I'm a union laborer out of Dorchester, sure that's a trade that has no thinking involved, but I wouldn't say anyone could do it. I know a lot of people that admit they couldn't do what I do. Any good paying job isn't something anyone can do, cuz if anyone could do it they'd be paying a lot less
I'll admit, I have a thing about unions - can't stand them.
What exactly is it, as a union laborer, what skill or knowledge is it that you possess that makes it so others couldn't do it?
I agree about trades, you do have to know something, and have special skills, in order to be good at them.
But your last statement makes no sense at all. You union members are making good money because there are jobs that require unions and their inflated wages. And it's that way only because of the shake-downs, threats, and kick-backs that are part of the world of unions and the Boston way of doing business.
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reisnersteven
8 years ago
Actually a lot of jobs could go private companies but investors keep buying into Union Contractors because of the simple guarantee that the job will be done better than anyone else could and without the fines for violating safety regulations, as any non union company is prone to do. Inflated wages...no...they are fair wages for what we do...you ever run a 90 pound jackhammer for eight hours a day? I'm guessing no because then you wouldn't say the wages are too high. As for shakedowns, your living in the wrong era that's a thing of the past. There were shakedowns in other times but that is only because of the union busting that went on decades ago.
As for why not any man could do my job...go ahead and try it for a day and you'll see. It is by far the most physically demanding job a middle class man could ever have.
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Nikon11
8 years ago
I've worked on construction sites, both union and non-union. You're playing into a myth there, about the quality, safety, and time-frame. It sounds good, but simply isn't true.
In fact, the non-union guys will get more done with less supervision, and for less money, because they can.
You're in Mass, along with NY, the heart of unions, so maybe you don't know any different. Unions only exist because certain jobs in certain cities require it, and that's because either palms are greased or politicians don't get re-elected.
No one would keep paying more for the same result otherwise. Jobs get done all over without unions, and they get done on time, and much less expensively than you're used to.
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dailyshampoo48
8 years ago
OP reporting in: i studied applied math at one of the top schools in the country for a couple of years, got sick of it and joined the electrician's local. these guys are really smart and good at what they do, and that's because they're paid commeasurately.
heard lots of things about local 3 from a guy who used to work down there and won't disagree that it's corrupt af. but generally collective bargaining is a positive thing, and that's what unions are for.
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Nikon11
8 years ago
If you're getting more money because you're union, than other licensed non-union electricians, plumbers, masons, laborers (yeah, no license here), etc, then to me, it's obvious that there's something else in play, other than the natural economic forces, supply/demand, etc, to raise the rates.
So, when you get work done on your house do you hire union workers to do the job, and pay them union wages?
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reisnersteven
8 years ago
No I don't pay union rate at my home, mainly cuz half the time I do the work myself. Secondly, a union job will pay guys more because these are jobs worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Obviously a residential job at someone's house isn't gonna pay as much per hour, though you would be very surprised to know what those contractors take home.
As for your point on laborers not needing licenses you are sadly mistaken on what we can do with the proper training. I personally have a hydraulics license for operating heavy machinery, a scaffold constructing license, which yes is required before you do that. I have an OSHA 30 certification and a hoisting and rigging license for tagging crane operators and ensuring the load is secured safely. If you screw up on the hoisting and rigging then you might knock down part of the building, or you could kill someone. I am also certified in the use of torches and fire protection...as you may recall two firefighters died in Boston a few years ago because they had unpermitted, unlicensed welders (non union) doing the work that caused the five alarm fire in the first place. So yes there are quite a bit of licenses involved with being a laborer. It's probably why we actually have our own academy.
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