Contractor Outfit or Utility?!?!

[Box]

I have a question for some of you guys, especially the apprentices who are used to getting laid off for months. I keep seeing posts about people looking for work and i was just curious as to why some of you guys aren't looking for work at a local utility company rather than these small outfits? Bigger companies like FP&L, PSE&G, Exelon, ComEd, Peco, etc have all the work and more overtime than you know what to do with. So why are some of yous getting laid off and busting your balls to find work? Plus better benefits and tools and so many other little things. Just wondering please reply.

[shaun]

I smell fish.

[electric squirrel]

Cheese !!!!!!!!!!

[PA BEN]

Wouldn’t be nice if management would just come out and say, “I’m management and have a question.”:cool:

[LostArt]

I know I might look silly. But WHY box?????

[Box]

ya'll are funny! i'm actually not any type of management and never would be. i'm an apprentice that just started with a utility and started reading this board. for real that's the truth. i was looking for some real input and answer. i'm in the union and just got out of training school. but yous can think whatever you want. this is the internet it's not like i'll ever meet any of you so what do i care

[west coast hand]

If a guy works for a power company he has to have good medical insurance to get all those knifes removed from his back

[Florida Earl]

I've got to go with Box on this one. I'd rather have stability, better benefits, 401k, pension, room for growth, retirement.......

Different Gigs are for different types so whatever floats your boat.

[Florida Earl]

At least you CAN get good medical insurance when you work for a power company....

[west coast hand]

If a guy works for a power company he has to have good medical insurance to get all those knifes removed from his back

[electric squirrel]

with all the money I make in construction I can buy a hospital,,,,,,:D E.S.

[Box]

I have a feeling that most of you are getting pissy and just saying all this BECAUSE you don't have the stability, better benefits, 401k, pension, room for growth, retirement, etc. that we do. i was just curious why anybody would wanna work for a company that cannot find them work for 365 days straight, that's all. maybe you had trouble getting into the big power company by you, so you settled for the mom and pop shop electric company. it's okay.

[electric squirrel]

We have all that on the outside,what are you talking about? E.S.

[Box]

outside of what?

[electric squirrel]

You ARE green! The outside ,outside of the little walls you call home.Outside construction,you know contractors.Or do you know that contractor even exist,in your own little world? E.S.

[electric squirrel]

Swamp, its the little "box" of a world he lives in right now. Iam glad he's in a program,and glad he's Union( you dont care I would guess) but them power company hands will brain wash him real soon.We all know some of them guys are TOP notch hands,but there is more to the world of linework than just the territory and system he's go'n to learn. E.S.:cool: 23 days

[Stinger]

Listen up box. Some men make choices for different reasons, so do not insult my intelligence or reason for being union contractor. I have good benifiets, annunity, room for promotion, holidays. no vacation. But let me think, am I forgetting something????? Oh ya. the 150K I make every year. The ability to see the country and free road. I also like having the ability to just pick and drag if i do not like things and i will have a job within 24hrs thru my local, or i just may want to see the west for a couple of months and not loose one cent, or have to cash in my retirement or 401K etc., because that is the benifiet of being a union lineman. Box you can learn a lot from these brothers on this net and they will give you a lot of information if you have a question about line work. This net is both union and non union, but brothers in trade. So when you make and if you make JL then maybe you can come in here with the big boys and join the conversation. We welcome all to include apprentices, but do not come here to insult us. We get on each other about things and how we feel about things, but that is part of a lineman nature, but we all respect one another at the end of the day. So if you can't respect some of our brothers because they chose not to work for big utilites or non-union then please do not bother coming on here.

[Mike-E]

The medical insurance we contractors get through the union is top notch, it is called Lineco, and I love it. We also have a pension that is pretty good and alot of unions also put money into an annuity plan as well. Also, on average contractors are paid higher wages than shop boys and I haven't been laid off in the 2+ years I've been working in this trade. I'm sure the benefit of being close to home makes up for all of that though.

[suddsy]

Something that has been eluded to but not outwardly mentioned is also the tax benefits to bieng on the road away from your home base. most guys I know get back anywhere from 6k to at the most I've heard of 28k. not a bad check to kick off your summer. To be honest I do believe honestly that the knowledge gained from tramping is tremendous. you will learn all 1000 ways to skin the proverbial cat. You will probablly forget 998 of them though.

[Swollen Tongue]

Served my app.ship and worked 10 years for a contractor and thank God every day that I did. Great way to learn the trade. Work for a utility now. Have to walk around holding my throat to keep it from getting cut everyday but as a T-Man I can get in my truck and get the hell away from those no good, low breed, back biteing,. SOB we call management

[Box]

finally some real answers and insight instead of people just getting all pissed off and offended. ST I hear what you're saying about management. That is definitely a plus. The management i work for are such dickheads. you have to do everything while looking over your shoulder. it's ridiculous. you have to sell your soul to take that posiition to screw your men like they do.