Ford Claycomo is one heck of a good go.
I have 10-15 friends that are in house Millwrights there.
Millwrights make $44 ish an hour plus all the benefits.
I'm guessing in house electricians would be very close to that money.

I'm working a shutdown at GM-Faorfax currently. ECA has electrician's there from all over the country.

My son and son-in-law work for the union in hvac. They basically pay themselves for their vacation time. As I understand it they get paid an "add-on" which is then put toward vacation time. I believe they can also add more money to that for time off if they wanted to. They can also take that money at any time for any personal use as well. Must not be a bad deal because my son has taken 80 hours of vacation so far this year and as he says it he hasn't even come close to the tip of the iceberg.

Yep I know we are short on pretty much all trades but electricians are a big one.
Full disclosure I’m a Tool & Die maker at Ford and we need those also
We are working a 12 hour schedule I work 3 days one week 4 the next. Either Wednesday Thursday Friday or Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday.
But I’ve been working 6-7 days a week we are short like 17 die makers. And I’m pretty sure GM is short on trades also

Sigpros I imagine that you know the same guys in skilled trades that I know !

I interviewed there last summer for skilled trades

It went very well up to the point when they did the math and figured out that I'm rapidly approaching 60 years old. Lol.

I'm in the operating engineers (I stay current even though I don't usually accept dispatches from them). We don't have to attend the meetings or do anything aside from stay current on dues. And we get a good wage, lots of overtime, and good health insurance and a pension. It's a really good gig for those with the patience for unions. I personally prefer the dog eat dog world of the timber industry, survival of the fittest seems to increase production significantly

I'm an Operating Engineer as well, over 20 years. No PTO, I work and get paid, I could travel and break 6 figures every year operating a crane. No mandatory anything, I can pass any drug test, class A CDL.


It may be possible to have your own company, but I make a healthy wage, grow pension and annuity with every hour, and my boots and hard hat are my biggest investment, when I leave work, it stays there. I have more money invested in traps than work tools, just the way I like it.

Nothing fishy about it. You'll find most trade unions don't get paid holidays or vacations. I haven't for 30 years

Many will pay part of their wage into a vacation fund and can draw from that if they take time off or if they don't take time off they can draw a lump sum periodically.

I wouldn't feel bad for your son in law. He's making a dang good wage with benefits that most don't enjoy

Age discrimination!

I don't feel bad for him. He's making good money. That last go-round of ice and snow he went to KC to help with storm damage and made over $100/hr for a day. We're supposed to get 60 mph winds today so there'll be more work coming up. I'm going to go fill the gas cans this morning. It seems pretty common about the no paid vacation thing. I just wasn't aware of it. Something new every day.

I think he's EUI by the way.

Didn’t read all the remarks, but something doesn’t add up. What IBEW local is he?

No Steven, there’s nothing fishy about the vacation process, I was a member of a fitters/welders Local back in the mid-60’s and that was how it was then as well. It was the “mandatory” requirements that made me think something was fishy. The hourly employees at Dow are members of the Steelworkers Local, (I belonged when I was hourly) at least when I retired, have the same vacation process/Plan as the salary employees. Vacation & sick leave was all based on years of service. I carried 2 cards when I was with the tools and never heard of anything being mandatory for being a journeyman like what was described. Heck, even overtime wasn’t mandatory!

It's a Union- somethings fishy alright

Mike it's possible he's still under the apprentice umbrella, some unions require their apprentices to attend some meetings.

Out of all that, its the mandatory meetings that would tork me off.

I've heard this before (maybe from you); but it sounds like semantics to me...

unless your income actually DECREASES when you are on vacation (and I don't mean just for that pay period); then the "periodic lump sum drawdowns" ARE paid holiday or vacation days.

sounds like a bit of truth stretching being told to the wife. Mandatory union meetings AND soft ball. been in a union my entire life and even when I was a sturdy meeting are not mandatory.
and never any other activities. Now guys have told their wife's they were so they could come or so they had a place to tell their wife they were at for the evening. Often meeting run late in the trades and are get together and drink things after the meeting..

LMAO! Good job PF! THIS I believe! Too funny!

WM, mt local doesn't have a vacation fund. If I take time off I don't get paid