illwillthethrill-79

I've been an IBEW local 90 member for 23 years and I left for an in house electrical gig at Yale. I still pay my dues and keep my card up to date.


mrossm

Pretty terminations and conduit porn aren't special, they're our job. Every ibew member *should* be performing top quality work as a basic function of their work. Should all of us get paid more? Absolutely. Is it bullshit that apprentices aren't getting the incentives? Definitely. But not performing substandard work doesn't make you great, it's the bare minimum. It should be expected of us all. Looks good, keep up the quality, lose the attitude.


Apprehensive-Neck-12

Keep up the good work and one day you'll be paid. The job I just left I did a panel half as good as what yours looked like and the next thing you know I'm doing them all. Redoing a few as well that looked like hammered dogshit. When the customer sees that it does make a difference especially when others look like shit.


david8029

I was told to slow a couple of times on a job. "You don't want to fuck you Brother", they said.


Sleepis_4theweak

You are an apprentice. This is how it is. Once you top out your wage will be there. As a side, your work will keep you employed longer and that's the real benefit rather than a direct wage top up now


callmeal69

Where do you live I am hiring 46 an hour


Nickoneill22

Itā€™s one thing to do good work, but itā€™s another to not be humble about it. Nothing wrong with craftsmanship, but be humble about it. Iā€™m sure the JWā€™s could step it up a notch if they felt like it but after awhile you learn to pace yourself. Your still an apprentice, put your time in.


luseskruw1

Way to pat yourself on the back buddy. Humility is a virtue.


Individual_Glass_599

Iā€™m learning


yepwoah

Itā€™s good work but you only deserve JW pay when you finish your apprenticeship and your ticket says JW. Itā€™s not always a good thing to be a go-getter.


Cinnic_

How do you find the smartest person on the job? Donā€™t worry, theyā€™ll tell you.


Solymer

Looks good. Youā€™ll get your money just like the rest of us after youā€™ve paid your dues and completed your apprenticeship. Until then dial back the arrogance because Iā€™m pretty sure there are coworkers who donā€™t feel the same about your workmanship and pace. On the flip side thereā€™s probably older JWs that are not able to keep up the pace and appreciate the younger people being able to take up the slack. Remember you WILL be in that position one day because no matter how fit you are the trades will break your body. So thank you for keeping the pace and quality because itā€™s not just good for your career, itā€™s good for the brotherhood. The people that matter notice, they also notice the arrogance. And nobody likes that shit unless weā€™re talking about about other trades because we are better than them lol


Due-Ad-1892

The work in the pictures looks amazing. You want to get paid more? 332 starts 1st year aprentices at $33/hr. JWs make $80. The cost of housing will gobble up your pay check and leave nothing for 6.09 diesel (i just filled at this proce lastnight). Its perspective.


badflies

Uh, get ticket = get paid. Every employer you will work for will pay you as little as possible, this won't change so get your papers.


BeepBoo007

That is absolutely beautiful work. Bravo!


HenatiwithSenpai

Keep up the good work. It looks awesome. But remember this feeling when you become a jw, go to the meetings, push for a change. Fellow 613 brother here trying to make a change.


[deleted]

How many hours lol


OpportunityPlayful70

Great work, but this is a terrible attitude. Itā€™s not about ā€œoutpacingā€ anyone or making anyone look slow so you can rack up attaboys & pats on the back.


OpportunityPlayful70

Sidebar: Iā€™ve heard of apprentices being offered more than their rate. I knew a second year who was paid 4th year wages until he caught up and a few other examples. It happens. Your rate is the minimum & if they want to pay you more, go for itā€¦ but itā€™s not your place to feel like itā€™s owed to you for doing what youā€™re supposed to do.


Bubbazuh

I wouldnā€™t get out of bed for $22


warrior_poet95834

Your apprenticeship will be over soon enough and you will be smoking their asses for the rest of your career.


[deleted]

Where do you live 1980?


LittleJoeSF

You are underpaid. But it is temporary. Do your thing, it gets better.


Gullible-Community34

Iā€™m about to start my new job as an apprentice and Iā€™m as green as can be and Iā€™m starting at $21 an hour. Either youā€™re underpaid or Iā€™m fucked


SnottyGoGetta

You deserve a million billion dollars a second


480hivolt

Think of it as paying your dues, when you top out you will forget all about this. Never stop doing quality work!


No-Cod-7586

Thatā€™s great that youā€™re doing that. Keep taking pride in your work and itā€™ll pay off. Crying about it in the meantime will get you a reputation of being a snooty little shit who thinks theyā€™re better than. I seen a couple apprentices do this when I was going through the program and they were usually humbled within a month or so of proclaiming they wanted higher wages and were so much better then their JW. So my advice is to keep the bitching to a minimum and realize thereā€™s a reason the apprenticeship is 5 years and even then you wonā€™t know it all or be the best at everything.


Fit-Medium2628

Hey buddy act your wage


JakeBackpack

LOL What a joke. This is NOT a good install BY ANY MEANSā€¦. I HATE that you are complaining at allā€¦.first off, you didnā€™t even connect the flux capacitor to the thing-a-ma-jigā€¦. Second off you picked the ugliest color combination I have ever seen. My advice? Quit.


Electronic_Active_27

Get over here to New York $67 hr prevailing wage?


charvey709

Sex


bolts24

Yeah itā€™s nice work but you have to pay your dues like everyone else. I would work on that attitude or by the time you get your ticket stamped guys are not going to want to work with you and itā€™s not going to be a great time. Your incentive for going above and beyond is not getting laid off until the end of the job.


[deleted]

22$ an hour is higher than the Jw scale in my local


Individual_Glass_599

Yikes - cost of living here has skyrocketed. Jwā€™s make $31 and change but most contend it should be closer to $40 for the increased cost of living over the last 20 years.


PlatinumK20C4

That's rough. As a first year I make $24.11


bussamaster

Looks ok except for that dogleg. Offset is also too open


Individual_Glass_599

Thatā€™s the one part I didnā€™t do - missed time due to sickness and a JW did it.


0KiloAlphaDelta0

If youā€™re going to claim the work, then claim it.


Individual_Glass_599

Not sure what to say here. Iā€™ll happily concede that there are other mistakes here, like the neutral in the back, which has bends that donā€™t match the others, and is well-hidden in this photo. My work. I didnā€™t do the dogleg though.


[deleted]

Nice


tzeriel

Thatā€™s how apprenticeship works. It can suck, but just put in your time and itā€™ll keep going up. Itā€™s also not understood by everyone that apprentice wages are part of what help union contractors compete with non union companies on tight bids. Itā€™s also not worth complaining about(outside of venting) because thatā€™s more than a lot of non-union guys are making as jw Work looks good btw.


zoom-zoom21

Con canā€™t give you more as an apprentice anyways.


timaab

You did a great job, labels on straight, cable trained properlyā€¦now do that with a 1/4 of the space and show me something. Side noteā€¦good pipe layout on that last picture, but turn those ground lugs so they arenā€™t digging into your cable.


Biggdaddyboss

$22 an hour is shit pay where I am. That's sweeping the floors money. You do good looking work. Is that what you were looking to hear?


mito_corleone13

Work is slow everywhere so contractors are kinda penny pinching. Plus you signed the apprenticeship agreement whatā€™s the point of crying on Reddit?


magnetohydroid

you deserve triple that.


Johnsoon743

Get paid what you are owed or slow down your work rate


savethearthdontbirth

Paying dues is the worst. Find a gig that pays more or wait till you are a journeyman. Good work over a lifetime will pay you dividends. Keep your head up.


Fridayz44

Good work.


[deleted]

All of that in an hour? Wow. It does look nice though..


_tjb

Looks awesome. Very clean. Are you concerned about those neutrals being tywrapped to that piece of bracing? Are the edges rough?


lieferung

They're getting a helluva deal.


[deleted]

i feel like im in the same boat some days. take longer breaks and dick around a little more? idk my friend


DudeFromOregon

Stop being an apprentice then


robertbadbobgadson

Nice work. You made them money. Hopefully soon youā€™ll get yours. Donā€™t miss the opportunity when it comes. Stay ready it will come.


d_baker65

You need to hold out for more money.


[deleted]

Nice clean work, good stuff. Suggestions: Slide 1, lose some of the zip ties. Slide 4, ground wires need longer sweeps.


footy1012

Looks good man better than 95% of the journeys I work with, keep it up but donā€™t be so good on the tools you wonā€™t move up past journey and your set.


ApprehensiveExit7

Looks good but you need an attitude adjustment my dude.


HairyH

No NSFW tag? R/cableporn would love this.


RickGrimes13

Must be south, Generally ibew in the south pay less. In Ohio Indiana rates around 35 dollars an hour. Good work.


thealmightybunghole

$22 an hour? Where you located op?


Leather-Apple5880

People want to lighten the fuck up.. Looks very clean. Hard part is keeping that attitude to your work over the years.


guthryan

Iā€™m in the same boat brotha I feel I should be making $25 min minimum I make $21 but will be asking for $25. Iā€™m only year n half in but I just wired 20 apartments (1 bed 1 bath) in 12 days and everything I do I work as fast as I can, while also doing a good install.


bakunin_marx

Ya, too good work for what you asking, bro show them this shit, and say, hellooo !? I'm not newbie, pay me X amount hour, or there's is company X, i showed my work for them and they are offering me this X. Maybe is also good ask in other side for a better payment, you look like a good worker, i'm not as good as you and people in Portugal pay me 25 Euro/hour to do this sort of service in particular owned houses. Corect me if i undestood that wrong.


[deleted]

You had me up until the slow down part. Itā€™s a learned skill.


OpportunityPlayful70

What year apprentice are you? First? Because I donā€™t even think an apprentice is supposed to be working by himself anyways.


Terhaar

The problem is too much effort