Pros

It was a good jumpstart to my career

Cons

I have nothing bad to say

Pros

Best pay and best benefits. I'm 29 years old, made an average of 75-78k/year gross. On TOP of that I get the best benefits package in the nation, and I didn't contribute hardly anything to a 401k but since I'm in the union they put money in it on TOP of my wage as a part of my benefits package and I have over 90k in that account. With a vested $600/mo pension until I die. Everyone things that you have to "pay all those union dues," I would love to sit down and compare checks with those people. My take home pay was an average of $1000/week. On top of the $35.47 per hour is $4.85 per hour that goes into a checking/savings account for "vacation time." because when you don't work, you don't get paid. This account more than makes up for it. So the real wage per hour I guess really could be seen as $40.32/ hour. Health care is paid for on TOP of that to. It doesn't come out of the $40.32. This is all just for being he lowest level electrician in the field. Foremen get more money, General Foremen get even more money, and some people get vehicles with gas paid for. I have no idea why everyone in the building trades isn't union. Just show up, be a good employee and above all a good union member and you will have constant work. You also get the gratitude of feeling a sense of accomplishment after you install something or a job comes to and end and there were no real snags in production.

Cons

People think union workers are lazy and don't work hard. This couldn't be further from the truth. It's like any job, union or nonunion, public or private, there are always a few that don't do their job and make others look bad. Well guess what, they don't make it long in my union. The people that say that are the ones playing on facebook and twitter all day, or g-chatting about non work related topics sitting in a small cubicle and making half what I do. This is becuase I'm sweating and bleeding from 7am to 3:30pm and busting my a$$ and working in an environment and industry where people die everyday. There are no cons.