Unions

[DRot525]

So what's the story on the unions down in Oz? I'm a fourth year apprentice in Las Vegas looking to hit the road when I turn out in June of 2010. I'll be a pipefitter (gasfitter) and should be okay to get a visa, I have 135 points right now.

And if I have to I'll get my welding certs, but I don't really want to do that, don't particularly like welding but will do so to get a job if need be. We're a combination local, and when I turn out I'll be locally licensed as a plumber too, I suppose I could get a job down there doing that, but again not preferable.

I've checked the job sites and I see there's plenty of jobs, but are they union jobs? Is the union so prevalent down there that they don't bother to list the union aspect? Here in the states the local union dispatches workers, is it similar down there? For travellers (out of local workers) we maintain a seperate hiring list, so that when all the locals (who want to) are working we start down the second list. I won't work non union construction, not worth it to me, and if I have to return here someday, and don't want to have to listen or face a bunch of BS. Do the unions take transfers in? I know we're facing serious losses to retirement of baby boomers I imagine Oz faces the same challenges.

Are they building any massive projects like nuclear reactors or other power houses? Where's most of the refinery work at also?

TIA for any advice.

Darin

[kaz101]

Hi Darin,

Welcome to the forum.

I was in Las Vegas a couple of weeks ago a conference at the MGM Grand. I've never been to such a noisy place - well the Strip is anyway! Now I'm back home in quiet South Australia.

I haven't heard the unions mentioned in the same way that you are talking about them. Maybe some of the guys in those professions can answer that better than me since I'm not in those professions.

Regards,
Karen

[DRot525]

Yeah it'll be a toss up whether I'll be able to adjust to quiet, and so called normal people and conditions. Regular weather? Huh? What's that? Normal folks? Not casino ninnies and losers from 49 other states who think they can turn around their dirt bag life at a craps table. We shall see. I like Vegas, but it's wasted on me being from here; mass tourism is lame.

If any tradesmen see this I was also wondering about tools. I was cruising the intraweb and saw on the Australian Plumbers webpage that apprentices start with $800 AUD in tools. Holy smokes, how big is that in a box to haul from place to place? We do a small 45 cm tool box with some basic hand tools, which is too much IMO already, I'm left wondering how the unions work conditions are down there. I am looking forward to ditching feet and inches for the metric system, I'm all the time going on about that at work, it's just a bit easier for doing the math when there's figuring to be done.

[DRot525]

Bummer, looks like my question is too narrow for the user group here. Oh well, I'll beat the bushes myself and call or email the union down there and/or talk to a migration agent. And when I got some answers, I'll post them here.

[sgilli3]

Cant help with specifics of your job...but in Oz, its not compulsory to join the union asscociated with your employment. (eg Teachers union,construction union)

You can join if you WANT to join - you cannot be forced to join a union.
In most professions, union and non union workers work together, side by side

I believe any government job is a union job though.

We worked in construction and NEVER joined the union...it was our right to decide.

You will find some job sites may be union only...

[DRot525]

Well in doing some additional research, it's look less and less likely that I'd work construction in Australia. Bummer. But it looks like it's too ratty for my tastes. Personal fines for stopping work over safety issues? 16 year old kids being killed because of no safety harnesses being issued? Compelled to speak to some govt. body? Hell no.

I work in Vegas, and we're seeing a lot of deaths here, but in my trade we can mitigate our risks, the deaths we're seeing are in other trades. We've got the safety gear, and the management demanding/encouraging us to use it, which I'm no safety objector, you want me to wear a face shield and safety glasses while grinding metal? You bet. While overhead drilling in concrete? Sure thing.

I'll keep an eye on the situation, do some more research, I've got two years before I'm free to travel for work. But if it stays pretty much the same, then I'll stay in the US.