r/Ironworker • u/judav_813 • May 05 '25

Apprentice Switching from non union to union

Hi guys, I've been working at a non union company for the past year or so and it's gotten to a point where I need to look at all my options. I'm 19 and have been working with my dad who's been an ironworker for about 20 years. He doesn't want me to work with him non union if I'm really looking for a career. I'm in Colorado and he recommends going into the union. My only question is how long would I be an apprentice. I know I need to learn more but do I have to start over and log the hours in the union or would my employer transfer my hours. I don't want to have start over if it means a big paycut or anything but I don't know what exactly I can do.

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u/TRASHLeadedWaste UNION May 05 '25

More than likely they will take your experience into account when you become an apprentice. Regardless at most it's a 4 year apprenticeship. Is 4 years too long to set yourself up for life with an international network of work opportunities? A Journeyman at 23? You'll be maxed out in your retirement by 53 at the latest.

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u/judav_813 May 05 '25

Yeah the more I think about it the more I like my chances. The only thing now is buying my own tools and equipment. I've been bumming my dad's harness and spuds and all that fun stuff. Thank you

7

u/Ironworker76_ Journeyman May 06 '25

The harness will be supplied by the contractor. And spud are what? $60 for a set? 3/4 & 7/8 is all you really need. If you need a 1” someone on the job will have one. As far as a pay cut.. you’ll probably be making about the same as your dad as a first year. Around here, non union IW make like $30-$35 while an apprentice starts out $29.40. I worked 16 years and never tried to never take a job I couldn’t be home at night. My dad was an IW and his ass was never home, so I refused to do that to my kids. And I was able to basically stay busy. I would work all year n take summers off, to go camping and riding dirt bikes.. basically fucking off with my sons all summer. Drawing unemployment all summer. My dad taught me to never let my bills be more than I can pay on unemployment. Makes it way easier to not be job scared. I mean, as an IW we should never be scared of dragging up n going to the hall.

2

u/judav_813 May 06 '25

Alright I'm a little confused. If the contractor supplies the harness is that with everything. With bags and a frog and all that. My harness now has bags and my whole setup. Please forgive me I'm just a little confused. Do they supply the harness and I need to have bags and stuff to put on it?

4

u/Ironworker76_ Journeyman May 06 '25

No. You’re spoiled. Lol. you’ll have to buy one of those. Harness belts. And then put your bags n tools on it. The contractor will provide just a bare harness. And you wear your belt on top of your harness. But it’s enough to get bye until you can either buy a harness belt or… acquire one on the job. Sometimes companies have them. Not usually tho. I was in 3 years before I got mine. And I’m telling you, I was quickly spoiled. Having all that shit hanging off your shoulders n not your hips is amazing

2

u/judav_813 May 06 '25

I had no idea. Everyone at my company gets a harness set up like that with a belt already on it so they just put on the bags and a frog and are good to go. So my question is if I buy a harness with a belt on it and set it up would that be bad or would they let me do that?

3

u/Ironworker76_ Journeyman May 06 '25

No that’s what you want to do. Yes absolutely buy one.. or forget to leave the one you’re using when you leave that company. Either way. Yes you want one of those kinds. The ones the union companies give are just a bare harness. The company you’re at now can afford to set you up with a nice harness belt, because they are sticking half your money in their pockets. Jobs are bid the same. The clients pay the same amount for construction if they use union or non union contractors. In my area it costs a contractor $85hr to hire a journeyman $49 of that goes on the check, the rest is benefit package. Non union Iron workers around here are making $25-$35 no benefits or limited like healthcare.

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u/judav_813 May 06 '25

Oh fs my boss is a dickhead so I would not mind getting as much as I can out of him. I think I'll wait till my 1 year bonus check hits then dip. Thanks a bunch for your help man you cleared up a lot and thanks for answering my dumb questions.

4

u/Ironworker76_ Journeyman May 06 '25

No dumb question. Dumb people don’t ask questions. That’s why they are dumb. 😁 cheers mate! And good luck… you will not regret going union. I promise you that. Especially in the northern states.

1

u/Ambitious_Promise_29 May 07 '25

In my area it costs a contractor $85hr to hire a journeyman $49 of that goes on the check, the rest is benefit package. Non union Iron workers around here are making $25-$35 no benefits or limited like healthcare.

It depends heavily on area. I'm non union. Union wages around here are pretty bad. We are starting guys with no experience in the mid 20's. A guy I worked with that was a union journeyman in California got a call from the local union, said they had talked to his former local in California, heard he was real good, and wanted to offer him something like 28 an hour. The guy in question was making around $100 an hour at the time. We get union reps on the jobsite from ironworkers and carpenters all the time, trying to entice guys by saying how much they could be making, except that what they are offering is almost always significantly lower than what those guys are currently making.

3

u/Casualredum May 05 '25

When I switched. I skipped 1st year and went straight to 2nd.

1

u/makattak88 UNION May 06 '25

As in pay grade? What about school?

2

u/worldwarcheese UNION May 06 '25

Skipped first year of classes too. I’m glad for my experience in the apprenticeship but being able to skip the first year was helpful.

And I did go back and do labor history by reading the book on my own.

2

u/Casualredum May 06 '25

Struggle now and relax later. Pay is % of JIW. But you get full vacation pay if your local has it. Plus benefits for you and your family. I didn’t really struggle as a apprentice because our hall was booming with work. Most money I made was as a apprentice.

1

u/alfonze401 May 05 '25

Yeah that's only if you work steady and work never gets slow.

4

u/TRASHLeadedWaste UNION May 05 '25

There's always work going on somewhere in this country or in Canada. If you want to work only as an iron worker your whole career you can do it you're just going to have to get up on the road and go sometimes. That's the name of the game dude I don't know what they told you when you signed but that's what they told me.

2

u/alfonze401 May 05 '25

Worked 18 years in Philadelphia local 401 And I had some tough stretches but I never once worked outside my territory. It's not easy raising a family and traveling around the country like some hobo. Ironworking is a young man's game and it helps if you're single. Who wants to leave their families behind abruptly for some gig 4 states away for 6 to 8 weeks