1LOW4X4

iTrader: (2)

Lost my job of 2 years Friday. Work is slow. BTW I'm a 5th year apprentice with the IBEW (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers-for those that dont know)....

I'm number 46 on the books, could be 3-6-9-12 months, who knows. Reason the title is about a Hurricane is because everytime we get one work really picks up. I have my lil 9 month old girl to think of now....

I've taken steps to get my state license-I have the 8000 hours just need to get all the paperwork done. I've also put in a few applications at some "non-union" shops to see what bites.

Basically, Financially, I should be fine. My wife and I own a hair salon employing 5 stylists (It is NOT a huge cash cow) but she is a stylist also and makes as much or usually more than I do. So shes working....and all the side-jobs I had are now maturing and I was able to stash a few grand away in the last 3-4 days. That was all the money I was going to use to build this LS1 and tranny for my '01. Just thankful I have it now. We do have over 3K worth of bills monthly so I have to "stay on my grind" as they say....

I've got some more leads on more sidework, so all is well as of now. The only thing I lack on getting my '85 silvys motor totally done is a gasket set and a cheap set of headers, which I've convinced myself I'm gonna go ahead and order. In the shape the truck is in now, they are selling for 4-5 grand around here. Right now though without a motor, probably $500 lol.

Point is the 85 was supposed to be a DD for me, while my 01 sat in the garage, but since its got 4.11's and a 400 trans, and is 3/4 ton, I dont think itll be a daily lol, just a "whenever" truck. It had spun a bearing, so I had the crank turned, new bearings, had the block boiled, honed, had new cam bearings installed, got a new fuel, water and oil pump for it, carb rebuild kit, the works. Sould be a solid 350 when its complete. I plan on painting the block tonight.

I didnt mean for this to turn into a thread about the 85, but its become kinda my "Forget about the situation at hand" project, and so there it is....In case I need more cash, I'll flip it for a few grand, if I can get through these hard times unscathed, I'll keep it.....Yes its a LWB but its a ******* beast also.



Anybody else out there out of work?

JFOLM

iTrader: (8)

Sucks to hear nick. You should remember me from fsc I pmd you about a painter.


Have you thought about applying at electrical places the do work at the plants? Fluor and Newtron come to mind.

TIM Z

iTrader: (12)

Good luck bro, this economy sucks thanks to our politicians.

Im a union pipefitter, been laid off since march 09'. have had a few days here and there. Sucks though.

Im glad i worked and saved all i could for the ten years ive been in the trade, its helped me in my down time.

Its gotta get better soon !!

1LOW4X4

iTrader: (2)

Yeah, saving sounds a lot better these days lol. Newtron, well at least the electrical side, is union, so no go there. Cant jump the books. But Fluor and some others pop into mind, I just dont wanna get caught doing non-union work. But I'm shooting to get my license so if a job comes up I will be more qualified.

I must say though, its SO NICE to have a trade to offer this time around. Last time I had to hunt a job for myself, I had nothing to offer. People wont hire people without experience, and how do you get experience without people hiring people without experience! LOL.

I always thought if I lost a job without the chance of another coming around soon, I'd just apply anywheres. But man, after you've worked through your apprenticeship to get the big bucks, its not appealing at all to go to work at a tire shop or autozone for minimum wage....

camochevy21

sorry to hear man. I have a lot of buddies back home that are in similar situations. Keep looking is all I can say. I won't get into my thoughts about the politicians and everything else.

1LOW4X4

iTrader: (2)

Yeah I could care less about politics.

SincalT/A

iTrader: (16)

Sorry to hear jus take care of your own bro cause, thats what matters.
Funny you mention you got your hours invested cause,I just looked at my local pensions reported hours and seen i had 18000 and some change invested.I just pray my pension makes it through this crap.

1LOW4X4

iTrader: (2)

Well, thats another thing. WHen I got into the program, they changed our benefits to where we got a percentage of what a journeyman got, which is like $1.50 an hour into annuity or whatever. We used to get that same $1.50.

So back then most guys turned out of the program with $5K-10K in there already. Well I've been getting statements in on mine and lately its worth about $400 bucks. And I'm in my 5th year.

So I dont have a lot of faith in any of this right now.

SincalT/A

iTrader: (16)

Yeah international pensions blows *****.Too many hands in the cookie jar.Luckly we have a local pension that is solevent.Start your own man do what ever you can to get somthin going.You will thank yourself one day.

.James.

iTrader: (17)

Sucks to hear man, i worked for the local 130 IBEW for a year, quit right before I started school for the first year, bt even then everyone was getting layed off, or let go. Ill keep you in my prayers, i hate to see anyone laid off or without work, s myself ive been unemployed with no income for 5 months, and it sucks. im really hoping something comes through, supposed to be getting married. enough with me, i hope you and your family make it through man.