Union Vs Non Union Workers

aWorkaHolic

Before I start ranting, I will all let you know I was once a Union Carpenter..

I am a GC and on the end build of a retail remodel. My None-Union Electrician had been working hard to bring up this store to code. Called in for a cover inspection and we fail do to existing wiring that had nothing to do with our build. No big deal.

I get with the management company and explain to them what had transpired. Again no big deal.

They call out their preferred "Union" Electrical company and start to correct all their wiring. Again No big deal!

Then all hell breaks loose!!!!!

What the "F" are these union electricians doing????? Rather then doing the work they were called out on all they wanted to do was bash on the non-union electricians on site!

So I get to the job site and ask everyone whats going on and this union guy proceeds to lecture me on not using a union shop and how all non-union guys are all hack workers bla bla bla.

I had to put this guy in his place and kick him of the job site. The Building Management calls me up and tells me I can't do that. " We subbed out that company,bla bla bla, and I had no right to kick them out of the retail store.

The next day, I met with the Electrical Inspector. Failed again on the cover inspection. So I asked the Inspector to point out the area that need to be corrected. Sure enough it was in the area the Union Guy was working at.

It's all fixed up and the build has been completed but it still astonishes me about Union Employees.

Magnettica

Fortuneatly not all union workers are jerks. But some are. This discussions been had before. There is good and bad in all walks of life, union or not.

And labeling a worker a hack just because he's non-union is uncalled for every bit as much as a non-union worker calling the union guy a lazy blank. In the end you get what you pay for (most of the time).

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KillerToiletSpider

So you are going to paint all union workers with a broad brush based on a bad experience?

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aWorkaHolic

All so true. I wish guys would just respect one another on job sites. It's a bitch being a GC. I need a drink!

aWorkaHolic

Absolutely not. It just makes my Job harder when jerks come out like that.

KillerToiletSpider

On about half of our jobs, we are the only union sub, and the only union trade on the job, and I get no complaints from the GC's about the quality of work.

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aWorkaHolic

Thats great Killer. I've used union shops allot and never had any issues. I'm just thinking that this particular guy was either a failed contractor or was green.

shed-n-deck

I've known a lot more non-union carpenters than union carpenters. Of the non-union carpenters, most have been relatively talented carpenters. Of the union carpenters, most are overrated form setters that couldn't tell you what the difference between a shaper and a joiner. Not to say that there are no talented union carpenters, but from my recollection, the odds are stacked against non-union. I don't know about any other trades, well, except Automotive, and non-union was far better than UAW in that case. I guess that union, while being paid a good wage, do more production type repetitive work, while in situations that I am familiar with, the non-union worker uses more improvisation skills....Although, most union production work is being outsourced nowadays anyhow.

I should add that manufactured housing is produced by union workers, while most residential is non-union.

The reason that I think this is not because a union worker isn't necessarily less capable than non-union, but more because of what is expected out of each. A union worker might be required to do a certain job, and if asked to do another, he could say "That isn't my job", whereas, a non-union worker would be fired for saying such a thing. So basically, union workers know what they know, and they know it quite well, whereas, non-union workers know what they know, and a lot of things they shouldn't know.

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JustaFramer

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JustaFramer

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shed-n-deck

And how often does that work out?


Obviously that's not the case. I have seen a form setter turn down a job that required him to set temporary footings...He wouldn't do it.

Now I am not intending on offending anyone, I'm only expressing what I have noted.

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Shed

JustaFramer

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mickeyco

You should have used a non-union electrician.

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mickeyco

You should have used a union excavation company.

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aWorkaHolic

I was the one that subbed the "Non-Union" company. The property management company brought in the union shop to bring the rest of the "Pre-Existing" wiring to code.

shed-n-deck

Me too...Maybe I was too quick to whip the tongue, and if I offended you, I apologize...That wasn't my intention. It's just my opinion as of yet, and as an opinion, it can be changed...

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Shed

nadonailer

The unions again Never met one I liked. Buncha whiners. If they could get a real job they should - they can't....

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Bone Saw

stole my thoughts, addiitonally all they care about is plastering thier hardhats with stickers, some kind of badge of honor or something

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Glasshousebltr

Anytime ya let the monkey drive the car expect to crash ......Union or not.

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JustaFramer

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