Justin,
How it went for me. Called the local Pipefitters in Nashville. They said, come fill out an application....it'll cost you $25.00(huh??) So, I drove 70 miles or more to the union hall, don't take card, cash only. Find atm, get $30 plus 2-3 for bank charge. Go back, fill out app. Gave it to the secretary lady. Ok, she says, we'll be in touch. Ok. Several weeks later got a phone call. We need you to take a test at the career center in Nashville. 3 tests plus a 4th that the Pipefitters requires. Seems like the first two dealt with reading, reading a passage and answering questions. The 3rd test was basic math, calculations and so on. The 4th test was applied math, more stuff about George has a driveway that is 70 feet long, it's been dug out 6", 10 feet wide and he has a 1/2 ton pickup, how many loads of stone will his driveway require if his pickup has a capacity of 1500 pounds. I skipped that one, figured the idiot just needed to call a dump truck.....
Anyhow, got my grades for the tests. The administrator tells me I have one of the highest scores he has ever seen, great for my ego, but not bragging, just something to remember later on in my novel here. I call the Union hall, tell the secretary that I have passed the tests. Ok, we'll be in touch. Time goes by. I get a call out of the blue. We're doing interviews on this day at 4pm. Ok, I'll be there. I get up to the UH and people are swarming like flies to a turd. I go inside, tell secretary lady that I'm here, ok we'll call you when their ready. Ok. I go outside and stand in the hallway. Now, I'm not knockin' folks, lots of people applying doing factory work, been doing factory work. Then they get to talking about their test scores, something I just listened to. I got Gold on all my tests, all that I heard had bronze, silvers and mayber 1 gold, but most bronze and silver. Again, I think, wow, my experience has paid off, learned alot. Again, not gloating.
As I stand there watching folks go into the 4 interview rooms I notice that they are only in there for about 3-5 minutes, almost thought they had rotating doors as quick as they went in and out. So, I'm checking out the pipe they had on a table near the entrance, looking at the welds. A guy, important I assume, asked me if I welded. I told him yes and he said, who you work for. I said, me. Oh, have your own business? Yep. So I finally get called into the room. 3 guys in there explain how it works, they ask questions, I answer. So, about 20 minutes later I come out. Talked to them about money and how I'm not your average factory worker that has no clue. Been around cribbing/rigging, rollin' in mud, working amazinly long days and so on. It was determined that $11 an hour to start.....which means I'd be gone from home working, without the ability to do side jobs to bring in extra income.....and we starve. They said they'd call me, don't quit your job cause it may be awhile...or not.
Soooo, a few weeks later I get a call. You ready to go to work?? Ahhhh, well.....ummmmm?? How much per hour?? $11 long silence on my end.....well, I told him. I talked to the interview guys and at $11 an hour I'll likely starve, not that we have a lavish high end lifestyle cause we don't. Can't remember the last time we rented videos or did anything outside of the house for the lack of funds. He said, well it's good stable work and after 3 years you'll be getting paid better. Yeah, if I ain't living under the east street bridge in my new sony big screen box...is what I told him. I told him I'd have to think about it.
My first call was to my Uncle. Well versed in the industry. Told him what they were offering, he said, "you f----in' kiddin me?" I said nope, told them everything I've done, metal work, welding the works, made no difference. Not expecting journeyman pay but $16 would have got me in. Finally my Uncle says, h-ll with them, do your own thing, has faith in me that I will succeed and has respect for what I'm doing trying to run my own biz...that lifted my spirits. He finally said, you know what, I gotta let you go, this is making me so mad just thinking about it(he worked 25 years for the boilermakers..said he would'nt do it again), he then says, and this was funny. "you know what call that guy back and tell him no thanks, better yet give him my number and I'll finish him off for ya!"
So, sorry that was so long, but that is the process I went through to "get into the Union". If your 18 and fresh out of high school, go for it, 20 and fresh out of tech school, go for it. Older fart like me with obligations.......no thanks. I'm no pipewelder....yet, I've welded since 95', not professionally but have had my own machine in the shop since 98' and use it alot. Took me 3 plates to get my vertical up, 4 to get my unlimited overhead...that's because I was learning how to run the stringers evenly to it had a good clean level top. I've done 6 pieces of pipe and can nail my root......still working on de-uglying my cap. It don't take long for me to pick it up. I can mig....big deal and I know how tig works but still need work. So, $11 an hour without negotiation, heck, I asked if I could finish the apprenticeship early if I worked harder than anyone else, cause I know I can. No go on that either. As my Uncle said, just lookin for some jacklegs to come in an be laborers is what he thought.
It's your call, local Ironworkers here said they had 70 folks benched about a two weeks ago.
Ok, done now, sorry again.
It's a personal choice. I joined and am really glad I did, but you might not. If you do, BE PREPARED TO TRAVEL!! There's alot of hands that don't want to be gone from home much so they piss an moan bout being on the road. You're not always gonna have work in your home local, that's just the trade. I tell people to get into the UA because you can do process piping or pipeline and you don't have to be in 798 to get out on a pipeline job. There's locals that still have their pipeline jurisdiction and you usually have a good chance getting out with them since they usually don't have a bunch of rig hands like 798 does. Boilermakers is another good one. They got a great retirement, just have to be in some pretty crappy places. Ironworkers, I don't know much about.
Politics is just part of it. Union or non-union, you're always gonna have the a$$ kissers and some shady crap goin on behind the scenes. Some locals have their lil slush funds but when you're bringin home 2-3000 a week plus bennies, the 20 you pay to the kitty aint that bad. Just my opinion.
Since you have a lil experience, It'll help you on your apprenticeship credits. The welding tests are usually a 2" sch. 120 6010/7018 and a 2" sch. 40 309 tig. I think each test gives like 1 or 1 1/2 years credit to your apprenticeship too if you pass them. So if you make both tests and can show some years of experience, you'll start out as a jouneyman more than likely but each local is a lil different on their standards.
Since you're from LA, I'd suggest you talk to Local 198 in Baton Rouge. There are alot of good hands I know out of that local and they usually got work or can get you on some if they don't. Another local is 430 in Tulsa, OK which is the local I'm out of. It's a suitcase local but I like the traveling. Monroe and Shreveport also have locals. I don't know the #s of them but they'd be worth a look to. I aint gonna tell you that you're always gonna have a job but nobody can. Hope this helps a lil.
Look up the Pipefitters, Boilermakers, or Ironworkers unions in your area and head down there to their Union hall. Go in and talk to the buisness manager if he's not out playing golf and show your interest. Some halls are different, you might not be able to go right to the buisness manager. You might be asked to fill out an application and be asked to show up for some kind of test. I know lots of union halls are hurting for welders right now in this day and age so nows the time to get in. GOod luck!
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