Electricians why cant they get market share?

[billfoster67]

Whay do they have take our market share? Whay are they going beyond the jurisdiction of article 26 in the constitution? Why do they want our work that we have had for a long time and we gave it to the older lineman with sore hips and knees?

Why do they do sidework?

Why can't they work residential and compete in that market? Thats where their non-union competitors made their money and are destroying them in the commericial market?

Why will they hold their ticket in their sock and work non-union, and ask a guy with a IBEW sweatshirt where the union hall is. I am a lineman no a narrowback. I don't speak to rats, even if they have yellow tickets.

Why will a retiree do little handy man jobs?

Why don't they organize these outfits that are destroying their market share?

You guys read article 26. Read our jurisdiction and their jurisdiction. And tell your BA hey these guys are taking our work. I know so many men that worked project agreements and worked hard to gain our market share. Lineman's break is drink a cup of coffee on a bucket or in the truck- their break is stop work and go to the designated break area. So a 15 minute break goes into fourty five minutes. We are different in our attitudes toward work.

If we give them market share of our jurisdiction, they will eventually lose it if they keep doing what they are doing. Thats why I don't want to give them anything.

I have seen a beautiful scene five electricians pushing a 3/4 inch control cable through a bridge about 200 feet. I drove past at eight and they still weren't done until 6pm. I remember as an apprentice and a good friend grunt would put the control cables and the power for signals and we would do 4 overpasses before lunch. With the loop de loop in all the splice boxes.

Don't give them work, we will never have it for the older guys or for ourselves when we get older.

Our easy work is their hard work!

[scammy]

I say let them try to do our work......you will find quickly ,,they cant ,because they dont have the nades,,,,,scammy

[billg]

The problem is that they keep nibbling away at our work. Sub-station, traffic signal, urd, etc..... Not so noticable when we are all busy with tons of work, but if (or I should say when) it slows down we will sorry they ever slipped in the back door.

[newbie22]

I'm not in the linemans trade yet, but evey time I get the opportunity to watch lineman work I take of advantage of it. Last winter, I was patroling our jail and noticed the top of a pole was smoking. I thought cool, I'll get to see some work done. So some guys show up and I started talking to them and the apprentice told me they were electricians. He aslo told me the do the line wrok in the oilfields locally (central california). I always thought electricians were limited to the amount of voltage they could work around. This outfit was also union.

[billfoster67]

If the hall is short lineman. Have one lineman on the crew and have the electricians sign book 4. Our constitution can't change-they can't change the jurisdiction without IO, any where. They can sign book 4. And not destroy our jurisdiction, have the older lineman do URD, street signals, and the easy stuff. Let him slide out with easy work, At 55 to 60 that glory work gets old. Let them have it.

Not an electrician with a non union dirt worker. Thats BS.\

An electrician can sign book 4 for the work, not inside locals take it. If its that way then call the IO, because they are breaking the constitution, and the jurisdiction that has been formulated for many years. And if anyone had a pair they would file charges against anyone that breaks our jurisdiction!!!

[scammy]

being short of lineman is no excuse,,,,,these power companys and contracting outfits have millions and millions in profit,,they just wait for ( us) to come up with the excuses ,,,,for (them),,its our fault ,,we work overtime and make 100,000- to 200.000,,per year ,,we put ourselfs at risk by working 16 ,,,20 ,,,30 hrs straight,,,its time for everyone ,,you ,,me and the companys,,to pull our heads out of our asses,,and get the next line of apprentices ,,,,,,,,,online,,,,,,,,,scammy,,,,,and this buisiness of letting electricians do line work ,,?sure they want the work ,,,sure the co.likes it ,,thier life means squat to the companys,,,,,,they dont know ,,what they dont know,god bless em they just want to work ,,but to be a lineman ,,it takes about 7 years before you even know and understand what questions to ask,,,,,and to master climbing and the rest ,,,,and im not sorry for the intrusion ,,or if I hurt any feelings ,,,,,,seen too much death alreaddy,,,,,,,,,,,and just plain tierd of the excuses and bullshit ,,,,,,,scammy

[Swollen Tongue]

AMEN Scammy

[billfoster67]

Talking to ex electrician now lineman apprentice, we had a discussion on jurisdiction. Basically he told me that District 9 has a jurisdiction book that gives electricians street signals, street lights, the controllers, and many more outside work including substations(????). I told him I just read the constitution and it states that is our work.

How can the east coast have so many different practices than the west coast? On the east coast, we protect our jurisdiction to the hilt. Substations are ours period. Electricians wire up the control house and the control wires, the PLCs, But the bus, steel, apparatus all outside is ours. We build the forms, cut the trenches, place the pipe, and do all the terminations to everything. We put up all the steel structures and insulators. Even do the grade work. Its not parsed out to other trades.

In Ohio, the subs come in kits. It is formulated. Pipe and ground grid comes first while you call for concrete trucks, then Rock for grade... You have a 15 page blue print, with the conduit schedule, chart for rebar cages and etc.

New River (Roanoke, VA) that is what they are famous for. I know lineman that have built over 50 to 60 and they are 50 years old. With these guys as GF or foreman you would be done in a month or less. A small Ohio contractor built the whole package in less than a month, with five men (BB) for (JWD) in Wadsworth, OH. They can build subs nice and fast.

Its sad that an area of the country gave away our work..that I love. A substation is like a big jigsaw puzzle, you start at the lowest point and go to highest, totally opposite of line construction. It was a nice break if you needed one, you had to use your brain- triangulation, work off a fixed point.

Too bad the west coasters will never have a chance to learn it. Its fun.

What is it? Electricians think we are not capable. The BAs... Who drew this jurisdiction up and why does it contradict Article 26 of the constitution.

Or better yet, get the best New River sub hands go against the best electricians in the US. Have two sites, same sub kit and go. I put money on the lineman anyday. He'll do it faster and better quality. No joke.

[billfoster67]

How can district 9 says Subs are electrician work when the best Sub contractor in the nation, New River Electric (Roanoke) are the fastest and best and they are all lineman? They have built a lot of subs, probably more than any contractor in the country.

Lets put it to a test: 20 electricians and 20 skilled trade support vs. 8 lineman on portability for New River building the same substation kit. I put my money on New River, anyday anytime. And I hope every BA on the West Coast reads this.

Forget the contradiction, the constitution, whoever builds it first and best. They can build the cages, forms, grid, trenches, grade,steel, apparatuses and equipment, busses and switches. Have a contest and watch the electricians lose. Put the odds and progress on a las vegas book and bet.

Substations are our work! Street signals are our work! URD is our work! I don't care if there is a fence and its commercial, Primary voltage, 600 or greater volts is our work!

I am not a big fan of New River, they put too many men on portability but I know they are the best substation contractors in the country. President of New River get your best men, and whoever (electricians) thinks they are good on the west coast put a wager on it. Lets see who wins!

Then next J.W. Didado for street signal work against anyone.