1984-02 February IBEW Journal.pdf - International Brotherhood of ...

professionals only confi rm what we In
the building trades have always knownthat
ca pable, trained, and skilled union
workers are more producti ve than nonunion
workers_ All union bUIlding and
construction trades inSiSt on apprentice
and journeyman trammg_ The apprenticeship
trammg system, In most cases
jointly admimstered with contractors,
Indentures young apprenllces who must
work on the Job under the supervISIOn
of journeymen and attend, as a rule at
night and on thelT own time, fonnal
classes With textbook mStruction and
regular testing_ Thus, the system trams
and develops skilled craftsmen who, upon
completion of thelT apprennceshlp, become
certified Journeymen. Apprennceship
trammg is compulsory) those who
cannot make the grade are not graduated
and do nOI become union Jou rneymen.
The non· union constructIOn sec lOr has
nothing to ma tch nor even approach this
sytem. Most non-unIOn construcllon
workers have had no formal sktll trammg
and schoolmg, a fact that IS reflected m
their lower rate of productIvity and acceptance
of lower wages.
Journeymen arc well-rounded workers
who have been tramed to work m all
phases of their pa rticular occupational
trade. ThelTS is nOt a fragmented trade,
fo r each journeyman has attamed a high
caliber of skills which he can apply 10
many areas of any gIven Job. He IS not
restricted by speciaitzatJon; to fac t, he
can perform a fuIJ gamut of duties, which
adds to his profi ciency and producti vity.
Journeymen don't constantly need to be
told what to do. They reqUire less assistance
and SUperviSion, a cost-savings
feature to employers.
Unions are a ready source of capable,
nalDed, skilled Journeymen as the need­
SOmetlIDes, on short notlcc--anscs. They
minimiZe the recrultmg and screenmg
process for employers, another cost-sav­
Ings feature_ Unions, With their adequate
supply of skilled workers, permit management
to plan construcllon prOJectS
and schedule work assignmentS more
efficiently, which also contributes to the
higher productivity rate of umon workers.
Journeyman Training
Umon workers who have attallled the
rank of journeymen arc nOt content to
stop thei r education and traln mg upon
completion of their apprenticeship. They
know that continUing education and
tramlng for the updati ng of thell Skills,
often throughout thell workmg li ves, arc
essential to their jobs, to the sueccss of
their employers, and to their own and
their families' livelihoods. They enroll
ill jOwneyman skill improvement courses
as a natural part of their rcsponslblluy
REVISED CONSUMER PRICE INDEX FOR URBAN WAGE
AND CLERICAL WORKERS
UNITED STATES CITY AVERAGE
SOURCE: U.S. OEPARTMENT OF LABOR, BUReAU OF LABOR STATISTICS
REFERENCE BASE, U.S. AVERAGE 1961 :: 100
NOVEMBER. 1983
.
App.llr, 1
AII11"n.
•
Trln.pot- MedIClI
Monih Yn, Comblnl'd ,- Houllng Upl< ... li lion Carl
November 1983 3014 2926 3245 1997 3082 3629
October 1983 301.3 292.9 325.2 199.8 306.9 360.9
Sep1ember 1983 3008 292.6 325.3 199.3 305.5 359.2
Augus, 1983 299 .5 292.2 324.3 196.3 304.1 357 .9
Ju~ 1983 298.2 292.1 323.1 194.0 301.9 355.6
June 1983 2972 292.2 322.3 194.7 299.6 353.3
May 1983 296.3 292.6 32 1.3 195.3 297.5 352.1
April 1983 2949 292.1 320.3 194.8 293.5 351.2
November 1982 2932 2866 3196 1944 297 .3 3398
November 1981 280 4
November 1980 256 4
November 1979 2276
November 1978 2018
-
NOTE ~ COnsumer Pnee Indelc lor an ....... ~ 0 1 pOII"I1:S duMg troe pas! monm. Of 0 03%
eQUalled IfI annual rate 01" increase 01" 0 36" (0 03 )( 12) The ncrease In CPI dunng !he pasl year
was 8 2 po;nt., Of 2 a-.
. Percent illCfease be~ 1W'O dales is Cllculil1ed by sur»actlng !he Index 1lUfllbe, lor troe e&/be.
date I.om tllatlor!he 1.811' dire end dividIng !he "su~ by !he Index number 10. the earlier date. tnen
multoplyirog by 100
EXAMPlE: For the pe.iod 01 NOliember 1982 to November 1983; 301 4 2932 82 Index points 8.2
dIvided by 293 2 .. 028"W; 100 .. 2 8">0
as Journeymen. Within the lBEW alone,
approximatel y 11,(0) members participate
in skill improvement programs annually.
Thus, we fin d mEW journeymt:n
glvmg of their own time to take courses
In weldmg, air conditioning and refrigerauon,
process control and IDstrumentallOn,
bluepnnt reading, motor control,
semiconductor electroniCS, theory, fiber
opucs, solid-state fundamentals, condun
bendlOg, electrical theory and marnematlcS,
the National Electncal Code,
electncal construction management, etc.
In addition to bemg aware of the Importance
of continuing their education
and updaung their skills after their years
of apprenticeship, union Journeymen are
also aware of the nccesslty for union
contractors to remam viable and competitive
m the mdustry. Therefore, they
make sure they know their trade, they
take pride m their trade and industry,
and they adhe re to the policy of a fall
day's work for a fair day's pay. There IS
a bond of mutual understanding between
workers and contractors to promote union
conSt ruction for the conunulng well·
bemg of all concerncd, mC IJ" famlhes, and
the economy. Unjonized contractors, cstlmatorS,
supcn ntendents, and supervisors
have also come th rough the ranks.
They know, from expenence, the need
and the va lue of fo rmal apprenticeships
and ongoing education and traming
throughout one's hfe. They reahze mat,
because of union construction workers'
skills and high level of productivity,
many union jobs finish ahead of schedule,
at additional COSt savings to the
contractor and to the user.
Umon construction workers can also
take pride in the fac t that, in addition to
all of their other community mterests
and activities, they assist in the development
of vocational education programs
fo r youths m thcir com mum ties.
Most defini tely, through their training,
skills, and productivity, they outperform
non-union workers. America's trades
unions contribute mlghuly to the wellbemg
of our nauon's economy.
YOUR TOOL
FOR
POLITICAL ACTION
IN
WASHINGTON, D.C.
IBEW-COPE
Prepa,ed by: Department 01 Reseeret1 ard Education. ISEW. December. 1983
!BEW JOURNAl! FEBRUARY 1984 I 15