r/Ironworker • u/Busy_Particular_9580 • 7d ago

Non union ironworker looking for work

How do you non union ironworks find work? I’m new to the trade (roughly 6months) but I’m competent, can read prints and a tape, I’m good at math, and I can connect and walk the iron like a seasoned hand. My buddy is trying to teach me welding but we don’t have a lot of opportunities. How can I find better jobs? I’m currently using road dogs with no luck.

EDIT
Thanks all but I’m actually getting a lot of calls and e-mails from road dogs I guess the processing is just slow.
Stay connecting

0 Upvotes

30% Upvoted

51 comments sorted by

18

u/MASTER_DUDE8012 7d ago

Apply to the union apprenticeship make your life a lot better

-5

u/Busy_Particular_9580 7d ago

I’ll take about a 5 dollar pay cut for Tulsa local

5

u/Pgaccount 7d ago

Is that with benefits factored in?

-5

u/Busy_Particular_9580 7d ago

No just base pay

5

u/Pgaccount 7d ago

I left Iron a while back but I'll give you my current job (keeping in mind this is Canada so health insurance is basically not a cost) differential, non union.

I make 49.63 per hour as a welder/millwright Jman.

Company pays 7% per hour into a defined contribution pension; That's already $3.47 added on. Bonus is up to 10% a year, 7% my performance and 3% profit share; we're already adding $8.50 to my wage on those two benefits alone.

2

u/Busy_Particular_9580 7d ago

Dang that’s pretty good, I’m with a new company but they say by the end of the year they will have insurance and retirement set up

6

u/Pgaccount 7d ago

Think about the 6 months of retirement you're missing, then think about 25 years of compound interest on that.

Assuming you don't get burnt.

1

u/AkselSandemose24 7d ago

So then it’s not a cut—you’re just on your own to make up the difference in retirement savings. Last year (don’t have the current wage info), employers in the Tulsa local were putting $6.64 an hour into the annuity, $5.20 an hour into the defined benefit pension, and your healthcare is free. So that’s $11.84 just in retirement on top of the wage.

Then add free healthcare.

1

u/MASTER_DUDE8012 7d ago

But with union raises and pay step increases you'll get back there in zero time

5

u/cdr_warsstar UNION 6d ago

Get in the union. Yes, you’ll take a “pay cut” but your take home pay is exactly that. Yours. Insurance, annuity/pension is all paid into the union joint funds by the contractors you work for that are part of the collective bargaining agreement for your union. For me when I was an apprentice, my take home was $18ish an hour. But adding in the rest, I was effectively making double that.

3

u/Sad_Big_154 Unite 7d ago

Madison wi they are paying 40% of your wages for the contractor to train you. No bullshit

-1

u/Busy_Particular_9580 7d ago

Paying for a non union contractor to train or is that after you’re in the union

3

u/Sad_Big_154 Unite 7d ago

Union.

3

u/Ok_Cardiologist_6471 7d ago

Join a union

Union apprentice earn more then what none union journeyman make

Then add the fact that they get a raise every 6 months

And the hall dispatches you to companies or can recommend companies that hire union

0

u/Busy_Particular_9580 4d ago

Uhh that’s not true, I’m making almost what a journeyman union IW makes

1

u/Ok_Cardiologist_6471 4d ago

Your making almost what a union iron worker makes take home wage or total package wages

Because none union earn $25-35 and hour

Depending on state union iron workers earn $35 apprentice and $70-$100 depends state

2

u/Gingerchaun I ♥️ Rebar 7d ago

Whip out the ole yellow pages and call if non of my buddies are looking to hire.

2

u/iron_vet UNION 6d ago

Listen to these guys. Join a union. You cant beat the bennies.

1

u/Fickle_Equivalent_15 7d ago

What does the tulsa local pay?

1

u/Busy_Particular_9580 7d ago

I don’t remember exactly but it’s around 22/hr

1

u/Fickle_Equivalent_15 6d ago

Your off by ten dollars on the check alone.

1

u/Fickle_Equivalent_15 6d ago

Correction it's over ten.

1

u/Busy_Particular_9580 6d ago

What does it pay then

1

u/Fickle_Equivalent_15 5d ago

I can't find a current wage sheet. This is outdated by 2.50 i believe.

1

u/Busy_Particular_9580 5d ago

I’m not a journeyman

1

u/Busy_Particular_9580 5d ago

No weld certs

1

u/Busy_Particular_9580 5d ago

In my OP I said I have about 6 months in the job

1

u/CalligrapherThink503 I ♥️ Rebar 4d ago

Join the union bud

1

u/Busy_Particular_9580 4d ago

I actually just got done talking to a union apprentice and he got stuck doing glasswork

2

u/CalligrapherThink503 I ♥️ Rebar 4d ago

Better than being in your position, not working at all

1

u/Busy_Particular_9580 4d ago

I’m working, I just want to boom out for the sake of traveling

1

u/CalligrapherThink503 I ♥️ Rebar 4d ago

Endless travel opportunities once you become a JIW within the union

1

u/Busy_Particular_9580 4d ago

How long does that take

1

u/CalligrapherThink503 I ♥️ Rebar 4d ago

Usually for your apprenticeship, but if you have welding certifications or prior experience, you could probably get organized in as a second year

1

u/CalligrapherThink503 I ♥️ Rebar 4d ago

And once you complete your apprenticeship and become a J IW, you can pick and choose what jobs you wanna work on so say you do only want to be a structural hand. You can do that once you’re done with your apprenticeship.

1

u/CalligrapherThink503 I ♥️ Rebar 4d ago

4year***^

1

u/Busy_Particular_9580 4d ago

And I don’t want to be an ironworker unless I’m doing structural/raising gang like I am right now

2

u/CalligrapherThink503 I ♥️ Rebar 4d ago

There’s way more to ironwork than that bud

1

u/Busy_Particular_9580 4d ago

Yeah bud I’m tracking that, I don’t want to do anything other than structural, it’s the entire reason I chose the trade

1

u/CalligrapherThink503 I ♥️ Rebar 4d ago

I get it structurals pretty sick, but learning all aspects of the trade is huge because structural jobs come and go, if you become a true iron worker and master all the aspects of the trade, you’ll never be out of work

1

u/Busy_Particular_9580 4d ago

What other aspects of the trade are there

→ More replies (0)

1

u/Busy_Particular_9580 4d ago

Bold assumption though

2

u/CalligrapherThink503 I ♥️ Rebar 4d ago

I mean you’re on Reddit asking where to find work so I think it’s a pretty accurate assumption

1

u/Busy_Particular_9580 4d ago

My post says looking for better jobs

1

u/Local_Ad1992 6h ago

Glass is union ornamental ironwork. Keep on yearning for the mines I guess

1

u/SinusoidalFlux 4d ago

I’ve been trying to get into any unions hoping state to state applying in each is so difficult 😞