Local 104

[lineman1010]

if you appiled to local 104 then u must have went to neats website there is a bunch of info on there. if u havent then the website is www.neat1968.org


the trade is worth it but there is alot to consider before makeing a job change, not every week are you going to get 40 hours but there are times when u will make up for that when u go out on storm . another thing is not everyone who applies and goes out to work makes it through the program. some dont even make it out of boot camp and the others get kicked out for not doing books or failing test. i wouldnt do anything else i love being a lineman but if u really want to be a lineman u will do what it takes to become one. good luck on what ever you decided to do

[johnbellamy]

Yeah man I know how you feel. I had to give up a career in Neurosurgery to become a lineman.

Is funny.

Good stuff Danny.

[alpar80]

I could see myself doing this type of work, being outdoors, working with a good group of guys and getting the job done. I am a physically active person who hates sitting around. As for my job right now, it is what I love to do but it isnt supporting my family. I am 28 yrs old and if I do this, I would do it to stick with it. I am a dedicated person who takes work seriously but when the job is done loves to kick back and enjoy life. I just hope that the job could pull in more than $1200 bi-weekly.... (as an apprentice). I know the bene's are worth the weight in gold, btw... how much do you pay out of pocket for the benefits? What about retirement?

[wtdoor67]

If you're so curious about wages etc. just make a few calls to Union locals in your area. They'll be glad to tell you apprentice wages, dues and all the benefits you pay for. Nothing is hidden with Unions. Actually you can find some of it on line.

How about air traffic controller jobs? They pay well and they have civil service benefits.

PDR people (paintless dent repair) routinely make 100 K. Not much training required either.

[lineman1010]

it all depends on the weather if u will pull in 1200 bi weekly do the math. i believe a first step in ma makes around 23 an hour but u might not work in ma you could be in me nh or vt and they get paid less. for benifits the contractor pays. co pays are 20 dollars and you dont pay full price for scripts insurance covers it, but u pay some money. you get an assesment taking out of your check each week i believe its 3% of your gross. your retirement is awesome you wont be getting as much as a jl does towards it, but as you progress through you apprenticeship more gets put into it. all the questions you are asking are on neats website doesnt seem like you have done alot of research on this. i can tell you as of right now things are real slow alot of guys waiting for that phone call,if u have a good interview and wanna get put on the top of the list go get your class a cdl that will help out big time

[MikeS]

While I am not a lineman (yet) I am working very hard to become one. I think you are going after this job for the wrong reasons. Money should not be the reason. I have wanted to be a lineman my whole life, I dont give a sh*t about the money. Its about the job, it about doing something not many can do, its about working 40' + in the air off of hooks and loving every minute of it. I have always heard lineman say that you have to live and breathe linework, that it is a part of you. I am starting understand what they mean by that. You gotta want it.

[mainline]

Mike S has it right, if you do line work for any other reason than love of the job you are a fool. Yes it pays well, but it exacts a cost. The reason that linemen make a good living is usually because they work alot of OT. I worked a 1000 hours last year. That is about 20 hours a week if you average it out. You miss your kids and family stuff. You will work Christmas, Thanksgiving, kids birthdays, anniversaries. It will break you body over time, but I don't give a shit what anyone says it is the best career in the world for a mechanically minded outdoorsy person. You will work with good people, you will do cool things, you will help people. What else can you do that will pay you to ride trolleys hooked on to a messenger, climb things, and work with machines you drooled over when you were a kid. Few can do this profession, those who can are exceptional. If you wan't to do it do it. If you want to do it for the money do something else, you will save yourself a lot of heartache.

[49pan]

Mainline said it, it's the love of the job. You will have to give up some of the toy's for a while but you will recover. Here it is the middle of April and I am at 70, and it's not even storm season yet. As he said that is time away from the faimly, that's why I have 3 X-wives. Hopefully you have an understanding wife. JUST GO FOR IT.

[lineman1010]

i agree also there is no other job i would wanna do, its not easy and not everyone can do it. ya some days suck but then you have your days when u r doing something or using a peice of equipment that u never thought you would ever use in your life. you make a good living but its not handed to you, there will be times when u go out on storm and haveing an easy storm but then there is times when u go out and your balls to the wall. either way i love it and there is days i look forward to going to work. and another thing i love is going out on storm and putting the power back on for everyone. i take pride in being a lineman. when i was getting in i didnt ask questions about how much u make and what the benifits were i just wanted to be a lineman and worked my ass of to become one, taking all the ot i could get going out on every storm i got called for. if u just want to be a lineman for the money dont waste our time

[bigdogap]

Alpar80 it could take a while to hear back from NEAT with your test results and the scheduling of the interview. Then after your interview to getting a call to "boot camp" could be a few more weeks or months. One thing I can suggest is that you get together with your buddy and have him show you the basics of climbing. That is the key. I am a fourth step I and I just got laid off for the first time since I got in since early 08. I made over seventy grand last year and switched careers from being a carpenter to the apprenticeship. The benefits are the best in the country no joke. I am thirty one and have a wife and son and have no complaints. But if you have trouble disciplining yourself to do book work and think that living on the road may be hard on you and your family then you may want to consider another trade. But to me it is a great career and an awesome job especially in the union. good luck let us know how you make out.