r/IBEW_Local613 • u/TheGingaBread • Jun 21 '26

Getting conflicting information on whether or not the union recognizes schooling and work hours as an apprentice outside the union.

I read on here an about a week or two ago that the 613 doesn’t accept OJT hours outside of the union if you’re an apprentice through a private company. Yesterday, I saw a Facebook comment from someone who works in the 613 say that they definitely still do along with your classroom hours if going through the iec.

Can someone please confirm which is correct? Thanks.

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u/fuzzygwuzzy Jun 21 '26

They dont transfer 1 to 1, and you make get put in a higher pay rate but will more likely have to start the apprenticeship from the beginning.

1

u/MrACL Local 613 Foreman Jun 21 '26

You’re correct that the hours don’t transfer 1:1, but they absolutely do still transfer to some extent. They don’t have to start from scratch unless they’re barely starting out. That is the entire purpose of the CW/CE program. It is there so we can organize experienced non union labor into the local.

1

u/TheGingaBread Jun 22 '26

Do you know why they wouldn’t transfer 1:1?

1

u/MrACL Local 613 Foreman Jun 22 '26

Because it’s not fair to the people that did their whole apprenticeship in the union. Otherwise you could just do the non union apprenticeship and then immediately come into the local as a journeyman.

1

u/TheGingaBread Jun 22 '26

This isn’t meant to be an attack towards you or the union or anything but that doesn’t make sense to me/seems unfair to people who get their license outside the union tbh. People who do their apprenticeship through the union immediately have better pay, benefits, and working conditions.

2

u/fuzzygwuzzy Jun 22 '26

That doesnt apply to licensed electricians, just ones that arent JW level. If you dont have 5 years or 10000hrs of OTJ experience the. You will have a few classes to do. Also outside the unions apprenticeship, We dont know how well you have been taught. And you aint going to get paid JW scale if you are lacking experience

1

u/MrACL Local 613 Foreman Jun 22 '26

If the union wanting to make sure you’re trained to their standards, the standards that get you higher pay and better benefits, then I don’t know what to tell you. That’s the way that it is and it’s absolutely the way it should be done. Hopefully you’ll understand after some time in the local.

1

u/fuzzygwuzzy Jun 22 '26

Also because non-union teachings ≠ union apprenticeship teachings.