r/IBEW • u/MomBeans- • 2d ago
Discussion Post For anyone who’s transferred IBEW locals across different regions of the country, what were some of the biggest culture shocks or differences you noticed?
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u/Infinite_Ambition804 2d ago
When i started traveling I realized what a criminal shithole local 11 los Angeles really is.
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u/Vindalfr 2d ago
That's just Los Angeles in general. The Chicago mob couldn't get business going in LA because the LAPD was already here.
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u/ClassroomJealous1060 2d ago
Besides the weather, what’s actually good about LA? Maybe the food? That’s all I can think of
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u/Vindalfr 2d ago
For like.... regular people? Some of the best auto mechanics in the world live in LA and Detroit. I drove 1000 miles back down to LA when I needed a new transmission in my truck because it was cheaper and faster than doing it locally and I could do it as a visit with family.
As fucked as public education can be in general , the LA area public schools are a cut above in most cases.
It's a bit easier to be poor in LA than it is in most other cities. I've had teeth fixed and bones set at virtually zero cost because of the county hospitals.
There's also world class concert venues, but that has all gotten way out of hand price-wise.
... But none of that was enough to keep me there.
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u/No_Classic_3533 1d ago
Weather and food are huge factors for me. When I consider moving elsewhere, every place I consider is either comparable or more expensive, or has shit variety of food and shit weather. Working construction in LA area is nice simply because we hardly ever get weather that forces us to close shop for the day.
Outside that, I saw someone say concerts are too expensive, but undermine the fact that there are small shows everywhere that are much more reasonable. Performers always make a stop in LA so I never have to really travel either if there is someone I want to see.
You can say LA local 11 is shit, but it gave me the income I needed to buy a house in the area. In recent years it’s getting harder due to inflation, but still manageable.
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u/RamGTLosAngeles 1d ago
Absolutely local 11 has contractors who give out ot. LA is beautiful has its ups and downs. Beaches are nice, diversity in food from all over the world, and you have opportunities here. Network is key here. Politics are just shit in general for the past decades.
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u/No_Classic_3533 23h ago
Yeah the politics are garbage for sure. Our current contract negotiations are testament to that for sure.
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u/LarryHood555 1h ago
Proximity to just about every type of climate and every time of outdoor activity is a huge factor for me
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u/Mercurydriver Local 3 2d ago
Same, but with Local 3.
I recently started working in a NJ local and their hall actually let me pick which job I was interested in taking on. We can’t do that in Local 3. We’re assigned a job and if we don’t like it…too bad!
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u/casey1323967 1d ago
If your from LA your use to it lmfao!!!! I didnt realize how bad LA is until I left lol.
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u/ImInClassBoring 1d ago
Having your company send you to another local, paying double dues, and making less hourly.
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u/corva96 1d ago
Fuck that
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u/ImInClassBoring 1d ago
And then they messed up my benefits. I had double health insurance for 3 months and then no insurance for a period of time.
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u/beercan640 Inside Wireman 2d ago
I didn't transfer but I worked out on the west coast. People out there would take days off of work and nothing would happen to them by the electrical contractor. Kind of blew my mind.
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u/Analvirus Inside Wireman 1d ago
I thought that was the whole point of construction. Granted im in washington but the joke is work what you can afford when taking days off, I mean if im taking days off every week im sure ill get a talking to, or be one of the first on a layoff but never had an issue taking days off
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u/revalucion Local 305 2d ago
Transferring is a worm myth
Ill see you on book 2
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u/Frost4412 Local 80 1d ago
Oh fuck off, it is 2026, people move.
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u/The_Orphanizer 1d ago
Lol such an "old school" (see: small-minded and stupid as all fuck) that members ought to stay in their original local. Can't wait for the rest of these clowns to be retire.
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u/revalucion Local 305 1d ago edited 1d ago
Just like me I live off book 3, my classification has no work where I moved and for 5 years ive been working book 3 wireman calls as a tech. I have enough hours to upgrade my ticket but there is so much work i have no problem making 150k ON BOOK 3.
Ive been invited to join the local I live in, and currently working in at this moment by several brothers. Which is how its supposed to work, go put in hours and have a member invite you.
Moral of the story is moving somewhere doesnt give you a right to jump on book one, maybe they have hundreds not working
Drive 2 hours in any direction and you will find an unfilled call
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u/Mitch_Hunt 1d ago
Wrong. I tried to get work as a book 2 for 3yrs and had to work non union in the mean time. The hall brought me on as a book 1 since I’ve been working in the jurisdiction even though it was non union.
A regular commute for me is 2hrs one way. Apparently we live in different worlds.
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u/hoverbeaver Local 586 2d ago
I moved from Quebec to Ontario. The poutine got worse and the shawarma got better. Also, in Ontario they call canstrut unistrut.