Lost My Job In The Union 

First. That sux dude. Keep ur head up

This the nature of construction. When the job is done, you’re no longer needed. But the power of the union is that they will/can find you a new position. I was laid off by my old contractor last Wednesday and got a new referral that afternoon and was with a new contractor the next day.

take that break dude you deserve it

Sorry to hear man. Keep your head up.

Sorry to hear brother bud god always has a plan for everyone so just keep your head im sure you’ll find something !♥️🙏🏻

Stay strong brotha!

Thanks for sharing your layoff experience with the world.

You got this keep your head up stay strong 🤗

as electrician I never worried about losing job this is very demanding. good luck you will find better job soon

It’s great to know with experience you are a free agent and are able to bounce around with job positions

Hey, no worries, there's plenty of work out there ! I've stumbled upon your channel just recently (love your honesty) and I had the chance to see your live stream with Steven (sorry if I'm wrong) talking about the stuff, how's the work like and giving advice to people (thank you both for that) - and now this video ! Yeah, let us know how things turn out with the Union eventually. You go ahead and enjoy the world while you can these days. :) . Lucky you with all the unemployment benefits ! Stay safe & good luck on your journey(s) !

Gods opening another door for you brother!..keep your eyes peeled and your head up!..Stay blessed!🙏

Fuck that sucks man! hopefully it gets better for you

That’s the beauty of being union, I love layoffs. Here for a good time not a long time. Take other calls brother and travel around and make that money 💪🏼

The difference between being in a union and not is being able to head back to the local hall and pick up another job.

Thanks for keeping us posted! Very few videos if any that explain how the whole lay off process works, so it’s cool that you share the experience with us

Sorry to hear it bro, but sometimes that happens at big jobs that slow down. I don’t know what the work outlook is like out there but if I were you I would get on the books and take another call ASAP, that way you are working again and can always take your vacation in the future.

You'll be good bro! Having our skills we have the leverage and am in demand. Get a nice lil break & still paid at the same time! 😎🤘🏾

I just started in the union and I have been thinking of this exact scenario. I’m looking forward to your updates.

It's been fun see you on the next one

Sorry to hear. Keep your head up and enjoy your time off 👍 electrician is a great trade to have, once you have it you never lose it so when the time is right you’ll get the call back 👍

Dispatch........ Entomology of words that make you , we and us ..... Dead . ...

this happened to me early this year, i lost my job (office), but it was sooo freeing. Because of it I found out what I really wanted to be doing with my life (electrician). like one veiwer said when in the comments, when one doors closes another opens. Hope this time is restful, useful and full of positive eye opening experiences

BEST PART TIME JOB I EVER HAD!!!!!

You are book 1, you got nothing to worry about, you can easily pick up a long call in 1-5 days in your local. A job call could last a couple months or a couple years, possibly more if you move up in the chain of command

Tons of work in Austin. Local union 520. Journeyman are making $32 an hour

Have ticket, will travel. We as IBEW journeyman wiremen are never without a job unless we don’t want one.

Holy shit. That is really ironic but that is truly devastating. Would be good to go on unemployment but hopefully you're not laid off for too long and can go back to the union once they get more work.

Oh that is sad but God’s will bless you

Take it as a sign for you follow your true calling not sayin electrical isn’t but this could be the start of your own venue , I got laid off from my last job due to same thing it was great money 33$ an hour doing residential solar & MPUs but deep inside I was hating it due to the toll it takes on your body ,but the money was great plenty OT paid every Friday six years doing this trade and I had found the company I felt safe and secure at , then I got laid off lost it all but fast forward to today , I’m working for family owned construction and Electrical company doing new commercial buildings currently building a Porto’s bakery life took a whole different direction for me I’m starting from square one getting paid peanuts enrolled in school as well to accumulate those hours , I know in a few years I’ll be up in the rankings just have to trust the process you’ll be good my dude 🤙🏽

Just got laid off last week, enjoying life, and found your channel. Probably bout to have another job tomorrow or Tuesday. Such is the trade life, brother, especially for the Book 2s!

I love the confidence bro keep it up 💪🏼💯 Man you give some advice on how to stay on a budget and save money or set goal I always got this vibe from you that you good with your financial never complain

Been wanting a layoff for weeks lmfao

Yep, the Union is just one big temp agency. The difference is that all your benefits come from the Union, not your employer. I think one of biggest problems is finding a good job close to home, if you don't live near one of the bigger cities in the State. Your young, you will stay busy for a long time.

GET USED TO IT.... IN THE TRADES YOU ARE NOTHING BUT A TEMP....

Take advantage of it bro. Do sideworks to keep the cash flow going and enjoy the days off hoping they’ll call you back or work to a different jobsite. I have faith in you bro

Travel over to local 26 we have plenty of work and need more man power ! Good luck brother

"I could get a job on Monday if I wanted too"💀

Vacation 🎉

Vacation Time, visit Kansas 😉 Full time RU-vidr leggo!

Part of the career

First is 10-hour days... Then it's 12 hour days. Then it's on to 14 plus hour days... That said, if you enjoy the work beware of burnout and never forget that momentum is everything so as you change trajectory, the momentum you're heading in might make it that much more difficult to get back to your baseline. Whatever you do though, good luck brother. As this was 2 years ago I'm interested in seeing where you're at now. 👍👍

I worked in 13 States and 1 US Territory in the IBEW. If you were willing to travel back before the Idiots including Bill Clinton who passed Bad Trade deals. There was always work on the Road because we had so much manufacturing back then. I became an Apprentice in 1984. I retired in 2018. I do not know who it is for traveling for an IBEW wireman or Woman in this modern time the ways things have changed so much. I refuse to say, Journey Person. I made a fair and decent wage in those days and enjoyed working with other locals and met some really great people on the jobs while the 13 1/2 years of my career were spent working BOOK 2. Local 48 was my Favorite Local on the road I worked out of from 1996 to 2001. Some Very Fine people out of that local! Good luck young man.

I’m reading some comments. One stood out saying you can always go back t the union hall for more work. My point is that you shouldn’t have to if you have skills. These days we can’t even find people to dig a small ditch.

I got laid off fifteen times in the near five years I was in an apprenticeship. The school president asked me where I belonged and I said where ever you send me. The next job they sent me to was the one I busted my back moving that rmc around for a foreman that made more problems for people than getting anything done. Even the other foreman on the job didn't want anything to do with him. A NECA rep at the review board tells me they have enough guys with back injuries already. What do you want from me? I showed up, did my job as instructed. Still draining inflammation out of my spine daily. I thought I would try RU-vid a bit but the injuries have ruined me. So who moves the conduit? Because that was a big argument when I was there. Whether it's apprentices or laborers some journeyman did not think they should shoulder their own conduit beyond the point of installation.

I’m scared for you bro. Don’t be homeless. Whatever you do don’t be homeless

I've been an electrician for 5 years and I've lost my job several times its the nature of the job that when a project ends most of the workers are laid off. Some Construction projects last a few weeks others last 2 years the average is probably 4 to 6 months. The great thing about a union is you don't have to write resumes, apply to jobs and interview. The union finds work for you and in most cases you can have another job within a few days a week or two at most. During recessions you might be out of work for months, I survive these times by saving alittle during the good times and not letting my bills get way above the unemployment I'd receive. The Union pays you're health insurance for a while so losing you're insurance isn't an issue until you have been out of work for more than 5 months. Being on strike is a lot worse than losing you're job because strike pay is much less than unemployment. Fortunately my local has only struck once in the last 50 years. If you do go on strike be sure to stand on the picket line the more people picket the more jobs get shut down and the sooner the strike ends.

My first day working for an electrician at 18yo was to dig a 25foot ditch. He later told me that if I couldn’t do that- I likely would not have worked out. Fast forward- young people think if it’s under 50 degrees it’s too cold to work.

It happens brother...don't let it get you down. I remember when I first got in to the union and got laid off. It kinda sucks but it allows you to collect that unemployment that you've been paying in to. Plus you can take a call for another shop and meet new people. Stay positive!

Thats the worst any person could hear in the trades !!

Bro, this seems like it could really end up being a blessing. And taking a little bit of time off could be really nice! You need to come work with me now though. ⚡️

Beware of the brother that calls you brother LOL Super brother and fleas

Sucks. Enjoy the time off. The union will have something for you when your ready

did you sign the books yet? how the work out there? is it busy? that's the beauty of a working union is that you get laid off sign the books and try and get another job without having to interview. still getting the same pay and benefits

What are your other sources of income?

I left my union, carpenter's, and got a contractor's licince!

maybe this is just an apprentice's perspective, but isnt that common? I havent had a layoff yet, but most other apprentices I work around have had several layoffs and had to sign the book. Same with journeyman actually. The title made it seem like you were booted from the union itself

Would there be negative repercussions for going non union from here since you are union?

Good luck if you get suspended as an R worker. They sit on their hands with reinstatement applications at JATC.

Not a big deal at all bro, you’ll get used to it. We’re you the only one laid off? Did the other guys look worried? Happens all the time in construction. Your name is on the list for the next job. Stay union. L.U. 303

im confused here... if youre an ibew electrician and get laid off you get ei. they have a website and you bid on jobs.

You are a journyman and you don't get that laid-off are just a part of the union. I'm an apprentice and I already get that. I haven't been laid-off yet but I understand that it's just a normal part of work

Now you get that sweet unemployment and you can take your summer vacation 😂

Electrical work is hardcore. You’ll be in a 2 foot deep muddy ditch in 30 degree temps or less installing an underground service.

Do you know how many guys are waiting to go out to work on book 1 at the hall in your local?

What was the reason they gave for firing you?

332!!!!

I was in the union! It was a complete joke! The company I work for was a joke!

Hey are you Local 48? In Portland?

No big deal, there are plenty of calls on the book, take your pick and get dispatched

Are u an apprentice or a journeyman?.....and yes being laid off is a way of life in the Union....I used to be a part of it.....

I'm broke every Wednesday

Do layoffs happen a lot on the union and not working?

For all of you young guys starting in the trade, SAVE YOUR MONEY!

The union laid you off…..

Does a 10 hour day mean overtime? Or was it like 4 days of 10 hrs a piece?

How the hell does an experienced electrician lose his job????

You should go travel out into the world.

What the Union doesn’t pay paid vacation ?

WHAT - Algorithm

Yea but are you still in the union? Layoffs happen all of the time. Can you be reassigned?

First time?

You should edit your video. You're saying too much. You dont have to announce you have extra sources of income or that you can get work really fast and wanna take a vacation.

Come over to 477 they will take anyone especially CW's 😐😒

dont the unions find you work?

It's the cost of romex isn't it

You work too hard for a young person……. Who is gonna feed your family now ?

Go to the hall and sign the books. Count your blessings if you can get back on a job that quickly. It's not always like that... anywhere. Not even here in Vegas. Get the hours while you can. Unemployment is for bitches.