Help

[hotrod]

I am really in need of some direction on where to go from here.

I started line work 3 years ago, landed a job with shaw energy until they were bought out by PIKE then I was laid off afterwards(Like everyone warned).

I've been on unemployment taking care of my family and the money I had saved up is almost gone. Looking to get my hands dirty again, but none of the guys around here are hiring (Pike, utilitys, williams ect..) I'd like to get into the union, but it seems like it's impossible to get called back.

I've called some of the local union offices and they all end up to someone I have to leave a message for or that will "call me back". Faxed my resume to another office.

I need someone to shine a light on me, I feel really alone and only want to make a paycheck. If anyone can help me, send a pm or anything.

I have my classA cdl and 3 years exp in linework

[scratchpad]

http://www.ajatc.org/

click on any part of that map and it will give you addresses and phone numbers

[hotrod]

I called the number to get more info and it says it's disconnected for the NC one.

This looks like a training program. Is doing one of these the only way to land a job?

I don't know anywhere close to everything, but I have 3 years in the trade. Do you suggest getting into this program?

[hotrod]

I tell you what, i'd give anything to be able to reverse the shaw sell to pike.

Everything was going fine and then boom, lay offs.

There has to be someone somewhere that can point me toward a job considering my experience.

Any kind of information is greatly appreciated. If you have a number to some people that might be looking please by all means i'll call and look into it. Thanks for anyone willing to help a fellow American in need.

[scratchpad]

I called the number to get more info and it says it's disconnected for the NC one.

This looks like a training program. Is doing one of these the only way to land a job?

I don't know anywhere close to everything, but I have 3 years in the trade. Do you suggest getting into this program?

http://www.selcat.com/

It is a union apprenticeship which takes 3-1/2 to 4 years to complete. They may advance you in the process since you already have trade experience. Call them to find out what you need to do. Good luck to you.

[hotrod]

Thank you, I will try and see if they can help.

Have all of the lineman in the union gone thru this type of thing?

[hobbyknocker]

Did you mention where you were from? If so, I appoligize. BUt I didn't see it.

[hotrod]

I'm out of NC and willing to go anywhere that pays per diem.

[tramp67]

Work is real slow right now all across the country, lots of Union hands on the out of work books. There's tons of construction projects out there, all in limbo, mostly because the utilities are waiting to see what, if any, stimulus money the new regime wants to throw at them. Hopefully the government will make a decision soon. The utilities don't need the money, but they don't want to start their projects if it will jeopardize the chances of them getting "free" money. Only good thing so far is they keep extending out how long unemployment benefits last................................until next election??

[tramp67]

Thank you, I will try and see if they can help.

Have all of the lineman in the union gone thru this type of thing?

Pretty much. It's paid on the job training. Rather than hire someone off the street and send them in the primary like Pike, the IBEW has a formal training and apprenticeship program, overseen by the federal Department of Labor. Coming from the non union side, you'll really appreciate the training you get through the apprenticeship program. I was a non-union wireman, and got organized into the IBEW as a Journeyman wireman. I could run circles around most of the guys I worked with, only because I was fortunate enough to work for a really good non-union contractor and learned tons of stuff that my new brothers were never exposed to. But I do wish I had the formal training that I never had. As far as making the change to becoming a lineman, I went through the IBEW apprenticeship basically twice - got pissed off when I had about 500 hours left and went back to inside, then started all over about 6 months later. I also went to a one year line school. There's lots of work to the apprenticeship program, but it's definitely worth every bit of it.

[hotrod]

Yes it does sound promising, i'd love to be a part of something bigger then just the company you work for. I agree to almost everything I read about the union.

So you get paid to goto school, i'll be looking into this over the next few days calling and trying to get involved.

A big concern of mine would be, how much can you expect to make an hour while attending the apprenticeship program?

I was making 50k a year before the layoff.

Unemployment is offering extensions. I for one, do not want to take one. I want to go back to work and stop losing my mind. I feel worthless.

I'm a back breaker of a worker and will listen to anyone that has an opinion or advice. Anymore information on the IBEW or past experiences when someone was maybe in my shoes is appreciated.

Anyone that knows of non-union contractors hiring anything, please send a pm my way.

[hotrod]

After a few day of trying to contact a fellow from the electrical workers union, I got in touch with a man that asked me to come in to talk face to face about everything.

Any idea on what I could expect?

[NoPotential]

hey hotrod
curently i am a 6th step through mountain states my ticket says local 57 but i am working out of local 12
first year i made 62 k second 74k third is already at 55k
you DO NOT GET PAID TO ATEND CLASS its one weekend a month you pay your own way hotel gas food
it's worth it drop the rat **** while you can.

[hotrod]

I'm all for it.

I've got a interview with a man out of the charlotte electrical workers union office in concord, NC so i'll see where this might take me.

So basically if they take you in, they put you to work somewhere while you attend a class once a month untill you get your lineman card?

How long does it take to finish the classes?

Anymore information on the process on getting into the union and what to expect when trying to join?

Any questions I should have for this man i'm meeting up with other then how to get involved?

[hotrod]

Ok so I went to the interview at the IBEW in concord, NC near the race track, filled out a application and then spoke to a man named tommy hill.

He pretty much sat me down, asked me what I was looking for and then proceeded to have me watch the selcat video on his computer.

I'm all for getting into the apprenticeship, i'll be trying to do that. I don't have time to just wait though, I need something to happen soon or bad things are going to start happening. I'm almost open to anything and everything atm.

I've called everybody and their brother, and nobody is doing anything but laying off hard working americans. What has this country become?

It's bad enough we got a load of lazy ass people not willing to do anything, but it's something else, when you have people that want to work and have the skills to do it and can't find OUT OF STATE work to feed their family.

I'm going to try to get into the selcat program and hope for the best, wish me luck. God bless everyone that has helped me.

[huskietoolz82]

hey, another avenue to look down is education training for companies selling to the electrical market. I know alot of companes dont know crap about what you guys do or have to deal with. I am sure there are some companies out there that would pay someone to come and teach their guys some stuff to help them design and sell their products.