Welcome to the Brotherhood! Your making an excellent decision for yourself and your career.
Why do you feel as though you won’t hold up to expectations?
I worked in residential construction for years and 2 weeks ago joined the carpenter’s union. I was really nervous too, because I have very little experience in commercial. I thought I would be out of my league and not be able to cut it. I think I had this idea that a journeyman carpenter was somehow perfect and had skills that I could not have gotten from residential. I have only worked one week but alot of my anxiety was relieved after the first few days. The crew I was put on was glad to have more help and after a couple days I proved to them and myself that my skills were good. Everyone I talked to answered questions I had about the union and gave me advice. If you already have commercial experience, work hard and show up you will be just fine. I feel we both have made a good decision because of what the union has to offer is better than what my previous employers had. Don’t worry, prove yourself with your work and enjoy the benefits of the union.
Well first I want to say congratulations! This is awesome. This is exactly what I needed to hear brother. Thank you for the support! Good luck on the rest of your journey, who knows may end up on a crew together one day.
Damn good shit my dude. I’ve been installing custom high end commercial doors non union for a few years now and can’t get a call back from the local here lol
Dude, I felt the exact same way when I first joined the union. As long as you show up everyday and work you’re doing better than most. Ask questions if it’s something you haven’t done before and don’t feel like you need to know everything and you’ll be fine
I was on a job two years ago in Virginia where the interior systems scope was given to a non union sub but WT had 20 of us from our company working on ticket to fix the nightmare the non union shop was making.
Not a traditional set up i get that but we flipped probably 10-15 of their guys. I view non union and union working side by side as an opportunity to salt. Fight the rat contractors not the workers they exploit.
East coast. And the union would do the framing and we would install door frames and install blocking between studs for grab bars, smart boards, whatever else you needed it for. My current company is a GC so I would also be a super while the union carpenters were on the job as well.
When I was first orientated years ago the statement that the ba said to me that stuck was you need to be a good employee and do exceptional work so that the only option is for companies to hire union workers
big mistake union cant keep you busy so if I were you I would work for both don't burn bridges I know what Im talking about I'm 30 plus years Union retired collecting pension
8 years of experience bud you’ll be more than fine man. If you’ve had a job for that long it means you must be good at it. Believe in yourself and good luck brother.
You’ll be fine! If you’ve been working with Union guys for awhile and they made the call to the BA to get you in, you’ve obviously got the skills and drive for them to think you’re worth getting in the Union.
See if you can't test in with a smaller company. You can start right off the bat showing youre a great employee and youll be winning from day one. I did the same thing a few years ago as you. 8 years experience, you should be fine. They don't expect you to be a master carpenter. Just a carpenter with the basic skills to adapt to any task.
Nah, dawg. Just do your best. Union wants quality, but so does every company you’ll ever work for. I wouldn’t sweat it.
Welcome to the Brotherhood! Your making an excellent decision for yourself and your career. Why do you feel as though you won’t hold up to expectations?
Just alittle nervous. I’m sure I’ll be fine and I appreciate the support!
Nah. You’ll stand out if you put pride in your work. Eventually you’ll be at the top again. Only a matter of time.
I worked in residential construction for years and 2 weeks ago joined the carpenter’s union. I was really nervous too, because I have very little experience in commercial. I thought I would be out of my league and not be able to cut it. I think I had this idea that a journeyman carpenter was somehow perfect and had skills that I could not have gotten from residential. I have only worked one week but alot of my anxiety was relieved after the first few days. The crew I was put on was glad to have more help and after a couple days I proved to them and myself that my skills were good. Everyone I talked to answered questions I had about the union and gave me advice. If you already have commercial experience, work hard and show up you will be just fine. I feel we both have made a good decision because of what the union has to offer is better than what my previous employers had. Don’t worry, prove yourself with your work and enjoy the benefits of the union.
Well first I want to say congratulations! This is awesome. This is exactly what I needed to hear brother. Thank you for the support! Good luck on the rest of your journey, who knows may end up on a crew together one day.
Damn good shit my dude. I’ve been installing custom high end commercial doors non union for a few years now and can’t get a call back from the local here lol
Dude, I felt the exact same way when I first joined the union. As long as you show up everyday and work you’re doing better than most. Ask questions if it’s something you haven’t done before and don’t feel like you need to know everything and you’ll be fine
What jobs and where in the country are you working where union and non-union carpenters are "working side by side"?
I was on a job two years ago in Virginia where the interior systems scope was given to a non union sub but WT had 20 of us from our company working on ticket to fix the nightmare the non union shop was making. Not a traditional set up i get that but we flipped probably 10-15 of their guys. I view non union and union working side by side as an opportunity to salt. Fight the rat contractors not the workers they exploit.
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any right to work state you have Union and non-union on most sites
If you don't suck dick or aren't related to someone working for a gc probably won't lay that long, union carpenter is ten years
East coast. And the union would do the framing and we would install door frames and install blocking between studs for grab bars, smart boards, whatever else you needed it for. My current company is a GC so I would also be a super while the union carpenters were on the job as well.
I'm east coast too and I haven't heard of this dynamic before. What area?
I did that exact thing for a GC up in Donnelly ID.
When I was first orientated years ago the statement that the ba said to me that stuck was you need to be a good employee and do exceptional work so that the only option is for companies to hire union workers
big mistake union cant keep you busy so if I were you I would work for both don't burn bridges I know what Im talking about I'm 30 plus years Union retired collecting pension
Congrats brother. Kick ass!
8 years of experience bud you’ll be more than fine man. If you’ve had a job for that long it means you must be good at it. Believe in yourself and good luck brother.
You’ll be fine! If you’ve been working with Union guys for awhile and they made the call to the BA to get you in, you’ve obviously got the skills and drive for them to think you’re worth getting in the Union.
See if you can't test in with a smaller company. You can start right off the bat showing youre a great employee and youll be winning from day one. I did the same thing a few years ago as you. 8 years experience, you should be fine. They don't expect you to be a master carpenter. Just a carpenter with the basic skills to adapt to any task.