Apprentice questions.

I am not actually in the union yet, I applied in early January and will be taking the test in a couple weeks. I wanted to run some questions by you guys and see if there's anyone actually here and get some confusion I have cleared up.

How many different "Locals" are there? Is there an official listing somewhere?

From what I understand, these Locals are divided up based on assigned territory. Are there turf wars? Are they common? Do they ever involve actual confrontation or just filing paperwork?

Contractors are supposed to hire Union plumbers. Do they not do that sometimes? Do you track down a contractor that lives near you and submit a resume? Or do they go to the union hall and you get assigned by the union? Do you get work year round or is it seasonal?

If you can think of anything someone applying might want or need to know, please add that. My family is all farmers, lawyers and doctors, so I don't really know anything about how unions work.

OK, in chicago there is only one local. that local would be 130. they have all of cook county. we just dissolved the joliet local 422 and we are in negotionations with the will county local 501 to dissolve them also. there are no turf wars. we cannot work in their jurisdictions but they can work in ours. if you want to know why, ask the B.A.'s if you ever get in.

a union plumbing contractor has to hire union plumbers. the are contractors that break the rules but they are punished by the hall if they are caught. the last ten years have been great and we all worked all year long but with the way the economy is right now your lucky to have a job. right now might not be the bestt time to get in.