Chicago union electricians make $67/hr?! Holy Obama!

[Gibson486]

You'd scream bloody murder if your power costs jumped because they needed to have multiple backup routes to connect everything. Similarly, you'd gripe if the power company turned off power for days at a time because they needed to work on something. If anyone is forcing the need to work on live wires its the customers.

You're not really familiar with how the grid works. When you're dumping a few million dollars to string a line out to a small town you're not going to pay for a second line. The jobs that the lineman do with live wires are safe if they are well trained, have good equipment and follow procedure. It's far cheaper and easier to get good people that can do this sort of job safely than it is to string a second line.

Maybe it has to do with geographical location...but the only time we have been instructed to have contractors work on live wire is in emergencies. In all other cases, you have to plan to have to do a switch over with minimal down time. The back up to the back doe snot always exist (smart grids are still new and only a handful of communities have them), but you can always set everything up so down time is minimal. If the goal is to have no down time, then so be it, but it's still a risky adventure that would make even the most experienced shake.

 

[Turin39789]

Yea, if these electricians stop making $67/hr, who's going to be buying useless fucking shit that us white collar workers come up with and try to shove down the throat of consumerist America?

i dont even. what are you saying? are you 18 yet? omg my bff jill.

 

[Hacp]

I see that Sao already corrected you. But, given how much you constantly spout off your mouth against unions, I'm wondering if it's just that you weren't good enough to qualify?? They don't want you??? I know my son had to take a test to get into his apprenticeship. He majored in physics for 2 years at a university prior to entering the apprenticeship. Less than 30 days on the waiting list & he was in. Another former student of mine (I teach math and physics in a high school) also got right in. He took his test, went for his interview, and they called him while he was on his way home to tell him when he started. Neither of them knew anyone in the union.

Or, you can go to a couple of linesman schools that they have around the country. When you walk out the door, there are companies ready to hire you as a linesman. I believe they have right around a 100% placement rate. What's stopping you?

Or, are you going to continue to make up bullshit excuses to rationalize why you can't get a good job??

So a union member(teacher's union) defending his union member son. I don't see a conflict of interest at all!

Why don't we let all this work be subject to the free market where government doesn't babysit unions. My guess is that prices will lower while the quality of work will remain the same. Plus, you won't have any of this 67 dollars an hour with benefits bullshit going around.

 

[BUTCH1]

Or worse...I've got two uncles that live in central IL that are linesmen for different power companies. Both of them spent weeks down in Florida a couple years ago when then those 4 hurricanes ripped through that state. They also spent weeks down in the gulf coast after Katrina repairing things. They went days without showers, worked 16+ hour shifts and slept in their trucks. Phone calls to family back home were very few and far between because of cell coverage and availablility. It's not fun work.

They got my power back in 6 days after our worst hurricane in 04 (Frances) considering the amount of damage that happened I considered that damm good. I stood in my drive way until their truck rolled by just to thank them..

 

[DrPizza]

So a union member(teacher's union) defending his union member son. I don't see a conflict of interest at all!

Why don't we let all this work be subject to the free market where government doesn't babysit unions. My guess is that prices will lower while the quality of work will remain the same. Plus, you won't have any of this 67 dollars an hour with benefits bullshit going around.

So, that makes two of us who were smart enough to go out and get decent jobs with good pay? Apparently, you're not smart enough or good enough, thus you're harboring all this animosity against unions. All you can do is "guess" what would happen to prices and quality. And, as evidence of your poor reasoning ability, you seem to have glossed over the many responses in this thread where in general, the union electricians outperformed the non-union electricians.

And, as far as teaching, the evidence still points to you being wrong. While non-union teachers make less, let's take a look at states that don't have a teacher's union... That's right, they're the WORST ranking states in education.

Wild guess - you came from one of those states? To a degree, I share some of your sentiment toward unionized unskilled labor. But in skilled fields, the unions have a lot of power to increase quality and safety; not decrease it.

 

[Engineer]

So a union member(teacher's union) defending his union member son. I don't see a conflict of interest at all!

Why don't we let all this work be subject to the free market where government doesn't babysit unions. My guess is that prices will lower while the quality of work will remain the same. Plus, you won't have any of this 67 dollars an hour with benefits bullshit going around.

I've disliked unions for a long time and had my fill for them in the 90's but I'm starting to change my opinion and it's all because of you. UNION Power!!!

Get out and get a job and quit whining, sponging off of your parents and stealing from your roommate and just give it a rest, Jesus Christ on a Popsicle stick.

 

[Bignate603]

And, as far as teaching, the evidence still points to you being wrong. While non-union teachers make less, let's take a look at states that don't have a teacher's union... That's right, they're the WORST ranking states in education.

I live in AZ where unions have little to no power and I can attest to this. My wife is getting her masters in secondary education here and has seen how completely terrible the local schools are. The teachers can't negotiate for a living wage so anyone that can get another job leaves. The people that are left are the ones that are extremely dedicated or the people that are so worthless they can't find another job.

 

[preslove]

I live in AZ where unions have little to no power and I can attest to this. My wife is getting her masters in secondary education here and has seen how completely terrible the local schools are. The teachers can't negotiate for a living wage so anyone that can get another job leaves. The people that are left are the ones that are extremely dedicated or the people that are so worthless they can't find another job.

Yeah. I'm constantly annoyed when people say "You can't just throw money at education to improve it," when the states that pay more for education are the BETTER RATED states! And, when you look at the many, many countries that have better education systems, they not only pay their teachers more, but they all have more teachers teaching fewer kids.

Under paying on our physical and social infrastructure is a big part of building our current road to ruin.

 

[Bignate603]

Yeah. I'm constantly annoyed when people say "You can't just throw money at education to improve it," when the states that pay more for education are the BETTER RATED states! And, when you look at the many, many countries that have better education systems, they not only pay their teachers more, but they all have more teachers teaching fewer kids.

Under paying on our physical and social infrastructure is a big part of building our current road to ruin.

Money is only part of it, if you just throw money at it you'll end up wasting it. If aren't smart about how you spend the money it won't do you any good. Just increasing teacher's salaries in a state with historically low pay rates for teachers won't suddenly turn bad teachers into good ones. It will take years to attract enough good teachers to make a difference. I'm not saying that its a bad idea to increase teacher's salaries, but if its not coupled with other efforts it will have a pretty slow effect on improving schools, especially when many of the bad teachers have tenure and will be hard to get rid of.

 

[preslove]

Money is only part of it, if you just throw money at it you'll end up wasting it. If aren't smart about how you spend the money it won't do you any good. Just increasing teacher's salaries in a state with historically low pay rates for teachers won't suddenly turn bad teachers into good ones. It will take years to attract enough good teachers to make a difference. I'm not saying that its a bad idea to increase teacher's salaries, but if its not coupled with other efforts it will have a pretty slow effect on improving schools, especially when many of the bad teachers have tenure and will be hard to get rid of.

Meh. I know several very intelligent people who left the teaching field in FL because they weren't making enough $. Sure, it won't be the only fix needed, but it is idiotic to believe that it is not a necessary component to the fix. In other words, it's necessary, but not sufficient.

 

[iGas]

So a union member(teacher's union) defending his union member son. I don't see a conflict of interest at all!

Why don't we let all this work be subject to the free market where government doesn't babysit unions. My guess is that prices will lower while the quality of work will remain the same. Plus, you won't have any of this 67 dollars an hour with benefits bullshit going around.

Most if not all contracts go out to tender are bid by union and non union companies, and bad companies with poor/unproven track record are black listed. Therefore it is a pretty level playing field.

A round here non union shops often hires/borrow skilled union workers through the union halls to meet the contract/s dead line. Hence, union workers are well respected by the industry.

It is an up hill battle for the union in BC., because less than 35% of BC. construction workers are unionize. While 80% of AB. construction workers are unionize and that province is one of the most productive if not the most productive province as well as being the wealthiest, and have the lowest tax in Canada.

[add]
2 of the bigger and better non-union mechanical companies in my area have higher wages than the union wage, because they want to keep their skilled workers and often they borrow union workers to help them complete contract/s on a timely manner.

 

[Bignate603]

Meh. I know several very intelligent people who left the teaching field in FL because they weren't making enough $. Sure, it won't be the only fix needed, but it is idiotic to believe that it is not a necessary component to the fix. In other words, it's necessary, but not sufficient.

Yes, and that was the exact point I was making with my post.

 

[Slew Foot]

I live in AZ where unions have little to no power and I can attest to this. My wife is getting her masters in secondary education here and has seen how completely terrible the local schools are. The teachers can't negotiate for a living wage so anyone that can get another job leaves. The people that are left are the ones that are extremely dedicated or the people that are so worthless they can't find another job.

Except for CA, where the teachers union gets ridiculous pay, but terrible results.

 

[BoomerD]

Every school district in the state negotiates its own salaries...

IMO, the biggest problem facing California schools isn't the teacher's pay, it the requirements for bi-lingual education, educating the illegal immigrants, and the parents who just look at schools as babysitters so they can both work.

IIRC, the average tenured teacher makes less than $60K.

It's amusing how many folks here think their college degree entitles them to big salaries...but think teachers are overpaid...
(OK, it's NOT amuzing...there's nothing funny about it)

 

[Jsnake]

I am a IBEW L.U.134 Chicago Electrician for 29 years, and YES our pay seems high. I agree with those who think we are over paid to a point, it does seem like a lot of money for some constuction worker. When you stop and think about the dangers of working with something that can KILL you in a split second, then maybe you might find it not to be such a high pay.
The average person, or for that matter, most people are petrified of electricty, yet they still think we are over paid?? Fine, when you have a electric problem go ahead and fix it yourself!! Don't call me because instead your loved ones will be calling 911 when your hair is scorched and you are blind in one eye and that is even if you are lucky enough to still be alive!! It only takes 1/10th of a AMP at 1/10th of a VOLT a SPLIT SECOND to KILL you!!! Everyday I go to work, I put my life on the line to provide you with the comforts that electricty brings you. I risk my life to give you your coffee, your lights, your alarm clock, your blow dryer, ETC. ETC. If you still think I am OVERPAID, THEN BY ALL MEANS PUT YOUR HAND IN A ELECTRIC PANEL AND GET THE SHOCK OF YOUR LIFE!! THAT MAY JUST CHANGE YOUR RESPECT FOR ELECTRICIANS!!!

---

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[disappoint]

I am a IBEW L.U.134 Chicago Electrician for 29 years, and YES our pay seems high. I agree with those who think we are over paid to a point, it does seem like a lot of money for some constuction worker. When you stop and think about the dangers of working with something that can KILL you in a split second, then maybe you might find it not to be such a high pay.
The average person, or for that matter, most people are petrified of electricty, yet they still think we are over paid?? Fine, when you have a electric problem go ahead and fix it yourself!! Don't call me because instead your loved ones will be calling 911 when your hair is scorched and you are blind in one eye and that is even if you are lucky enough to still be alive!! It only takes 1/10th of a AMP at 1/10th of a VOLT a SPLIT SECOND to KILL you!!! Everyday I go to work, I put my life on the line to provide you with the comforts that electricty brings you. I risk my life to give you your coffee, your lights, your alarm clock, your blow dryer, ETC. ETC. If you still think I am OVERPAID, THEN BY ALL MEANS PUT YOUR HAND IN A ELECTRIC PANEL AND GET THE SHOCK OF YOUR LIFE!! THAT MAY JUST CHANGE YOUR RESPECT FOR ELECTRICIANS!!!

Au contraire monfrere voltaire 1/10th of a volt is not going to flow 1/10th of an amp through human flesh. Resistance of 1 ohm I think nho. So to kill a mockingtroll (human) with 1/10th of a volt you're going to have to crack open their chest and put the probes right on their heart (assuming they have one, an unsure assumption at best) (j/k) Even then you won't get 1 ohm resistance across the probes so you'll need more than 1/10th of a volt to get 1/10th of an amp to flow.

If one of these underpants gnomed snot nosed pointy elbow phobia suffering dweebs managed to accidentally crack someone's chest open that would be enough to cause death so no need for the flow of positive electric charges at a snail's pace anyway. (wut?)

 

[VulgarDisplay]

$67? Chump change. I have crane operator friends in the chicago land area making $90/hour.

Friend is a line-men and he's making over $150,000 a year. He's willing to travel though to make that money.

Another friend works for BNSF clearning $100,000 a year. His pension is going to be ridiculous. If I didn't have a wife I would have one of those jobs.

 

[DigDog]

UK plumber; standard outcall £20 + £40/h minimum. Thats $120/h, but most jobs get solved in less time and its still a hunnertwenny bux/

 

[BoomerD]

http://www.chicagounionnews.com/2010/10/chicago-ibew-official-opposes-plan-by.html

International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers plans to add a new grade of employees in between apprentices and journeymen. Known as construction wiremen or construction electricians, these workers would not be required to complete the union's standard training program and, as a result, would earn less pay than certified journeymen. The goal is to lower the overall cost of labor so that IBEW can remain competitive in the markets that are currently dominated by non-union labor.

Local 134 journeymen make roughly $67 an hour including benefits.
The construction wiremen would likely start at 40 percent of a journeyman's wage


$135k/yr?!

Including benefits are the key words.

Yep...benefits, including pension, health & welfare, (medical, dental, optical insurance) vacation pay, (or in some cases, paid vacation...but that's not the norm) and a wide variety of other "benefits" that the employee never sees...but are paid in his name, are all calculated in that total.

I don't know exactly what the total of their benefits package is...but it's probably $20-$25/hr. Actual wages are more in the $40-$50/hr range.

 

[BoomerD]

examples?

I haven't worked in more than 10 years, but my total wage/benefit package in 2003 was about $55/hour in NorCal.

Ah fuck...necro thread...and one I posted in way back when it was new...

 

[alkemyst]

Including benefits are the key words.

Not really these guys are making major bank and sadly don't work much.

They are under the radar because they don't invest/etc...they blow their wages on stupid purchases.

 

[boomerang]

2010 necro...

 

[amdhunter]

2010 necro...

Yep. I bet the unions have these guys making $109/hr now, before benefits.

 

[gorcorps]

2010 necro...

Friggin necros...

Though IMO this brings up a good point. These kinds of trades aren't known to be good paying jobs by the public. If more kids got electrical apprenticeships instead of a worthless college degree, they'd end up a lot better off. There's a pretty big need for electricians especially because our society has turned kids away from such jobs. We're running out of tradesmen

 

[brianmanahan]

Au contraire monfrere voltaire 1/10th of a volt is not going to flow 1/10th of an amp through human flesh. Resistance of 1 ohm I think nho. So to kill a mockingtroll (human) with 1/10th of a volt you're going to have to crack open their chest and put the probes right on their heart (assuming they have one, an unsure assumption at best) (j/k) Even then you won't get 1 ohm resistance across the probes so you'll need more than 1/10th of a volt to get 1/10th of an amp to flow.

cmon, you expect an electrician to know I = V/R?

they dont do those fancyschmancy calculations