what have they done for you lately

[ntxhand]

Well here in Texas, big transmission job going on Crinkle & Destroy is making a mockery of the union. Hiring non-union hands, illegals and whoever else they want. the job has been nothing but trouble . People draggin up nearly everyday. Accidents have happened.... all non union guys. When we brought up everyone being non union they brought a hall out here and signed them up at the jobsite and gave them white tickets. Still they can't speak english and h=shouldnt have been here until they had a ticket in the first place. This aint no union job. The union here is weak and doesnt do nothing about it. What can we do?

[reppy007]

Well here in Texas, big transmission job going on Crinkle & Destroy is making a mockery of the union. Hiring non-union hands, illegals and whoever else they want. the job has been nothing but trouble . People draggin up nearly everyday. Accidents have happened.... all non union guys. When we brought up everyone being non union they brought a hall out here and signed them up at the jobsite and gave them white tickets. Still they can't speak english and h=shouldnt have been here until they had a ticket in the first place. This aint no union job. The union here is weak and doesnt do nothing about it. What can we do?

I dont know what to say about your situation,maybe look for another job while still working where you are at,Im not saying to quit,because its still tough finding another job.The unions cant tell a company how to do business,there has to be a signed agreement between the two.All I can suggest is for you to work safe and if you decide to look elsewhere,dont let your fellow workers know what your doing,unless you really trust them.Have you talked to a union rep?About the company,and what it is doing.You might ask for some info from a union rep.Usually you cant sign a book at the hall,unless your leaving your current job.At least that is what happens here,when I was un-happy with one contractor,and wanted to work for another,The union asked me if I informed the company that I was leaving,and told me the second that I signed the book ,that I had just quit the company...it worked for me,and I was happier with the second contractor.....theres another way to do things too,and thats to go on your own.....but they dont like you doing that,but it has been done,believe me.

[ntxhand]

I dont know what to say about your situation,maybe look for another job while still working where you are at,Im not saying to quit,because its still tough finding another job.The unions cant tell a company how to do business,there has to be a signed agreement between the two.All I can suggest is for you to work safe and if you decide to look elsewhere,dont let your fellow workers know what your doing,unless you really trust them.Have you talked to a union rep?About the company,and what it is doing.You might ask for some info from a union rep.Usually you cant sign a book at the hall,unless your leaving your current job.At least that is what happens here,when I was un-happy with one contractor,and wanted to work for another,The union asked me if I informed the company that I was leaving,and told me the second that I signed the book ,that I had just quit the company...it worked for me,and I was happier with the second contractor.....theres another way to do things too,and thats to go on your own.....but they dont like you doing that,but it has been done,believe me.

The Union is too weak here to do anything. The agreement/contract is short and just thrown together to get work, which i understamd you have to make concessions to get more union work here but it's not sufficient

[reppy007]

The Union is too weak here to do anything. The agreement/contract is short and just thrown together to get work, which i understamd you have to make concessions to get more union work here but it's not sufficient

This is what Im seeing and Im not even there.....the union might not really be weak in a sense,the actual weakness might be the lack of attendance,which in turn makes the union weak....its been said thousands of times before........the company knows everytime when a union meeting has poor attendance.....people talk.....lets look at it this way,If you owned a company and were paying union members very well,but if you also knew they had members that never showed up at the meetings,never got involved.....then the business manager of the local demands more,sometimes much more....you kind of have the upper hand cause the members wont even show up at the meetings......you might even bet that they would not show up outside of a gate for a strike,so you brush them aside.

[55lineman]

while i cant speak for every circumstance, I can say in most bad situations we are our own worst enemy. Contractors hope for our signs of weekness, especially at negotiation times. How many times have we seen brand new journeyman take a foreman job or worse yet a gf job? Ive heard higher ups talk of grooming apprentices as they come through. What are they grooming them for....... to become well rounded journeyman? I dont think so. Maybe we need to start grooming our apprentices towards that and casting a little shame their way when they move up to quick. Also its hard to push them to a union mtg that we dont intend on going to. Oustide construction journeymen need to push them to travel if possible to increase their confidence so if theres too much bs where they work the feel they can pull the pin and go somewhere else. Also, and I was in this catagory, financial responsibility is a big part of young lineman problems. Set your bills so you can afford to make the right decision and stand up for yourself......even if that means packing your bags.

[reppy007]

while i cant speak for every circumstance, I can say in most bad situations we are our own worst enemy. Contractors hope for our signs of weekness, especially at negotiation times. How many times have we seen brand new journeyman take a foreman job or worse yet a gf job? Ive heard higher ups talk of grooming apprentices as they come through. What are they grooming them for....... to become well rounded journeyman? I dont think so. Maybe we need to start grooming our apprentices towards that and casting a little shame their way when they move up to quick. Also its hard to push them to a union mtg that we dont intend on going to. Oustide construction journeymen need to push them to travel if possible to increase their confidence so if theres too much bs where they work the feel they can pull the pin and go somewhere else. Also, and I was in this catagory, financial responsibility is a big part of young lineman problems. Set your bills so you can afford to make the right decision and stand up for yourself......even if that means packing your bags.

Well said,us older guys are seeing a trend thats only getting worse,we were told to attend meetings too,its always been that way,what some of us are actually doing is warning you younger guys about what will happen if the union is not supported.The union can do something for you guys,but there has to be a sacrifice,and that means you need to support it also.Utility hands and Contractor hands need to put their differences behind,like it or not if a union fails,both parties fail.So if only they can get together and work somewhat as a team,and get p eople more involved will things start looking better,we had a business manager that has been gone from this world for years....and he used to tell us like it was.....he had a distinctive voice....Brothers you need to attend your union meetings.He was so right.Large companies can care less if the unions fail.......what am I saying by saying that?....Im saying this...Large companies want your benifit packages to fail ,these guys at the top can care a less about any lineman,they dont care about your benifits for one second.....but they surely care about theirs,is that right?

[reppy007]

One thing is interesting,and that is the Company always knows the outcome of a union meeting,how many people attended the night before.I know that cause Ive heard supervisors talk about it,another thing that is interesting is there is hundreds of union represenatives that read our post everyday....but you never hear from them here.....I do wonder how much time a day they look at this website while they are at the halls and their desk a day.......Id like to hear from some of them,let them give their opinions,and a international rep,whould be icing on the cake.