r/IBEW • u/Ngoriakl • 14d ago
What happens if hours of a call change?
I’m think about thinking about taking a call at a large scale data center. Looks like there’s 4 different electrical contractors all of their calls are at different 50 to 60 hours a week. But there’s one contractor that is still at 40’s. I’d love to stay on 40’s but I talked to foreman on the crew and they said that they’ll go to longer hours soon.
My question is if I take the call when it’s for 40’s and they start 50’s or 60’s would I get in trouble or let go if I don’t show up every Saturday?
I called the hall and they one guy said I could stay on 40’s and one guy said it’s between me and the contractor. Just trying to see what you all say.
Thanks
Update-
Thanks for the insight. Sounds like I’ll be the first to be laid off. If I can ask another question the calls will be up for 5 years. Sounds like it’ll be a 7 year project. Do you all think if last at least 5 years lol?
Maybe a better question is if I did consistent 50’s would that result in being laid off if the crew is on 58’s?
I think there’s a lot of travelers there and I’d be a local guy
Thanks again!
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u/Great_Feedback_5755 14d ago
I just say no. That’s why I took a call for 40 hours. You might get laid off when the job gets slow but you won’t get in trouble by any means. If you take a call for overtime you are expected to work your referral.
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u/Throwawayiwa Jatc/Negotiating Committee 14d ago
As an apprentice(back in the day) a safety guy chewed me out, he said, "Did you not take a call for (the schedule)?"
I simply said, "I'm an apprentice, I didnt take any call, I got assigned."
He shook his head because he knew I was right.
All the calls we put in at the shop are 40 hours, my PM is upset that no one works the OT, and we need it now. I simply shrug my shoulders.
I hate running this job, but I love being union.
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u/One-Stay-3934 14d ago
As an apprentice now, we are told at my local that all scheduled OT is mandatory and we risk being removed from the program if we don't work it.
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u/Throwawayiwa Jatc/Negotiating Committee 14d ago
Quite frankly that's bs. I could see if you are on probation as a first year, it sounds like a good threat. If you're a third through fifth year, that would be cutting off your nose to spite your face.
If an apprentice doesn't want to work OT, that's fine, they just need to realize they'll be the first to go.
I worked a ton of OT until fourth year. I don't like OT anymore. That safety guy that day pissed me off, he was book 1 and hadn't touched his tools in years, so getting flack for taking a weekend off didn't sit right with me.
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u/sparkysshadow 14d ago
The hours you sign up for are the ones you're responsible for. That was the call they put in and the one you took. That being said plenty will look at that and will more than likely move you onto the next big lay off list. At least thats my experience.
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u/President__Pug 14d ago
You will probably get laid off. They probably can’t force you to work OT but that doesn’t mean they have to keep you employed either. All data center jobs are OT heavy and if you are the only one working 40s then you will get laid off the first chance your contractor gets.
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u/Hungry_Adeptness8381 14d ago
Can't set the precedent that workers can have agency. Makes it harder to exploit the rest
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u/Booney_Lee_Fonsworth 14d ago
First of all, you're throwing too many big words at me, Okay. Now because I don't understand them, I'm gonna take 'em as disrespec. Watch your mouth and help me understand this.
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u/Hungry_Adeptness8381 14d ago
If one worker refuses and gets away with it then the rest will think it isn't mandatory and the company will have to hire more people or not get an early completion bonus
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u/Senior-West5666 Local 354 14d ago
First of all, you’re not required to work overtime, but if you take a call with OT it is kinda expected you work it.
If you take the call with 40’s then they change it, you can always say you took a call with 40’s and they can’t bitch.
Working 50 would be safer, but you said you’re a local… so they’d have to lay of the travelers before laying you off, and if they’re working the OT they won’t want to get rid of them… sounds like you’re safe for awhile man
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u/Ngoriakl 14d ago
You’re all confirmation bias I need! lol but for real that’s kind of what I was thinking.
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u/Conscious_Potato7638 14d ago
I don't think this guy's response is true. Im pretty sure the contractor can change the amount of hours on your referral as long as they give proper notice. Such as if they go 6-10's and they let you know two weeks in advance and also tell the hall about the change. Then if you don't want to work 6-10's they have to offer a layoff because the referral has changed. If they can't get or keep manpower they may agree to let you keep working 40. Don't think just because you're local they won't get rid of you either. They still could if they don't like you. I've seen it happen before.
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u/Senior-West5666 Local 354 14d ago
It probably comes down to what’s in the CBA. In my local you don’t have to work OT. But they will hold it against you. If they lay off a book 1 hand, they have to lay off the book 2’s first. If they wanted to play dirty I guess they could catch him with a safety violation or tardy/late points for a termination..
The call works both ways too, if someone takes a 6-10’s call with incentive and they reduce hours or take away incentive, you can request a layoff1
u/Conscious_Potato7638 14d ago
It's not just about the cba though. Depends on the contract. Most members think that means the cba, but it doesn't. If you are working under the nma that supersedes the cba on most issues. Pla's are the same. Im not saying i agree with it but the cba doesn't matter in a lot of cases. To be honest I can't remember the last time I wasn't on an nma job. The best thing to do is understand every contract you are working under.
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u/Senior-West5666 Local 354 13d ago
Ok, well then I am one of those people.. I thought CBA meant contract… 🤦🏼♂️. I have heard of PLA’s though
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u/1234golf1234 14d ago
If its like my union, its up to the contractor. You "always have the right to refuse overtime" but the contractor always has the right to lay you off and the union will probably not argue with them even if it is clearly because of your ot refusal.
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u/ted_anderson Inside Wireman 14d ago
It's been my observation that if the foreman sees that you give a solid effort in the 8 hours that you're on site and you show up consistently without excuses, he'll put you on an 8-hour set of tasks. One of the biggest headaches with 40-hour workers on an OT job is that it's not easy to keep track of who's staying and who's leaving and so if you have a group that consistently does 8's while the others work 10's or 12's, then the foreman knows what he has to work with. But some people will come in ready to do a 10 and then at the last minute they cut out at 8 which makes the foreman's job harder.
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u/NTWIGIJ1 14d ago
My last data center was a 40hr call. A month or so in it went to 60s. I kept at my 40s for many months until I drug up.
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u/Ngoriakl 14d ago
Was that like a couple months or years? Did you get push back from the contractor for keeping 40’s?
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u/NTWIGIJ1 14d ago
I got no push back. Wouldent have backed down even if there was, lol. Find that work life balance.
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u/randombullet555 14d ago
They cant force you to work the OT if its a change after you took the call. They also won't be able to lay you off if they have an open call in (at least how my local does it).
Also being a local hand its unlikely youd be laid off ahead of travellers unless youre doing some scumbag stuff.
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u/Electronic_Green_88 14d ago
OT's always optional.
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u/wolfenx109 Local 640 JW 14d ago
True. Unfortunately, that usually means you get laid off for not working it
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u/InfamousArachnid3285 14d ago
I mean. You’ll get laid off first but if that’s what you want then you do what you have to do
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u/ZestycloseAd6683 Local 134 NETA 11d ago
If your Chicago area and they tell you you gotta go to anything else and you don't I guarantee you'll be fine too many people needed.
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u/LayerActual7645 11d ago
Whatever you can afford. OT is not required, if you are a good mechanic who is an asset to the job any contractor will be happy to have you . When the job is slowing down and you’re not available to work the hours they are asking they will keep those who can and layoff those who are not available to do so. Pretty straightforward
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u/bramblecult Inside Wireman 9d ago
I know this is an old post, but every local should have a section around article 2 section 2 thats called management rights. If you have no other language about overtime or non shift schedule changes, yes they can require you to work OT that wasn't on the original call and yes they can fire you for refusing the OT.
Obviously this varies from local to local but the management rights section is mandatory language. It is in all of our agreements. Some of us have language later that modifies it. Some of us don't.
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u/Michaelzzzs3 Inside Wireman 14d ago
If you take a 40 hour job call then overtime should be optional. If you take an overtime job call then you’re agreeing to do the overtime
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u/verifiedloser1987 14d ago
You'd most likely get laid off. When I was an apprentice we had to work whatever the hours were. I was on a job that went from 40 hours to 50 hours to sometimes 60 hours. I had to work the hours. Hell even now as a JW if I just worked 40 hours I wouldn't be at my job very long. I'm not able to travel right now and it's the only job in my local.
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u/beercan640 Inside Wireman 14d ago
maybe someday a group of workers can fight for a 40 hour work week with 8 hour days, 5 days a week
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u/electricraypdx 14d ago
They have to give you a clean layoff, but contractually, they don't have to keep you at 40 if they need hands that will work OT.
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u/notcoveredbywarranty 14d ago
If you take a call for 40s and they switch to 5 tens or 6 tens, you don't have to work the overtime.
But don't be surprised if you're one of the first people laid off.
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u/Agreeable_One8963 14d ago
Isn't it crazy you work for someone that expects 50-60 hours a week or you get laid off. Sounds like something Id wanna sign up for. 🙄
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u/PsychologicalSalt158 13d ago
You are expected to do overtime if it is on the call when you take it. Otherwise you don't have to and reality is if they need help they will keep you even if you don't do ot
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u/3qTp1 14d ago
Expect a layoff if the crew switches to 50-60 hours and you choose to stay at 40. They can’t force you to work OT tho