Date of Birth

February 14, 1967 (56)

About stiffneck

Biography:

I graduated from high school in 1985. That summer I applied to Union Electric(Ameren UE) of St. Louis. They had a TV commercial; "Who would go out on a night like this". Think heavy rain w/flash of lightning and UE putting it back together. Thought it was cool. Worked part-time at Firestone Tire store. For 1987, went to small Tech school for Residential/Light Commercial wiring. Got a job locating underground Phone/CATV lines in Illinois. Continued to fill out up date apps with Ameren. Applied to IBEW Local 1. Took a test with Missouri Employment office for Local 1. Received letter from "1" that "I will never qualify for their apprenticeship and should go down to the Carpenters' Hall if I needed work". Regret not saving that document. For 1988, joined USMC but got a Medical Discharge for Psoriasis, an arthritic condition of the skin. No I didn't drop out, but I've had to explain this to the less knowledged. For 1989, got a job working for a swimming pool contractor. Got my CDL "B" license and a ton of experience driving dump truck, front loader, back hoe, flat work and delivering chlorine to area swimming pools through out East Central MO. and South West IL. This outfit was a little rough around the edges. Had an underage driver teach me how to drive big trucks. That's how I got my CDL. Back then, the company issued the test. Glad that's no longer acceptable practice. Next got a job with TCI Cablevision out of St. Charles County, MO. I took this job hoping the experience would help me get an apprentice lineman job. Have pole climbing, ladder handling and bucket truck usage certificate and work experience from them. Had a couple of December days start at -15 Ferhient and warmed up to 0. Record cold for this area. Not complaining, just sayin ;) I can do it. Continue to apply with Ameren. For 1990, went to www.ranken.edu and received an Associate of Technology in Industry Electricity/Electronics Degree. Graduated in 1992 (w/3.0 grade average) and then applied to every single Electric Utility and Co-op in the states of Missouri, Illinois, Kansas, Indiana, Iowa, Arkansas and a few more in surrounding states. Got the addresses from a publication at school. Did not get a single offer, not even a suggestion on where to go for lineman school. Was willing to sweep the garage or plant floor just to get in. Also, did follow up calls, apps, resumes w/some of these for an additional 1-3yrs. Did get a chance to work for 3 IBEW Local 1 contractors. However, the IBEW blocked me. IBEW refused to issue me a temporary work permit "B" card. Or, allow me to take the test for "A" card certification. And, I was now "too old" for "their apprenticeship". Later, IBEW got sued for age limit and it was removed. Turns out the limit was not applied to every one. Did not know until years later. Got a job roping houses for CIU electrical contractor. For 1993, started work for www. shannahancrane.com, finely something I could sink my teeth into. All work was 10-100ft above grade. Including walking an I beam with nothing to tie off on ;] Travelled through Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska, Illinois, Indiana. Tons of work experience (literally) . Worked at Power and Water plants, Refineries, Smelters, Factories, Mines, Foundries, Railroad car repair shops, etc. Glad when ever it's outside work. Met a lot of hard working folks out there. For Spring of 1994 I applied to IBEW Local 2, for their Missouri Valley Line worker apprenticeship. Got the information when working at a power plant, either Iowa or Nebraska. Never heard of it during my early years, in St. Louis. Never heard back from them, either. Did one more app with Local 2 for Summer of 1995, (still waiting). Never did get a call or notice to test, interview, sign a book(s). I remember the application being light to medium blue color paper. No, I didn't think to make a copy of it. Not that it would matter today. I don't care if you believe me or not. Eventually I landed a job with the City of St. Louis. Wanted to do linework, but still no luck. Continued with app updates for Ameren. Worked down town Buildings as an Electrician until 1995, when I transferred to the Airport, where I've been ever since. I did join Local 1 and was issued a skilless, letterless maintenance card. We joked that it's are "janitorial card". Carried that until summer of 2001. I had enough of "them" and stopped paying. Have not heard back from them since. I will skip the details, for now. Because my goal is to land a powerline apprentice job, before I'm truly too old. It gets a lot worse with IBEW then most want to admit. If you want examples, Business Agent names, etc, PM me. I'm ready to move out of St. Louis City, never did like living here. 95 percent of these people are retarded and I'm being very generous with this. City has a strict must live only in the City limits policy. Not a 30 minute call out zone. I get paid car allowance just to commute to the county where the Airport is located LOL. Thanks for reading this far, including the ill experiences with IBEW. I currently work with Medium (34.5KV), Low and Standard Voltages. No worries on having to rescue us, 99% of it is underground. It's an Airport, think less than 5000 acres. Also, I have my Master Electrician's License as of 2005. Guess who lobbied against me, to be allowed to take test? I resent being treated like a second class citizen by IBEW. Note, who do you think mentors and tutors them on the Airfield System? When they show up it looks like this; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cY38-BFSsvM I do volunteer to take all the outdoor work. Can't stand being inside. Currently working to upgrade my "B" to an "A" truck driving license. Drive/run a 54,000 GVW Ford/8speedRoadranger/ 150ftManitex crane truck now, but get no credit because we are exempt from CDL DOT requirements. Have worked 32 hours straight. More recently 16 on with 8 off for emergencies. Did I mention it rains and snows at the airport LOL. WHAT I DID NOT HAVE IN THOSE EARLY YEARS WAS THE INTERNET. I SIMPLY DID NOT KNOW WHAT WAS OUT THERE, WHERE TO GO, OR WHAT TO DO. I got the internet sometime in 2001, but was not looking again for an apprentice job or school, until now (Jan 2015). Ideally, www.statetechmo.edu would have been perfect 20-30 years ago. But today it's not practical for me to be off work for two years for this. And, I already have a 2 year Associate Degree and don't need anymore academic crap. Ideally, Ameren's pre-apprentice try outs would be perfect. I know their territory. Got app in this Jan 2015, but did not hear back. It was late in the game, notice it was up there from last November. Also, found out through this forum that I need a class "A" CDL. Not that it held me back in the 80's or 90's. But definitely an issue to fix for today. Will try ANYWHERE after I have my class "A" CDL. Have clean background for criminal, driving, work and juvenile records all the way back to the beginning. Credit rating north of 800 as well. NEPOTISM is why I can't break into this industry here locally. Hope this helps someone out, including those IBEWs wanting to clean up their "Unfair Hiring Practices". Local 1 recently voted out some of the problem business agents. "Joey" (former BA Joe Cxxxxx Jr. who's father was a BA before him) is not welcome on my airfield. Did help Guarantee Electric (local 1) summer 2014 with big Millstone Bangert runway, taxiway replacement projects. No one bothered to plan the electrical end of it. The 2 lowest paid people out there engineered the temporaries. All we got was dinner (lunch) twice from Guarantee. It's some what of a big deal, these are 6.6A- 5KV series loop circuits. Can't just run temp. across runways or taxiways. Up to 1000 enclosures, manholes, etc. 100s of crossings, up to 6 miles of cable for each circuit. ERGLs and IRGLs run 24hrs a day. Had to switch part of some loads over to other circuits. Keep track of it. Had fun w/Guarantee crew. Miss workin w/them, at least they'll work, unlike some of my cit-ay workers. Don't ask for prints, I still don't have any, except the ones I've made. Recently got my 20yr pin... 9 months late LMAO. Not at top pay yet either ;( w/more than 20 yrs. About to get passed for Foreman's job, will be 3rd time now. Time for me to leave. But where to go, don't know yet. I know it could be worse, but I know I can do better. Any suggestions would be considered.
2015 Sept. update, tested and interview w/Ameren for position at Callaway Nuclear plant. Made it to the final round, but not the final cut. Also got passed over for Foreman's position here at Airport. On the up side, got moved to top pay. Didn't thank anyone because I was at top pay years ago. This is how St. Louis City Democrats and IBEW Local 1 can be. Most other issues have been resolved for now. New Supervisor wants me to do app for Leadman position. Another "been there done that" so will see. No further effort at this time to get in Lineman Apprenticeship. Note, I forgot to mention. I know how to use a "chain saw" LOL. Additional Note; when it comes to safety, the only thing IBEW said or did was this, "We have a contractor that can do that job".
2016 February Update; So Supervisor # 4 did a hasty retirement and now we're a drift again. So I'm # 1 on the leadman's list, #2 on Foreman's lisit (#1 was appointed to Foreman) and seven of us to interview for Supervisor's list next week. The City has four Electrical departments; Downtown, Streets, Water and Airport. Street Lighting is desperate, where I live entire circuits stay out for up to 3 years. Downed poles sit for 3 months before being picked up. Might also consider other Airport postings away from St. Louis. I think it's too late to start over with linework. Haven't climbed since 1990 and it wasn't much, since it was only CATV work, plus I've got Arthritis. Still bitter about the IBEW thing and it's not over between us and them. Hard lessons learned in those early years. There where no "union meetings" posted, scheduled, known, ever. The last time I was at their hall, all I got was this; "I'm sorry, I can't help you, only the "BA" for your location can and he's not available". NO ONE TOLD ME WHAT THE INTERNATIONAL WAS OR IS. NEVER RECIEVED A COPY OF BY LAWS. KEPT IN THE DARK AND FEED A BUNCH OF SHIT, BY SHOP STEWARDS PICKED BY MANAGEMENT. WE KNOW BETTER NOW! THANKS TO THE INTERNET, NOT THE IBEW! Just like "sign them up and lay them off." Could have sued them for refusing to represent those of us Airport Electricians in good standing. Back then, the BAs took supervisor #3 to lunch, refused to acknowledge us. After the "Eli" incident of 2001, only 6 guys out of 33 bothered to pay dues and IBEW doesn't care either. All IBEW wants is to "Outsource" us. Very hard to trust IBEW, considering how many people and times they screw us.
November 2016 update,
I'm now at top pay for Lead Electrician. A spot I had back in 2002. Passed over for Foremans jobs 4 times now and once for Supervisor. Been a heck of a ride. Now to figure out what to do, for the youngersters in the shop. Maybe we should rejoin IBEW... and then vote to Decertify them. Question is, who would be willing to represent us?
2017 correction; It's not that IBEW screwed me when I paid for a "second class citizenship" it's they took my dues for 7yrs and laughed in my face... now who's laughing.
Chris Hanson

Location:

Custer's Last Stand, St. Louis City, Missouri, USA

Interests:

Riding motorcycles

Occupation:

Airport Lead Electrician