Buying my book?

[davedarragh]

S-t-a-t-u-s

Thanks to everyone who had constructive comments. I think I understand the whole "buying your book" thing. This is something that can be done when there is enough work out there for the Journeymen that are already in the Union. Right now is not a good time for this.


To those who do not know the definition of "Status" here it is
[*]Pronunciation: \ˈstā-təs, ˈsta-\ Function: noun [*]Inflected Form(s): plural sta•tus•es Usage: often attributive [*]Etymology: Latin — [*]1 a: position or rank in relation to others <the status of a father> b: relative rank in a hierarchy of prestige ; especially : high prestige2: the condition of a person or thing in the eyes of the law3: state or condition with respect to circumstances <the status of the negotiations>


To those who could not figure out what question I was asking, I don’t know what to tell you. The question was preceded by the statement “So my question is.” I then followed the question up with a few details that pertained to the answers that I was looking for.

I guess if I typed slower I would have less spelling and grammar errors. Maybe if you read faster you could understand what you were reading.

I take it, that was directed to me. Didn't know if you were referring to your job, marriage, or citizenship status. I'm finishing up reading "Great Expectations," I started reading it this morning. I'll finish with "The Rise and Fall of the Third Riech" before nightfall.

Evelyn Woods Speed reading course...............

Dave

[ridesideways]

threads like this remind me why i would never want to weld for a living. with all due respect to any union members on this board, i could never join a union and feel good about it. i hold my current job based solely and completely on my personal job performance. if i want a different job, i go and show them my skill and experience, and they can hire me or ignore me based on my skill and experience alone. unions just seem to add a whole lot of red tape to this very simple process.

[davedarragh]

&quot;Live Better, Work Union&quot;

threads like this remind me why i would never want to weld for a living. with all due respect to any union members on this board, i could never join a union and feel good about it. i hold my current job based solely and completely on my personal job performance. if i want a different job, i go and show them my skill and experience, and they can hire me or ignore me based on my skill and experience alone. unions just seem to add a whole lot of red tape to this very simple process.

I'll remember that when I draw my Teamster's Pension

Dave

[ridesideways]

I'll remember that when I draw my Teamster's Pension

yeah i guess that is a good point for unions, but meh... no thanks not for me. i have a retirement fund that i'm in control of.

[Sonora Iron]

threads like this remind me why i would never want to weld for a living. with all due respect to any union members on this board, i could never join a union and feel good about it. i hold my current job based solely and completely on my personal job performance. if i want a different job, i go and show them my skill and experience, and they can hire me or ignore me based on my skill and experience alone. unions just seem to add a whole lot of red tape to this very simple process.

You must be referring to unions like the UAW, or Aerospace workers union!
Building trade unions, you don’t perform, you don’t stay. If nothing else management will trip you up on a safety violation! No building trade union that I know of can save you from a safety violation!

[davedarragh]

&quot;Safety First&quot;

You must be referring to unions like the UAW, or Aerospace workers union!
Building trade unions, you don’t perform, you don’t stay. If nothing else management will trip you up on a safety violation! No building trade union that I know of can save you from a safety violation!

How true! I had a BA tell the "group" one time, "There's 2 issues I won't back you up on, DRUGS and SAFETY."

Dave

[Sonora Iron]

My interpretation of your "buying book" is to pay the right people for your paper trail rather than earn it or go through the system.

My perception of the term “buying a book” is anyone who didn’t complete an apprenticeship. If you join a union without going through and completing an apprenticeship you must have bought a book! That isn’t to say you don’t have experience in another trade, or even non-union. Every time I’ve seen a book bought legitimately that person had to prove 4-years experience.
Now all the brother-n-laws, best friend’s cousin’s uncle, are entirely different story!

[davedarragh]

Sleever Bar Holder

Hey Sonora: If you get a chance, there's a local guy here in Phoenix named "Tucson" Stewart, that patented a real nice sleever bar holder. Check it out.

I think IronworkerGear.com sells them.

Quite an ordeal he had to go through with OSHA and all.

Dave

[Bodybagger]

Now all the brother-n-laws, best friend’s cousin’s uncle, are entirely different story!

A few rotten apples have really perverted the purpose of trade unions. They seem to have lost sight of what the people before them fought for with strikes, jailtime, and bloodshed. They did not fight so someone could give their cousin the upper hand. And if you ask me, the favoritism and shady deals pulled some unions to the level of the coal and factory bosses of the 20's and 30's.

[deafman]

Glad I don't belong to a union.

I could sure use union pay right now, but don't miss the union foolishness and fatcats in the union office.

[Portable Welder]

If you have a bunch of years in a particular trade but the work was non union and the union does not want to recognize it then I say go ahead and buy the book.

If you dont have 4 years of experience in a particular trade then I would recommend putting the time in to get the experience.

I've been a portable Welder for 21 years now and am still learning.

Looking back when I had 4 years of experience in my trade I felt very confident, But now that I have 21 years experience I realize how much I still had to learn.

[davedarragh]

&quot;Office Foolishness&quot;

I could sure use union pay right now, but don't miss the union foolishness and fatcats in the union office.

There's a whole lot more foolishness and fatcats in Washington DC than in ANY Union Office.

Dave

[Vicegrip]

There's a whole lot more foolishness and fatcats in Washington DC than in ANY Union Office.

Dave

Sadly those jobs don't need to compete. The rest get shipped offshore as uncompetitive.

Many unions have lost sight of the real reason they formed in the first place. Not all but more than enough to tarnish the image presented.

[Bob the Welder]

I have worked union and non-union so I know what it's like on both sides of the fence. I was a member of the United Auto Workers for 1 1/2 years, the United Mine Workers for 7 1/2 years and have been a member of the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers for just over 19 years.

I transferred from a shop local to the NTL division of the Boilermakers about 5 years ago. I had a lot of experience as a welder and construction worker but it didn't take me long to realize that I had a lot to learn! I signed up for the apprenticeship and now have a year and a half till I get my Journeyman card. I took a BIG pay cut to get in but it has been worth every penny! I have learned a lot more than I would just on the job. There is more to know than just what you do day to day. Plus you will get a lot more respect if you complete your apprenticeship.

Stick with it, you will be glad you did.

Bob.

[spgtti72]

Most of the people who dislike unions:
*have never worked out of a hall
*aren't bluecollar workers
*gather their knowledge of unions from polititians and the media
AND should reconsider posting opinions on topics they know nothing about.