Jump to content

ELECTRIC SIGN SUPPLIES
If You're Looking For Premium Electric Sign Industry Components From Trim Cap, LED's, Neon Supplies, Power Supplies, Pattern Paper.  Then Please Visit Our Online Store or Feel Free To Call Us For Inquiries or Placing an Order!!
Buy Now

SIGN INSTALLER MAP
Looking for a fellow Sign Syndicate Company Member For A Sign Install or Maintenance Call?
Click Here

For Sign Company's Who Work As Subcontractors
Before You Work For A National Sign & Service Company You Need To Look At The Reviews Of These Companies Before You Work For Them. Learn When To Expect Payment From Them and What It's Like To Work For Them, The Good, The Bad, The Ugly. Learn and Share Your Experiences Yourself For Others

Click Here

Electric Sign Training - General Consensus Thinking


Qualified Journeyman  

6 members have voted

  1. 1. Which Sign Shops have better quaified Journyman due to in house training?

    • Union Shops
      1
    • Non-Union Shops
      5


Recommended Posts

I breezed by something the other day in passing that I thought was, well the opposite of my mind set and was curious to what others thought and assumed. This sort of falls into place with this thread:

Disparity of Qualified Journeyman Installers

http://www.thesignsy...men-installers/

I came across a topic that sort that came from one of our industry media leadership organizations.

Here's my question, are you of the opinion that Union Sign Shops better qualified for in house training than Non-Union? If so, why? Now I know in the past Pre-OSHA, Union shops were big on safety, and that was the general view in certain sectors of course not just in the small sign industry.

You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life. - Winston Churchill

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • !llumenati

Absolutely NOT ! I've interviewed 15 yr union sign installers - not a clue. Now they might be able stick a sign up on the wall without it falling down, but as far as being trained? What a joke. Now I'm sure there are some great union sign installers - somewhere, maybe.,

gn

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Board Patron

The individual him or herself is the final test of ones committment to any trade.

I have never been affiliated with unionized sign hangers but I am sure there are losuy technicians in both the union & non union shops.

What I can say as a side note, I have been affiliated with unions as they pertain to the straight electrical trade. And I have seen union electricians who were both good and lousy. Same goes for non union electricians.

What I will say though, unionized trades are paid at a extremely higher level than non union trades. The benefits are also basically insane and I wonder how they pass the costs along. Most of the major projects going on in California that I have observed utilize union trades and the workers make a boatload of dollars. A good friend of mine is a union electrician foreman and he isn't hurting in these rocky economic times we find ourselves in.

So while the union doesn't guarantee a solid technician it does guarantee that technician a solid paycheck.

And before you think it.......... no I am not a union member or supporter. I just observe what I see and tell it like it is.

Dominic

"Don't be afraid to see what you see" - President Ronald Reagan

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • !llumenati

What do you think about it Paul? from a east coast point of view. I have never been a part of a union shop but worked on union job sites.

GOOD things happen for a reason......

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We have for some time now joint ventured with a union iron worker, it has benifited both of us. There are a lot of bigger jobs around here that are union and with them we have never had any problems. I would not however think to make our company union just would increase our prices to the point that we would not get any work. I think there is only 1 union shop in Connecticut.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I joined Local 484 Sign, Scene and Pictorial Displaymen out of San Jose CA in the early 70s while working at McCreery Design in Palo Alto CA. Very strafifed, the Show card guys never picked anything except their brushes, the Journeymen Fab guys never went on installs, once the job left your department you did not touch it again. Not much on training, the Rep ran off with the car and the money, the Feds chased him for awhile and found the car in Texas. Never did find out happened to the Rep. Joined local 510 out of San Francisco after the merger of these two fine Locals, not much training there either.

The only thing good about belonging to the Union was work at Moscone center setting up and tearing down trade show booths, high wages and steady work. This is all before the Internet so I have no direct experience of things currently. Just my 2 cents from a historical pespective, it would be great to here things have gotten better.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm with Dominic, it is all about commitment by the individuals. Our installers are not union but the plant is. Being an ex union guy, i can see the benefits on both sides. As for the union training being more safe, i don't believe one way or the other. Every employee union or non union has the right to refuse unsafe work. Not only is it the duty of managers, and owners to train the installers/employees in the skills of the sign trade, but is also up to the individuals themselves to educate themeselves thru courses etc

Dave

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have been a union member for 20 years and there are classes for every aspect of the sign industry available to me with the exception of painting and electrical because they are handled by other unions. I have more licenses and certifications than anyone else I know in any other construction trade, All of which are required to do work in NYC. Yes I do get paid a good wage and expect to get paid for my certs and knowledge.

When you think about it the sign industry we do the job of several trades. If you had to hire individuals to do each job that one fabricator/installer can do you would need several men. There are plenty of men ready and willing to work, just not for peanuts.

Just my east coast point of view.....anyone else????

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Board Patron

I am in St. Louis, which is a big union town. I have worked for both union and non union companies. IBEW local 1 has some training but the sign side is still the step child. On the other hand we have hacks working out of Moms apartment. I have seen both union and non union do work from stellar to crap. As for training I think it come down to the individual company. I have guys that work for us that are artist and some sweep the floor. I have not trained the floor sweepers........

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • !llumenati

It all comes down to the Individual shop and the people in this business. I started at the bottom not knowing a thing about signs. I watched, I learned I became aggresive to the point of learning everything. I was not satisfied until I could do it better then the teacher.

In todays world there is a tremendous amount of education out there for those who want to learn more then swinging a hammer. The Sign Companies who are in this for the long run benifit from having the most talented and skilled labor force. They need the employee who wants to be needed and has the skills of several trades all in one. The employee who takes pride in being the best or going the extra distance is the most valuable. The ones who don't want to advance, watch the clock and bitch about the world don't go anywhere in life. They just follow.

I have seen many extremely talented people in this industry thru the years. The majority are self employeed. The others can't make it alone.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...
  • Board Patron

We've had some excellent training from NW Sign Council, and there is a local company here that does some good continuing education classes. Hubby was a teamster for 14 years before he came to his senses and became a sign guy - took a pay cut but the benefits and stress relief was ENORMOUS! Teamsters did nothing for him but took his dues. don't get me started! :football:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.



×
  • Create New...