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View Full Version : so I went



44kv
08-20-2006, 02:20 PM
ok so i went to the local and they want to put me in the selcat program. I have been working for a non union contractor for over a year. they said they would give me 1500 hours for the time i worked in the field. I called the place i work for and they said i have worked 2000 hours. So i lose some hours but o'well. they told me it might take awhile to get in, has anybody heard how long it takes or what the program is like and if its anygood?

dogleg
08-20-2006, 03:07 PM
If they are going to give you 1500 hrs towards your apprenticeship that is pretty good. Alot of ape that come from non-union only get 1000. It is a 7000 hour apprenticeship which 2500 has to be hot time and you should start that at your 3rd step. The climbing school is really not as bad as some people put it 10 to 12 days which most of it your on your hooks and rest class room. Virgil Melton is not as bad as some people make him out to be, he just doesnt put up with any B.S. . The NJATC is the best apprenticship I believe you can go through. And the benifits you have being in the union is great the contractor who you work for pays for everything, family ins. and your retirements.

44kv
08-20-2006, 03:59 PM
hell yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

dogleg
08-20-2006, 08:16 PM
Which Non - Union Outfit Did You Work For

44kv
08-20-2006, 09:17 PM
i still work for shaw eds in NC on the duke energy system been talking to the local 342 in winston-salem.

44kv
08-20-2006, 09:21 PM
go some where but its hard, shaw is crap dont ever work for them. they say you will get a raise then dont give it to you. been there over a year and still have not got a raise and i have worked primary and everything. and still dont make but what i started at 14.00 a hour!!!!!!!!! no vaction no ins no nothing because you have to go temp before they will hire you on. suppose to be 90 days its been over a year. still with fucking HKA they suck!!!!!!!!!

dogleg
08-20-2006, 10:06 PM
i dont know what the scale is out of that local but anyway where ever you start at if they give you 1500 hours towards your apprenticeship you should start at 2nd step which is about 65 percent of jl you will get raise every 1000 hours and when you complete the assignments. I am 4th step and make 18 and hour. you can figure somewhere around 3.00 a year on raises that might be different in your area. If you do not have a family i would suggest to see if they will let you work in Florida

danbutter
08-21-2006, 03:29 PM
when I contacted selcat they told me starting is $13/hr, they travel throughout the 9 state region (they won't promise you anything of where you will be...they say anywhere in the 9 states) and you are 100% responsible for all costs of getting to where you need to be as well as all hotel bills and all food bills.

So if this is your only source of income ...good luck.
I did a rough budget and it just won't work for me.
13/hr * 40 * 4 weeks= $2080
~$40/day for hotel (you could room with someone to save, but no guarantee of that) that leaves you with $32/day to eat, nothing to get where you need to go and that is before taxes!

I don't see how it is financially possible myself.
On top of that I have a wife that I would like to keep so the traveling wouldn't work anyway.

hillbilloutcast70
08-26-2006, 08:01 AM
Selcat carries a lot of weight in the south if you can make it through it . the climbing school is tough for the first 4 days they want to weed out the ones are not cut out for this work if your in nc look for Dillard Smith construction they put you through selcat and pay for it but when your done you have to work for them for 3 years or pay em back you make good money ins and retirement paid for and they are union they have an office in new market tn or chattanooga