Union vs non-union job

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mb123

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Hello,

I've been doing plumbing for about a year and a half. I was working for a local neighborhood plumber and I recently decided to go to plumbing school. I've been thinking about what type of job I want to look for when I finish school and I would like to get some information on pros and cons of working for union or non-union. What are your personal preferences? What are good things to look out for when searching for a job? I'm located in Brooklyn NYC.

Thanks!
 
It would be in your best interest to apply to local 1 when the books open up
 
I'm not a union fan but if all you want in life is to be a worker, get a good paycheck (when you actually get to work) and have a great retirement then a union job is a good place to be.

Here in ca many union guys spend more time sitting at home waiting for a job than working.
 
Anyone know any details on how to apply?
 
This is a good question. I don't know how other jurisdictions work so I can only speak for myself in my previous employment as a union plumber (1989 thru 1999) in Hawaii. I'm no longer in the plumbing field. The union paid for 5 years of schooling. And after a certain number of work hours equivalent to 5 years, I forget exactly how much hours was required but upon meeting that requirement I was able to take the state licensure test for journeyman plumber. I became licensed in 1995. Throughout the years I had been employed at numerous employers, when one job ended it usually meant getting laid off, then waiting for another employer to hire. The union keeps track of apprenticeship hours for licensure whereas non-union plumbers would keep track of their own hours for licensure. My hourly rate started at about $7/hr as an apprentice in 1989 and topped out at about $35/hr as a journeyman (I no longer hold a license due to moving out of state and not receiving the required recertification training). With the union in any given year I would estimate that I was employed maybe 6 to 8 months out of the year and laid off the remaining 4 or 6 months out of the year. Employment was never steady. I'm guessing that with non unions shops you would be working more consistently and for longer durations. And union jobs that I held tended to be more new construction whereas non union tended to be more service and repair oriented, just a generalization on my part.
 

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