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  1. #1

    Default life on the road

    Featured Sponsor

    I got a question . you lineman that travel how do you all make the family life work? the reason i ask is because i'm thinkin about going to my local union hall to sign up and get more information about it . and i got a wife and 2 year old and here in north carolina there are hardly no union workers . so i would have travel a hell of long ways to go to work for a union contractor. 12 years 2nd class and don't even make $20.00 hr and have to pay $128.00 insureance that is 80/20 . i'm just looking to make a better life for me and the family. thank for the info

  2. #2

    Talking Here's what I do

    I can usually go to work up in Yankee country for about 2 to 3 months and come home for about the same.It seems to work out for me and my three daughters and wife.I personally have never hunted any female company while I am away.I can only say that works for us,my morals are just that,mine,not every Lineman can handle being without for an extended period of time,I suppose thats your decision.
    As far as the work goes,I bet you will get along just fine with other fella's if you have an open mind,just remember that they dont give a damn how you did it where you come from.O ya,it seems that we here in Dixie have a lot of questionable halls,having said that be prepared to work extra hard convincing our northern brothers you really know what your doing.Just be patient,and they will accept you with open arms,that is if you know what your doing.If you dont know,for goodness sake be honest and tell them so.The rest of us Rebels have been working on changing our reputation for a few years now,dont freak it up for us.
    I hope to see you on the the job bro,look north and think south!

  3. Smile tramping

    i have been tramping for over 12 yrs, .i have two girls one 8 & 17 and i ve been faithful and had good times /bad times with the home life . i still tramp even now that i work for power company 138 miles & 5-14 days from home . i always found that no matter where you go as alineman most on the outside that tramp will acept you . just be honest with the men and yourself of what you can orcan not do or have done. you never know what you will miss unless you try and maybe by you and a few of your fellow works leave for greener jobs will change where work now. good luck.

  4. #4
    billfoster67 Guest

    Default 3 mos. without family is total burn out.

    Try to get your wife to visit you, once a month. Every Holiday tell the GF your going to take the day before and the day after off, go be with your family. Call your wife every day. Talk to your kids every day. Get Nextel with the walky talky feature. Get Vonage at home. Learn how to text. Constant communication.

    Don't screw around on your wife. She'll know. Your marriage and family is about communication. Actually a two hour phone call with your wife, you'll communicate better than most married couples living together.

    Take care. God Bless you.

  5. #5

    Default

    Don't forget that with a laptop and Skype you can go to an Internet cafe and have a video chat with your wife. (But keep it short because it nukes the cafe's bandwidth!)

    I would say it's easier to tramp about or work away when you're younger. As you get older you may have a family to look after and will have a home to check up on.
    Portable defibrillators were first invented to save the lives of linemen. Where's yours?

    www.bigclive.com

  6. #6

    Talking Travel

    Chazz, go union, the pay and benifiets are worth it and you will provide well for your family. The problems you are worrying about have a lot to do with your personal comittment to yourself and the values you place on you and your family life. At times travling is hard, but the when you see the personal rewards it is easier to accept. NC is a beautiful state and the cost of living is great, there is nothing like sothern hospitality. I moved from virginia to the Northeast. Miss it, but life is good here too. Go to the local IBEW. There is a lot of transmission work on-going and coming up in West Virginia, VA, MD, DE, MD which in driving hours is not very far from fayetville. Good Luck to you brother.

  7. #7

    Default life on the road

    i am not union but everyone knows it takes a strong woman for a man to have a family on the road and it get hard somtimes but union good from what i hear whatever you decide be careful later bro

  8. #8
    lineman-up Guest

    Default life on the road

    chazz, when i was on the road i spent most of my money on booze and easy women the rest i just wasted!!!!! i wouldnt say it isnt possible but i would say it is close( no disrespect to those of you that make it work) i could never do that again and make it work. living out of a bag and never knowing for sure where you will be working from week to week sucks!! Now from a finacial stand point you have to figure what you gain and what you loose. first you can make more money so you little one and wife can have a better life, but is the money going to make their life better than you being there to watch them grow and be part of the family. second can you handle not watching your kid grow up and having to hear about everything over the phone. and last but not least a guy can only go so long without gettin "some" good luck and hopefully for you and your family you make the right choice.


    LINEMAN-UP

  9. #9
    Box Guest

    Default

    all of this sounds really horrible. why don't you guys just get a steady job with a union utility instead of all this moving and 50 addresses and dragging the poor wife and kids with you???!!! that sucks......................there is work all year round in one place when you work for a big strong utility. i would never do that travel bullshit

  10. #10
    lineman-up Guest

    Default does it matter if it is union??

    Featured Sponsorr

    instead just take a job that pays the bills. i work for a small NONUNION utility and am very happy and make a comfortable living. why does someone always bring up the fu@@ing union. you all are pro union until you dont have work!!!!! last week we had two union plumbers working as scabs because they dont have any work. the one had sticker on the back of his truck that said "proud to be a union plumber" . i am not anti union just pro me and if i get a decent job that is not union i will be just as happy and wont walk around making assnine comments like that. box? you never did contractor work at all, most people cant slide into utility jobs unless they have a in. i just lost a good co-op job to some apprentice whose uncle worked for the utility. i think every lineman should do construction for a while instead of being coddled at a utility living on easy street..!!

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