hi, I'm looking for any current members of iuoe 12 in southern cali. I am studying for the test now, I'm just have questions about working for this union and some for the apprenticeship. Thanks for any reply Gator.
Well I passed the pre apprentice testing now just on the waiting list. I am in district 2 ventura county to san luis county. Can any members of local 12 help me with some questions about the process of the waiting to become a apprentice and member of local union 12, and what the a,b and c list is?
Yair . . . Would anyone be able to explain how the US apprentice system works for equipment operators? It is confusing to me . . . the union and non-union status and so on. I have no skin in the game and don't want to tread on any toes . . . just curious. We have no such system here (as far as I know) although these days there are multitude of organisations where folks are "trained" to get "tickets" which legally allow them to run a machine . . . as far as I can see it is then up to them to convince an employer (union or non-union) to give them a job so they can get some seat time and learn to actually run the thing. As far as I know (and Aussies please correct me) there is no union involvement with the training. Cheers.
Since the topic of unions is one that can bring out strong feelings, either "for" or "against", HEF has a policy that we call aggressive neutrality on the subject. That means nobody will be allowed to post their opinion that unions are a precursor to the downfall of society, just as nobody else will be allowed to post their opinion that they're the best thing since ice cream. I think that sometimes that puts members in fear of answering any questions about them, but if the answers are factual answers to legitimate questions, well, we are more than happy to have that information shared here. For somebody who has the answers to these questions, help gatorca68 out, and enlighten Scrub Puller. Think of it in the same way you would on questions about getting a drivers license. You do A, then B, then C, and that's how it works. (And we can all stay away from discussing how driving is a God given right that shouldn't require a license, or that cars are evil and pollute the air and everybody should ride bicycles to work.) Does that makes sense?
Yair . . . thanks digger242j . I know this is a tender subject but I believe I have phrased my query a straight forward manner. . . I wish to rock no boats but am genuinely curious about the US system . . . and probably a few others from Down Under have wondered as well. Cheers.
No scrub puller the Union has no involvement in Australia as far asthat goes There got anoth of there own problems!
Yair . . . gotcha hmearth . Thanks for that. I live pretty much in isolation from the big jobs these days and thought things may have changed. Cheers.
Hi gatorca68, I can try to answer your questions. I am not a local 12 member, but I am a 38 year member of another IUOE local and a graduate of thier apprenticeship program. I have some knowledge of local 12's program. Remember one thing about construction trades apprenticeship programs, they are trust agreements between the Union and contractors following US labor laws, but they are guidlines and each one can operate slightly different than another. I can't say I ever saw two programs that operate excatly the same. Give me one of your questions and I will try to answer. John
Yair . . . jmason . Thanks for the offer about answering questions. As I understand it the union "halls" in fact act as employment agencies. That is to say if I am looking for an operator I can enquire through the union but I would be obliged to pay union rates and conditions . . . if I were to ask around at a local bar and found an operator the rates and conditions would be agreed between the operator and me? Cheers.
Pretty close Scrub. In some locals unions are more prevalent than others. They establish what is the "prevailing wage" for each particular trade. Some contractors are "union" and some are not. If a job site is "union" all the contractors working there, for all the trades, will generally be union. The union will be involved in a "Collective Bargaining Agreement". This CBA will establish wages and benefits for members of the union and exceptions for the employers. The union will also manage a grievance process for the employers and represent them in discipline issues. An apprenticeship is an excellent way to learn a trade. An apprentice will be obligated to complete the training program (OJT) including any classroom time. Usually to complete the program and attain Journey status will take a set number of hours, 3 years full time work. Just a quick thumbnail sketch, hopefully non controversial.
Yair . . . thanks akpolaris . I certainly don't want to be controversial . . . I'm just curious. It sounds like a sound system to me . . . much like our "tradies" apprenticeship scheme . . . meaning, plumbers, electricians, mechanics boilermakers and such. Young blokes are indentured to an employer for the three or four years of the apprenticeship working "hands on" under the guidance of a tradesman. The wages are low and increase over the term and if the candidate passes the proficiency tests he gets his certificate to say he is a tradesman in that particular field. These days I believe it is possible for skilled workers who learn in the school of hard knocks to achieve tradesman status by doing some study and proving proficiency by practical tests. I have no formal training but was able to get various welding tickets but no trade status. I believe that here (Aussies please set me straight if I am talking B/S) it is necessary for an operator to acquire proficiency certificates for each piece of equipment . . . a ticket for instance to operate a D6 would not allow the operation of a D8 . . . and this in certain situations (mining?) can extend even to tickets being required for items such as hand held grinders. Of course such tickets/certificates mean bugger all in the real world. We employed blokes with the relevant tickets only to find they had worked in a very narrow field of the trade . . . one sheet metal worker had extensive experience in making urinals and rubbish bins but very little else. Cheers.