Hey guys, I have read threads on this forum for a long time but just recently joined. Here’s a little background on me and why I’m making this, most likely long, post. I’m a heavy equipment mechanic for a dealership in the Chicagoland area. My shop is IAMAW local 701 (primarily an automotive union). The Chicago IUOE local 150 is currently taking application and I’m thinking of applying. Everyone I talk to say local 150 is where the money is at for anything involving equipment. My current shop’s pay scale is decent, but from what I can find it is 5$ - 10$ below the local 150 scale. The unions also provide insurance. Our 701 insurance is enough for one person, but once you get a family on the insurance with you it gets expensive. Local 150 has double the amount monthly for insurance. The last factor is pension, the local 150 has a great pension and the 701’s is a total joke. I’m a year and a half into my 701 apprenticeship but it seems like the Local 150 is better in every way and I don’t want to wait until it’s to late or I’m too invested into the 701 to start over. I guess what I’m looking for is any Local 150 mechanics or operators on here that have done the apprenticeship and can give me some insight on what I could expect. Any IUOE from other locals are welcome to chime in also. I’ve never worked anywhere but dealerships, but I want to get myself into a position that is going to be the best for myself and my wife in the long run. Thanks guys!
I have no direct knowledge of the workings of Local 150 but after working 44 years and 7 months before I retired I would certainly go in a construction union again. Like everything else you will get out of it what you put in. I good hand will make good. No one is going to carry a slacker.
I'm 31 years into it with IUOE Local 612. I would not hesitate if I were in your shoes. That is a lot to leave on the table.
Was in Teamsters 600, IAMAW 777 and IBEW 309 before got into IUOE 148(Stationary). Best Union for benefits and wage packages was IUOE, has changed down some as is power station but general consensus between IBEW or Teamsters were the only others I would have considered remaining in. Teamsters was hardest to get into where had the harshest Local to Company control methods, IBEW was decent but often cow'd down to management to keep employed, IUOE 148 has started down that road. Only had 9 years total IAMAW, had 21 years IUOE and 2 in IBEW.
I’m a32 year member of 150,absolutely the best,pay scale ,insurance,pension make the move from 701you have a relatively short amount of time in you won’t be sorry.The amount of work in Chicagoland area is really good right now and into the foreseeable future especially for good mechanics! good luck!
I have 37 years in 150 and no regrets. Apply for an apprenticeship, don't be discouraged if you don't get in the first time. the training site is top notch as is the insurance and the pension. There are no short cuts though you will have to complete the whole program. The first 2 years you'll starve, but so worth it in the long run.
I was in the International Association of Automotive and Aerospace Workers twice and receive a small pension from them now. Getting out when I did was probably the best move I ever made concerning unions. The first time I was in I was an apprentice. Was supposed to get two years off the apprenticeship and when the paper work came in, they only gave me one. Retirement vesting at that time was ten years and the economy busted when I had three and a half years and got laid off. Checked in at the hall to get a withdrawal card and was told that any job I found where the union was in place I would have to turn it over to someone higher on the withdrawal list. I didn't look for a union job after that. About eight or nine years later I had another opportunity at another dealer and went to check on the withdrawal card and was told I had to pay initiation fees again because I was out longer than in. Vesting the pension was five years this time and I did that and left that employer. I got notification after the meltdown in 08 that the pension funds were depleted and that I may lose part of the meager checks that I earned as the government will have to make up the difference because of the unions incompetent pension managers. I don't know from the acronym that you used that these are the same unions, but all the shop employees in the union I was in have dropped them and taken 401K programs. It didn't make sense to pay for a pension that is being used to pay those who already retired and there be nothing left for the young people currently paying into it. I was lucky in that when I left, the union bought an annuity on me and pays me from that. Maybe my benefit won't drop. Those that stayed got the shaft. Everyone in my days there complained that there wouldn't be any social security by the time they retired and that the union pension would keep them going until they died. Social security is still here and the union pension is now nearly gone. If it is the same union and you are not near vesting the retirement, I would say to run like the wind.
Not even close to the same kind of unio!
To the op of this thread. You need to call the Local 150 Training Site and get an appointment to talk to one of the coordinators. That is where you will get the answers to your questions. Are you wanting to work in a dealership that has a contract with 150 ? Or are you interested in buying your own truck and work out of the hall with it ?
I believe the apprenticeship is still taking applications.At the meeting last month the agents we’re willing to talk with anyone interested in starting an apprenticeship,having a hard time filling seats,with the amount of work especially since end of the year push.I would think since you’ve already started the trade you might have a pretty good chance of getting in.
How would I get in contact with one of the agents or someone in 150 to talk to? Just call the hall?
New Hey everyone, I was not expecting so many good replies so quickly! You guys are awesome. But to answer some more of the questions, my hope would be to get a job through the union with either a 150 dealership or with a contractor in their shop or service truck. I’m only 22 and don’t currently have the cash to buy a truck and work for myself. To be honest I probably don’t have the knowledge to work for myself yet either. I’m doing well but still have a lot to learn in the industry. As I said I have a decent job right now which is really the only reason I’m nervous as I don’t want to leave something decent with the ideas of somethingbetter in my head only to get myself into trouble.
That’s the thing, the bottom of the 150 scale isn’t that much different than where I’m at the on our contracts scale right now, probably a 4$ an hour pay cut if I started out at the bottom in the 150 but seems like the benefits and pension make up for that. Not to mention the 150 pay will be better in the long run. What are dues like in the 150?
yeah 22-you are the perfect place to get in there.
IUOE here had a Base figure per month then a percentage of Gross wage added on if get into six figures. My own at $46/hour came out to around $90/month
I would contact the Training Site and talk to the coordinator or his secretary and tell them you’re experience and you’re situation. They may have you go to one of the district halls and fill out the application packet, I believe it’s a 25 dollar fee. They make a decision on the application’s you’re experience will help a lot.You’re pay scale will accelerate quick! Strongest trade union, make the move you won’t regret it
Thank you for your insight and encouragement sir
dues are 133.50 a quarter I believe if you are a veteran you have an even better chance
An IUOE mechanic with his own truck doesn't mean that he is self-employed. Although a few of them are. They get their work thru the hall. Contractors will always pay for your truck to be used while you are employed by them. It is sometimes more cost efficient for them not to own the truck. The company owned trucks are almost always the ones that work full time. I saw a lot of mechanic owned trucks work year around. I turned down an offer (request) to work as a mechanic in a company owned truck. I stayed with that contractor running dozers for many years after that offer.
If the member is retired, paying dues ends. Yay !
turn 60 in April I'm pretty excited
Hey Tinkerer we pay 132.00 a year now for retirement dues.
Congratulations! You earned it! You’re gonna love it especially the 1st of every month
Ok that’s good to know. This is what I mean I just don’t know how all of this works quite yet. At this point in time I hope to work in a shop or company owned truck. I would also like to work year round so hopefully if I get an offer from somewhere it will be a company that keeps mechanics on all winter, as the thought of being laid off scares me.
^5 brother!! I paid dues through the end of July next year. I figure I have about 10 months to pay after that.
Nooo dues when you get your Gold Card ! Heavywrenching ; The most important thing to know is to never,ever go out on your own and look for a job after being in any IUOE union. Heavy fines and getting banned can or will be the result of doing so. The Business Representative or the dispatchers are the only way to get a job thru the hall. Once you work for a contractor they can call the hall and request for you to come back to work for them if you get laid off for some reason. It is referred to as recall rights.
Ok that is good to now I had no idea. So for example if a 150 guy at a dealership wanted to leave and go work for a contractor he wouldn’t be allowed to just be hired by that contractor? So essentially you don’t go out job hunting, the union will find you work? The IUOE sounds better in almost every way except maybe stability? Unless I was to get another dealership. That’s the one thing my my current job has at least is stability and no chance of lay offs really.
All you’re employment comes through the dispatch office,usually in your district,but no always,you can be on the out of work list in other districts if you want to travel.
Hey dust eater try to attend one of the pre retirement seminar’s very helpful,especially with all the different pension options and healthcare credits.
NO JOB SEEKING ON YOUR OWN, EVER ! All IUOE locals have a system in place, similar to going to court for breaking a law. There will be hearing, facts stated and most likely a member who filed the complaint against the member that tried to get a job on his own. It will destroy the reputation of that member forever. The drawback with your present employer is that you are at their mercy for a job. At any given time they can lay you off without a reason.
Do you have any experience or know of anyone who has been a mechanic in the 150? Is it common for them to work for the same company for a lot of years or do most guys get bounced around in and out of work as they are needed?
That’s so true Tinkerer!Luckley right now you can quit today and be dispatched out tomorrow at least out here in 3!
That is true but the IAMAW still does protect us. We would most likely have hours cut, as we only have guaranteed 32hr weeks on our contract. They cut hours down to 32hrs a week for mechanics at the start of covid, however 32 hrs a week might still be better than being laid off as a contractor mechanic. The 150 would definitely have a higher reward factor but also seems like it could have higher risks as well. Still just trying to weigh it all out in my head.
Most of the mechanics in 150 are always employed as long as their good.The guy’s in the service truck’s that work for the big dirt and sewer and water contractors really put in the hours.When winter comes their in the shop.
if you want good stability, do the service oiler job and don't worry about turning wrenches as much. Those guys are the first ones hired for a big project and the last ones laid off. You also need to rethink your entire money spending ethic. Don't budget your life around big paychecks, budget it around the unemployment check. You may never collect it but you'll never be in a bind either! If you play your cards right you retire early not at 60 or 62 or 65.
I got to know and work with a couple of hundred (maybe more) mechanics thru the years. Most of them worked all year for the same contractors. Depending on a job location an hour long drive to work would not be unusual. The same is true for equipment operators. 58 hours was a normal work week for me. It was quite normal to work a lot more hours than that. Nothing is guaranteed in life. If want the kind of full time employment you now seem to have, it would be best to stay where you are. In the early 1980's I was out work and ran out of unemployment compensation. There was very little construction work in my area at that time.
Those were bad times all over, Tinkerer. I moved to western Washington in 1980 because Yakima dried up bad.
I reached out to Local 150 talk with their apprenticeship people to see what advice and answers they have. Otherwise I can pick up my application from the hall at the end of the month. I’m going to apply and we’ll see where it goes. It is scary to think of leaving a decent & stable job but a lot of the guys I work with have regrets for never trying to get into 150 or something else before they became too tied down and feel stuck here now. Hopefully I’ll get accepted and can update you guys in the coming months on what happened. Any advice on what unions like to see in applications that can set me apart from everyone else?
Excellent you won’t regret it!You will need two letter’s of recommendation from 150 operators retired or active when you turn in your application.You’re young enough to start piling in hours for a very comfortable retirement! Good luck!
I'm going at 62 but really only because my DW is 4 years younger than I. She's not quite ready to hang it up. The retirement medical is a big reason why we are set.
Oh shoot I didn’t realize the letters of recommendation had to be from 150 memebers. I just have a couple from old bosses and college instructors. Guess I need to see if any of the field guys at work will write one for me as they are all local 150.
yes, Thanks we're planning on it
I'm a traveling union worker. I joined local 624 operators union when I lost my rear farming in 2000. Joined in 2001 and have never looked back. Every year my retirement gets better. I've worked out of 150, they have good pay and great benefits. Good luck.
I noticed nobody's chiming in here with horror stories about working out of the operating engineers hall. That warms in my heart. I've also been in the IAM the international aerospace Machinists. There's just no comparison.
The lower pay scale of an apprentice does not equate to lower income. If you are a decent worker and easy to get along with co-workers you would most likely work a LOT of hours because you are cheap help in the eyes of employers. I have seen journeymen get laid off and apprentices stayed. There was time when certain jobs required apprentices to be employed along side journeymen. I don't know if that is still true.
I stopped by the 612 hall today, I am working right down the block. They were giving out the 85th Anniversary shirts for our local.
If you handle your end of things, keeping working is normally never an issue. Believe me, Contractors and Business Agents know who is worth a crap and who is not. Once your name gets out as a good hand, if for some reason you get laid off, because of who knows why, there will be contractors and shops calling for you.
Appreciate it man. Picking up my application on Wednesday hopefully
One more question if anyone sees this, when going into a IUOE mechanic apprenticeship will I be getting a job as soon as possible or is it going to be more like going back to school? I already went to a 2 year program and got an associates degree for diesel tech before I started at the dealership. I want to go IUOE but don’t really want to do school all over again and can’t afford to just be in classes.
Asking the wrong people. Go ask the Local, they will put you in touch with the right person.
When you start you’re apprenticeship,you’ll probably be dispatched pretty quickly especially with the amount of work out there they really want to get the apprentices out , because you’re already working as a mechanic is going to help, make sure you discuss it with the coordinator.
How do I get 2x letters of recommendation from 150 union members if I can't work with them because I'm not in the union? The couple I know say they will write then but never do.
Welcome to HEF, Ledhead ! You don't need those letters until you go to the training site and talk to a coordinator about applying for membership. Unless you already have done that. There are vacancy's right now for new members.
also known as Journeying in. I did that in 1990 after several years of Crawler loader experience and excavator experience.
I applied 3 years ago and I've called back. They said my application is uncomplete because not having those letters of recommendation. I have CDL A class too. You would think they would let me in since they need people with CDLs. I called again. They said I will have to start over since my application is so old now. I still don't have the recommendation letters.
That’s kind of where the “not what you know but who you know” comes in unfortunately. What program are you trying to apply for? Operator, tech, or driller? If you have guys who say they will I would write a basic recommendation letter yourself and then just get them to sign it and put their ID number on it
The letters have to be with the application packet,then all the applications are reviewed but must be complete. All apprentices are required to obtain a CDL through the training site.
except soil testers
I'm applying for equipment operator. I'm not really sure on how to write a recommendation letter for myself tho ether. Im not the best at tooting my own horn. I've tried looking at examples. They all seem pretty bland and I'm sure have been copied and used a million times
I already have the CDL. I've had that for 4 years now
You can write you’re own letter list all of you’re qualifications and have them sign it with their membership numbers,without the letters the application will be tossed,good luck like Tinkerer said their taking people now.
Those letters can be signed by retirees to. The letters don't need to have "toot your own horn" about anything. Just state how long the member has known you and, if you are dependable. Your CDL is a plus.
Yeah the letters are more about just having someone involved with the union sign it then the content. I doubt they thoroughly read them. Just write you’re dependable and will be a good union brother and someone to sign it. Mine were a couple sentences each, less than half a page. CDL is a big plus. Operator is definitely the most popular and hardest to get. But if you have operating experience and a cdl I imagine you’ll get the call for an evaluation next spring once everyone is back to work.