[briankemery]

my name in brian, i am taking the carpenters union tests at the end of jan for jersey and taking the phila test in april. from what i hear after you past the test you must either know someone to get in or find a company that will sponsor you. im just looking for any helpful info on how to find some one to sponsor you and any ways top increase my chances of getting in. iv been working for contractors for 6 yrs. since i was 17 and im just looking to get into the union to secure a job and get good pay and benefits.


please any info would be great

 

[asgoodasdead]

all I've heard is that the carpenter's union in NJ is pretty beat. I know guys that run union companies and they said the general practice is any time you need anything built you get a foreman from the carpenters hall and then just have him work with your general laborers. so if you're a journeyman you rarely get to work. one of these guys also doesn't have a contract with the carpenters union and just brings us in on prevailing wage whenever he needs something done cause he said what we get done in 1 day takes the union guys 1 week. and I know it's the same with a lot of other companies. I know that doesn't help you, but just thought I'd give you a heads up

 

[mrcharles]

You will probably be able to get work right away because you will be an apprentice... Then once you hit Journeyman wages you need to be worth your weight for a company to keep you around.

 

[africanrye]

I've been in for 7 years now. I went through the 4 yr apprenticeship school and am now a journeyman. Its been rough to say the least. Im laid off more than im working. Its basically all about who you know. Being an apprentice, you will work more because you're cheaper labor than journeyman. Ive learned way more in residential than the union. If you want Steady work, id go work for a guy that will teach you everything, then go out on you're own.

 

[zabbo]

I totally disagree with what the others are saying. I've been in the union for 6 years and I'm hardly ever laid off. I was actually laid off more as an apprentice than as a journeyman. Where else can you go make $36 an hour, have a pension, annuity, and full health insurance? I don't know how it works in your area but in mass we need to pass a test and drug test then we can start going to jobsite to look for work. I'm 26 and I own a house and we're doing a lot better financially than most people I know my age.

 

[asgoodasdead]

yeah, we're talking about NJ not mass.

 

[ubcguy89]

I went through the 4 year apprenticeship in pittsburgh, I have been in for 7 years I have only been laid off for about 3 months in 7 years. It is what you make of it. Don't listen to these non union guys they are so much better, and so much faster. That's all a bunch of bs at least here in pittsburgh it is anyhow. Yes I have seen bad union guys but honestly the competition in the union is harder their are so many good carpenters. Yes their are good non union guys also, but they are fewer and farther between because they were not brought up through a 4 year apprenticeship program and taught all the formalities. But you must remember it is what you make of it you know? You gotta bust your ass, show up on time, and learn all you can

 

[Rich D.]

No need to know someone or to have a sponsor.

Believe me I know. I took the tests, passed the tests and got In right after high school.

 

[asgoodasdead]

I went through the 4 year apprenticeship in pittsburgh, I have been in for 7 years I have only been laid off for about 3 months in 7 years. It is what you make of it. Don't listen to these non union guys they are so much better, and so much faster. That's all a bunch of bs at least here in pittsburgh it is anyhow. Yes I have seen bad union guys but honestly the competition in the union is harder their are so many good carpenters. Yes their are good non union guys also, but they are fewer and farther between because they were not brought up through a 4 year apprenticeship program and taught all the formalities. But you must remember it is what you make of it you know? You gotta bust your ass, show up on time, and learn all you can

have you worked alongside non-union guys and seen for yourself the speed difference? I've worked alongside union guys and not only were they slow as ****, they actually yelled at me for working "too fast".

 

[Rich D.]

Hmm how about a now non union guy who went through a 5 year union apprenticeship program..

 

[asgoodasdead]

I went through a 4 year framing "apprenticeship". aka work.

 

[ubcguy89]

have you worked alongside non-union guys and seen for yourself the speed difference? I've worked alongside union guys and not only were they slow as ****, they actually yelled at me for working "too fast".

Yes I have, and believe me your full of ****. The reason you worked with those guys is because they were the ones laid off scabbing because they suck and are slow.

 

[asgoodasdead]

they weren't scabbing. it was a prevailing wage job. I was 1 of 3 non-union guys on a job of like 30. the boss brought us in cause he said what we got done in 2 days would have taken the union guys 2 weeks.

 

[ubcguy89]

I really highly doubt it, considering that contractor would have been fined by the union

 

[JR Shepstone]

I really highly doubt it, considering that contractor would have been fined by the union

If you're referring to AGAD's post, I've seen non-union on union jobs. The men don't usually speak too highly of each other, both ways, but if it's prevailing wage or however it works out, as long as everyone plays by the rules, it gets to fly.

 

[ubcguy89]

I got no problem union or non union. I'm union, and I understand we all need to support our families. But don't put me down because I'm union. I'm proud of my job, my work, and my union. I will put my skills to test with the best of em.

 

[Calidecks]

Yes I have, and believe me your full of ****. The reason you worked with those guys is because they were the ones laid off scabbing because they suck and are slow.

I have to agree here, I've been on both sides. I have to tell you I worked a lot harder in the union. Simply put there were a ton of guys that wanted your job because it payed more money and gave families benefits. I literally had to run walk when I went from one place to another. They were firing guys constantly to try and pick up the pace. Actually it was brutal. But I was young and loved the money. We built some highly intense projects that ran 24 hours around the clock under lights. The company motto was DPR always met their deadline! One job we built a four star hotel casino and large parking structure in less the a year. It was the Pala Casino near San Diego. Mainly built biotech facilities.

 

[asgoodasdead]

not putting you down. just saying how it is around here and what I've seen

 

[Calidecks]

The company I worked for wasn't your typical company it was one of the finest companies to work for in the world.

http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/bestcompanies/2010/snapshots/57.html

 

[ubcguy89]

The company I worked for wasn't your typical company it was one of the finest companies to work for in the world.

http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/bestcompanies/2010/snapshots/57.html

There's a reason why the majority of your large construction and infrastructure projects almost always go union. The skill, training, and manpower are their. Deadlines are always met, how many contractors can get bonded, afford permits, material cost, labor... For a 400 mil project before the first draw?