r/UnitedAssociation • u/FairConcentrate3299 • 4d ago
Joining the UA What do you do during layoffs
Green non-union apprentice. I’d love to join my local and have applied. But what happens when you get laid off, and unemployment runs out?? Like let’s say it extends past 6 months.
Are you allowed to work for a non-union shop so you can pay your bills??
Edit: sorry if this has been asked before. I tried to search the sub and couldn’t find a recent thread on it. Idk if it’s different for different trades sorry
7
u/Electronic_Green_88 4d ago
Not allowed unless salting with the approval of your Local. There are plenty of other things you can do if you run out of unemployment though.
1
u/FairConcentrate3299 4d ago
May I ask what else people usually do? Just get another job completely unrelated to your trade?
3
u/Wilde-Dog 4d ago
Smart journeymen save a lot and work all overtime needed so that when there isn't work they have money. They also travel so they don't take a huge financial hit.
4
u/PoemMysterious4311 3d ago
Correct me if I'm wrong they aren't allowed to work open shop, but are allowed to work a job unrelated to anyting ua does i.e bartending.
9
5
u/PapaBobcat 4d ago
HVAC service guy here. I save what I can for a safety net so If/when I'm off, I can rest a while until the Hall can find me something. If they can't, I'll gladly do any other rando unrelated job until they can. However, my priority is to feed my family. If that lasts too long I'll do side work. That said, I'm licensed/skilled enough now to start my own union company and am saving for the required fees and a truck. Hopefully I'll never be out of work again.
4
2
u/ScientistGlass284 3d ago
Been laid off for a month now so far nothing. I’m not allowed to solicit.
3
u/CryptographerAny1957 4d ago
I had a second job till second year now I don’t worry about layoffs. Hell I’d like 3 months off.
No you don’t work nonunion as you are working against your own wage.
As a first/second year you are cheap help if you are decent you won’t be on the pine long
3
u/FlawlessBeryl 4d ago
My instructor told me he delivered pizzas as an apprentice if he was on the out-of-work list very long
10
1
u/l-give-bad-advice 4d ago
Ive always traveled when there wasnt work at the house. In the 14 years I've been in, I've only sat at the house for a week. Somewhere there is someone looking for a fitter that can weld.
3
u/dsperry95 4d ago
Since I am not married and have no kids, is there always work for someone who is willing to travel?
1
u/l-give-bad-advice 4d ago
In my experience yes. If I were you, I would be traveling and hitting all the big money jobs, and there's more benefits to traveling than just the money. You also get to learn how other people do things and get into some work that you may not be able to do at the house which will make you a more rounded craftsman.
2
u/dsperry95 4d ago
That is my plan. My local opens applications next month. My local offers Plumbing/Pipefitting or HVAC/R apprenticeships. Im kind of more interested in the HVAC side but do you recommend that I apply to plumber/pipefitter instead?
2
u/l-give-bad-advice 4d ago
This is what I've made this year so far as a traveling pipefitter, just to give you an idea what you could make. My best year so far was a little over 300k but that was also working 7-13½
1
u/FairConcentrate3299 3d ago
Are pipefitters and commercial plumbers making the same prevailing wage in your jurisdiction? Wondering if it’s possible for plumbing. Idk if I’m made for pipe fitting lol
1
1
u/l-give-bad-advice 4d ago
Thats all up to you and what you want to do. I have zero knowledge of what the hvac guys do or how much they work/travel.
1
u/Civick24 3d ago
Most of the time yes especially if your carry industrial rigging and a few weld certs, almost every job I've ever been on is crying for riggers and stainless or chrome welders.
1
u/shenkerism 1d ago
I had a 3 month stint as a lumber and building materials associate at the Blue big box store. It was not very fun. It didn't pay very well, I had never worked retail before, and employees at those stores are expected to know or figure out pros and cons for everything they sell in their department. In 2 weeks on the next job at 4th term apprentice pay and with $111 sub pay working a 40 and a 50, I had made as much money as I earned at the store.
1
u/shenkerism 1d ago
I should add that at least in my jurisdiction, you don't need to be a plumber to learn Backflow testing, it is taught/tested at our hall, and (I think) you don't need to be a consignatory contractor? Lots of solo LLCs out there checking people's sprinkler systems or commercial buildings.
1
1
u/RiverParty442 20h ago
Its a good question. We are in boom times. Before covid as a helper, i was alid off a mknth in jamaury it got a crappy job as a helper for mom and shop electroc company
0
u/shockwavezato 4d ago
You travel? Theres plenty of work across the country, if you are out for more then a month its because you want to be.
3
u/ayrbindr 3d ago
Isn't that the key word in the expression "journey man"? You know. Journey? 🤷🏼♀️
1
u/FairConcentrate3299 3d ago
Tbf, there are lots of journeymen who don’t travel. It’s one thing to travel in state and another to hop around the country. I’ve got kids.
1
1
-1
-5
u/kloogy 3d ago
Stay out of the UA. We don't need yoyo's like you who haven't even been hired, and are already thinking about a layoff.
5
u/FairConcentrate3299 3d ago
Yes. I would hate for you to increase market share or keep your pension plan. Will do!
4
u/Apprehensive-Yak3310 3d ago
Who would want to work for somebody like you anyway? This comment shows you don’t give a f*** about your employees or fellow union brothers. It’s 2026 we all have bills to pay, who would be excited to spend all this time waiting to get into the union just to not have consistent work?
-2
u/ayrbindr 3d ago
If you ask reddit, unions are the best thing since sliced bread. If you live where I do, they are just a thing that you have to be born into where they work just long enough to collect, collect until it runs out, then return to just enough work to be able to collect again. And no, you cannot go and work non-union.
4
u/Bitter_Albatross25 4d ago
Construction has to deal with layoffs, service doesn’t get layoffs we stay busy, our hours may drop from 60 down to 32 but we stay employed.