Working on the outside

[Blizzy23]

I live in the San Francisco Bay Area and was wondering about working for contractors out here. General rules for contractors? Pros/cons? Who is good to work for and who isn't. I worked at a utility for a number of years and am now interested in makin the jump. I really enjoy the freedom but also stayin around here too.

[HardWorker!]

Go to IBEW Local1245 hall in Vacaville & talk with them. Contractors in that area are mainly Par, ILB, & wilson. Maybe H & M & Diverfield also.

[Blizzy23]

I was asking who was good to work for so I know what calls to turn down. I am a lineman with my A ticket, so I can walk in and sign the books.

[Blizzy23]

Correct. I havent signed the books yet. I realize i won't be book one for a while. I wanna work in the bay area and I know they have a problem filling spots so I'm hoping to get on rather quickly.

[HardWorker!]

Neither one of you seem to have a clue.

You think you can just quit working where you are now and just walk in and sing the books?
Well you can't. No matter if you lived in California all your life you ain't book one. You better call that local before you pull the plug.
First if you are a utility worker you probably have a B ticket. Well that isn't any good. You have to pay and upgrade to an A ticket.

Two you don't work for who you want. You either take a call to the contractor or you turn it down, You just don't walk into a hall and say I want to work of PAR.

YOU KNOW THERE ARE A BUNCH OF UNION HANDS OUT THERE, THAT HASN'T GOT A CLUE ABOUT BEING UNION.
[/I]

I don't have a clue? AHA! I told the man/woman to go to the local 1245 and talk to them! I didn't say anything about he could just quit his job and or walk into the hall & sign any book! Then I answered his/her question about what contractors are in that area! I didn't say he could request who we wants to work for! Can you read!!!!???? Get some freaking glasses!

[rob8210]

So what makes you think it is so hard to get into the IBEW in Canada? Oh and thanks for the info on that certain Quanta company, it won't go over very well where they are working once the word gets out.

[rob8210]

Yeah well for their sake I do hope they go union, they have work in Toronto and the Toronto Hydro boys are die hard union.

[Pootnaigle]

Ummmmmm I dont bleve that for a minute Steve.Your only a has been when ya have nothing to offer any longer. I've seen you come to the aid of the wannabes, and the youngsters on more than one occassion.Good advice is hard to come by especially in this trade.Yours has always been sound.The loss of expertise in our trade over the last few years is astonishing,Not that there isnt a lot of good men left but that they are spread kinda thin.Like I told Door dont sell yerself short.

[rob8210]

No problem, Steve. If what I wrote offended you I apologize, I'm not out to offend anybody. I joined this board to keep up with all the goings on in the trade in North America, rumors are everywhere, eh? I won't claim to have been everywhere and done everything because I haven't. Mostly just worked here in Ontario, a bit in Connecticut, and a bit in eastern Canada. I have to agree that a lot of the knowledge in the trade is retiring, although I have worked with a couple of 70 year olds in the past. The old ways are still the best, but dang it the kids coming through either don't want to work or just don't take enough interest. My troubles right now involve a very young crew, with a lot of attitude and very little experience doing a lot of high voltage rubber glove work everyday. I have to spend a lot of time keeping a sharp eye on them. My journeyman just got his ticket not long ago, he is a very good kid, just has a big ego. Still trying to figure how to deal with it. I haven't been a foreman very long and wish I could just jump in a pail and teach in the air. Good advise is hard to come by and I will take all I can get. There is so much work here right now that I really don't think they care how young or old , green or experienced the man is.

[west coast hand]

I live in the San Francisco Bay Area and was wondering about working for contractors out here. General rules for contractors? Pros/cons? Who is good to work for and who isn't. I worked at a utility for a number of years and am now interested in makin the jump. I really enjoy the freedom but also stayin around here too.

Just go sign the books there's calls for the bay all the time even if you are on book 2 you will get one not may hand really want to work there especially SF good luck man

[rob8210]

Well fellas I can tell you this for sure, there is a huge demand for lineman in Ontario right now , especially around Toronto. Lineman skilled at working 27.6 kv are just plain hard to come by. Any young fellas looking to get into an apprenticeship have a good chance of getting a start in that area. Steve, I jumped on this site to learn as much as I could about other guys ways of working, just about everything I have read on here is great information. You fellas that have been around and seen a lot will always be able to advise the younger crowd coming up through. This is a learning trade and the learning doesn't stop until you have climbed your last pole to heaven. Thanks for the input. I know I really appreciate it all.