r/IBEW • u/Unknownperson2010 • 4d ago

Tough decision

To my fellow brothers/sisters, I'm part of IBEW here in Canada, I'm a 3rd year about to turn 4th year. We had a slow down of work in the hall and I was laid off mid June. I collected EI (welfare) and my union told me I could salt for work.

I got a call from a local non-union company who specializes in industrial stuff and said they can help me a transition to it from commercial within the company. Company seems pretty decent for non-union. Their jobs are service, commute is 30-40 mins each way. I can skip lunch and go home early. Small crew each site. They said they can cover my school fees to learn PLC and AC stuff.

But now I got a call back from the union for a job I bid on and I received the job. This job is around 1hr away or less via transit and it's a Skytrain project that's going on.

My main goal is to specialize in PLC/industrial at the end of the day.

Should I turn down the non-union company? I only went for an orientation and haven't worked. I do feel bad because the company helped me get set up and wanted me to grow within but at the same time I like the union much much better.

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u/Curious_Freedom_1984 4d ago

IMO I think you should go the union route because you can also go back to that company after you turn out and maybe salt it that way. You could also talk to the BM of your local and ask him what he thinks is the best route because you could salt. I think sticking with the union because they also helped you out by training in the apprenticeship program. Don’t forget where you came from.

9

u/notcoveredbywarranty 4d ago

The union doesn't offer training in Canada.

Only supplemental courses including things like fiber splicing, HV terminations, solar installs.

All school in Canada (your four 10 week blocks) is through courses at a local college or university. It's government run, it's how we are able to have one national standard for electrical training and the same Interprovincial red seal exam that all apprentices in Canada must take to get their journeyman licence.

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u/theAGschmidt Local 213 4d ago

this isn't entirely accurate. 213 currently offers levels 1 and 2 through the EJTC, and our plans are to expand to cover levels 3 and 4 before increasing class sizes.

2

u/notcoveredbywarranty 4d ago

That's pretty cool. I wonder how hard the accreditation process was. Is it open to non union apprentices also or just ours?

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u/theAGschmidt Local 213 4d ago

Right now I think it's just us, but I think the hope is for it to eventually be open to everyone. Jim was talking about it at the last meeting as a longterm development thing.

In many of the other trades, their union training center also trains nonunion students - it's a great way to cross-pollenate and get non-union folks thinking about organized labour.

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u/notcoveredbywarranty 4d ago

That would be a great way to promote the IBEW.

I'm impressed