Any of you guys own a business and part of the union? What is involved in getting your company into the union and is it worth it? Thanks everyone.
getting involved is easy sign on the dotted line. Possible bond for the fringes. Where and what type of work are you doing?
Isn't the business end of it having to do with contracts the require unionized labor? Contract bidding which specifically states only union members may work on such and such job?
Right now I do a lot of trenching, specifically communications work, and there is a lot of government work up for bid but im sure that its union work. Dont you have to pay a lot of money or something to get into the union? And what do you mean bond for the fringes?
I own a small excavation and demolition/landclearing company here in California and have been with local 3 for 27yrs now. I wont debate the pros and cons of being union attached as this is not the place. It has however been the correct choice for my company and family to be union. Instead of listening to a bunch experts here (no disrespect) just call the local in your area and see what they have to offer. If you are already running a legit company the change should be simple.
Do you make more money with the union?
I really have no good way to answer that question having no way to compare. Get on the website for the local union in your area and do some poking around. Good luck with whatever you choose.
thanks
If you get the right price you can make money in the union. Bond from an insurance company is to guarantee they will pay the fringes if you don't. You probably don't need it starting out small. If you are doing prevailing jobs then you need to comply with the rates. The minimum rate you pay is listed in the contract documants. You can pay it all in the envelop and it is subject to all the required labor burdens which is usually more than union wages. When you pay it in the union the fringes are exempt from labor burdens which are significant. So say your wages are 40 in the union and 20 in benefits then only 40 is subject to labor burden like all the taxes, insurances and 20 is exempt. Paying it all n the paycheck then 60 is subject to labor burden. What is your labor burden cost now? The other way is to have an approved benefit plan outside the union. Some jobs now have apprentice laws requiring you to have apprentice traning approved by the state. That is very hard to as an individual company or impossible. Which unions would you need to sign with? Engineers, laborers, teamsters, road workers union? Where are you doing your work? Does it cover many locals or just NYC? There is hardly any work now required to be union unless it is required by the owners or GC. Most gov. work can be bid either open shop or union. That is not to say you won't have headaches if you try to by-pass the unions in some areas. Read the union agreements carefullly. Your company will be subject to payroll audits, also so all you jobs will have to be done union. Even if you own another company that will usually also become a signatory to the union agreements under the other companies agreement. I don't know anything about digging but figuring your jobs is the same as it would be in my masonry business basically when developig cost. If you don't know you costs to do a job you are just guesstinating. When you figure a job properly only your profit is adjustable. To have another company non-union and not get involved with the union you need separate, accountants, locations, corporate officers, and possibly lawyer. So you can see how involved it could get. Pay rates for some unions are listed on their web sites like Engineers in my area where the bricklayers think it is top secret. Most union agreement are three years and you cannot say I quit unless the company goes under. Then they will come in and do their payroll audits to see if you owe money. I have been union memeber for 40 years and union contractor for 43 years, Not to say I haven't had many fights with them when they go astray from straight a line. Run your business clean from the beginning! No deals period! Then you will not worry about a knock on the door one day!
edit union contractor since 1976 or 33 years
From a business standpoint, are you able to pay union wages to your guys from this point forward for all jobs? If you bid a non union work site at a lower rate, will your guys be willing to take a lower rate or will they jump ship? Would your guys even be able to walk onto a non union work site without issues?
once he signs a labor agreement every job his company does will have to be under that agreement. The only way around this is a PLA (Project Labor Agreement) not many unions will let you do that in my area except the laborers. They can go on a site that is all non-union or mixed but he will still be subject to union agreements and pay scales..