r/UnitedAssociation

How is it possible that a company’s superintendent can help organize in a service manager, and then the service manager can organize multiple people into the company before hiring from the out of work list? All while work is slow, especially for us plumbers on the west coast.

Unfortunately none of those who organized in are anything special, nor do they even know any basic pipe math.

Nothing against people who come from non-union, but the nepotism allowed in our halls is catching up.

TL;DR: How do we prevent nepotism from ruining our unions?

Hi so I saw a previous post similar to this and I figured id shoot my shot since im sort of banging my head off a wall.

Im a 2nd year plumbing Apprentice, working for a low paying non union company. Im an older Apprentice coming from a long successful career in ICI construction so I have alot of trades experience. Anyways I really need to find a good shop, id love to go UA but 527 is extremely hard to get into it seems. So any suggestions good shops too apply to would be much appreciated.

Feel free to DM me, im being somewhat vague in case anyone from my employer is on this sub or anything.

I completed my interview for the apprenticeship program last week and now am gathering more info about the outlook of everything. I'm staying positive and hopeful that I get in but was looking for some answers from those that might know:

1. This being my first attempt at applying for the program, if I get accepted is the outlook of work still getting put on a waitlist since it appears there is still a lengthy list of current apprentices waiting for work?

Thanks in advance!

Edit: Forgot to mention I applied for the plumbing apprenticeship.

Im starting my local apprenticeship in August. I just got the call last week. My wife is due with our first baby in early October. Does anyone know what I could possibly expect and if I’d be able to get any time off to be with her and our baby. I don’t want to start off with a bad reputation or have it affect me in a really bad way down the line but I also want to help her and the baby as much as I possibly can. Any advice for going through an apprenticeship with a newborn?

So Ill just explain my situation as straight to the point as possible as I can, so I’ve been sponsored into UAPIC for my Level One for plumbing and I started last week Monday (June 15th), currently I’m 11th grade and I had my interview midway through 10th grade for the program and I got accepted, thing is I was told by my sponser after I got in and I was finalized that there’s 3000 unemployed plumbers in the lowermainland right after I’ve already gotten in, and now yesterday (Tuesday) he came in and pulled a select number kids out of the room let’s say around 5-8 kids, just the kids he was sponsoring, and basically he just gave us our STBC cards, but not without him pretty much saying we’re royally fucked for finding work in the next year as a level 1 apprentice unless you know somebody or already in, so now I’m just trying to figure out how I can start working as a level one apprentice ASAP after my level one exam (July 31st) I’ve already emailed some companies and called but a lot of places are saying works too slow. Problem is I just literally can’t be fucking unemployed after this program cause I left my grade 11 year to work as a plumber not be unemployed while missing a whole school year and have to do this whole process. Any advice is appreciated.

Seeing all the effort the UA is putting into data centers I am wondering if they are dropping the ball everywhere else?

(Edited) being a 35 year member, I have been around long enough to see what these super cycles of work do.
The leadership focuses on the big jobs, while the non union slide in on the little jobs.

Just attended our monthly meeting and in the finance report there was a donation for $10,000 to the Favourite Sons party to be held during the Convention.
The explanation given was the National Rep suggested that all locals were making the donation so it’s advisable.

Who else knows if their local is making this donation?

Im applying to the LOCAL 393 as an apprentice HVACR Tech . Anyone have any recommendations to get that Sponsorship required in order to begin? Im I better off applying to the other trades?

I want to start applying now before I even take my test to get familiar and build a rep with one of the contractors.

Hey guys, I've really tried to get this question answered online but couldnt find a solid answer and by reaching out to the union hall but didn't get a response.

local 401 opened there intakes and I am in need of a plumbing job due to some unfortunate events (nothing to do with my plumbing)

My question is can I apply to the intake as an already registered apprentice? (5th year). Thanks for your help and advice

I got a notice of hiring pool email for the steamfitter civil service exam 3104. It is is nyc public schools ( DOE). Does anyone have experience with this agency, any good?

I had class yesterday and we went over degrees in a triangle and minutes. 1 degree equals 60 minutes. Can someone explain like I’m five how to make sense of this? Sounds like a Rob Peter to pay Paul type thing but what??

Do you guys usually work 4/10s or 5/8s thinking about applying but live a few hours away and would like to visit my relatives a few times a month if it’s 4/10s.

Okay, I’ve been racking my brain over my this interview for an apprenticeship I had with the local 102 in Knox last week. I had been really nervous leading up to meeting with the panel to get on with the Union. They kept me in the interview for 20 minutes the guy before me was in and out. They asked me a bunch of questions like my attendance at work which I said it was perfect and a few other things too. In the middle of the Interview I saw a 20 get written on my interview packet in a column. It has been driving me up a wall cause I really want to get the acceptance letter to better me and my family’s living situation. I’m going for pipe fitter cause it correlates with my MOS from the military. Can anybody ease my mind on it or tell me how screwed I possibly am? Thank you in advance.

How does local 602 on call pay work? I heard no call while on call only pay for one hour of OT? Is this set by contractors? Or it’s in the contract?

Im practicing for my ua-1 but I get confused by what weldgap my pipe should have because some people say an 1/8 others say a 1/16 or 1/32. Can my pipe be any of these gaps, does it matter, do they have pros or cons over eachother? Is it bad to have a 1/32 weld gap? Because for me that is the easiest to weld because I don't burn a hole that often but I am still able to get good penetration. I also know my landing has to be the same as my weld gap. and im a plumber. Also a additional note my training instructor told me that a 1/32 weld gap does not need a landing for downhill welding, is that true because it sounded weird. Thanks

I’m starting as an apprentice local 152 carpenters. What type of drug test do they use for weed?

I’m low key a little miserable. First time really being out on the road. The money is good, but I’m fuckin lonely guys. My foreman’s a dick, my crew are all a lot older than me and have families with them, my roommates are simply roommates, and I am having a hard time adjusting to this “lifestyle”. I don’t drink/go out. I need the money but I don’t know how sustainable this shit is for me.

Would love to hear yalls advice on how you cope with all this. Can’t leave for at least 2 months to get caught up on bills. Hate to sound like a bitch but I’m at a loss. Work at home is shit rn so unfortunately that’s not an option.

Hello. I just got accepted into the plumbing apprenticeship and I wanted to get an idea of what to expect and how the hours that are required are calculated. Do OT hours count towards the count? Or is only the regular hours worked? Also any other advice or tips would be appreciated. I definitely want to start now and study the basics before starting in August so I can come in alittle more confident.