Chicago’s rank-and-file electricians are up in arms over their union’s latest effort to remain competitive in today’s market -- lowering the cost of union labor.
The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers plans to add a new classification of workers who will not be required to complete the union’s standard training program and, as a result, will receive less pay than many card-holding electricians.
The union’s proposal, a directive from the international that will affect locals across the country, is not sitting well with many of Chicago’s IBEW Local 134 members, who have said it will “flood the market with unqualified workers.”
Typically, union electricians must finish a five-year apprenticeship program -– 8,000hours of classroom and on-the-job training –- before they are certified as journeymen.
The extensive training is what usually separates union tradesmen from nonunion. The new grade of workers, who are called construction wiremen or construction electricians, will fall in between apprentices and journeymen in experience.
Many journeymen are afraid the cheaper workers will threaten their jobs, especially with the local facing high unemployment.
Read more:
http://www.chicagounionnews.com/2010/10/as-electricians-union-creates-new-class.html
Printer-friendly format
Email this thread to a friend
Bookmark this thread
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
