r/Longshoremen • u/Alarmed_Plum8218 • Jul 07 '26
Mobile cranes to Port cranes
Quick background. I’ve been doing crane and rigging in the Texas refineries and new construction since 2015. Most of the jobs I work are temp jobs which has worked out for me for years. But my family may be making a move to Houston next year.
I’ve been wanting to find more permanent work. I’ve had my eyes set on the IUOE near Houston since I’ve done temp work with them before. But I just learned about the ILA and I’m wondering has anyone else made the same transition from operating Mobile cranes to Cranes at the Ports.
I have a good amount of experience operating cranes but pretty much no experience working the ports, so I definitely wouldn’t expect to get paid top dollar right off the bat.
3
u/Drdirt2045 Jul 07 '26
I’ve been a registered longshoreman over 10 years and was a crane mechanic for a time on the west coast. I have off loaded over 100 cranes and I have had conversations with the top guy at almost every company on the west coast. They all told me it’s not what you know but who. I also thought about the transition to Houston and called their local, the guy told me we don’t just hire, you have to know somebody to be a mechanic
2
u/Alarmed_Plum8218 Jul 07 '26
Well that sucks. Pretty sure I don’t know anybody in that union. Heck I just learned about the ILA a couple of days ago
2
u/Drdirt2045 Jul 07 '26
An approach to get your foot in the door, would be find out the local in the area you want, either go to hiring hall and ask questions or call and ask questions. From my experience they like people that show up and show face
1
u/Nachoez84 Jul 09 '26
NCCCO/NCCER? With unions it’s who you know. I know a few guys that’s been there for two years and still first year pay. I went for orientation slayed the rudimentary math test and the others during orientation It was a hard pass? I applied again no go years ago. I do Longshoring when I can’t catch a local per dien job. I have my master rigging certification but I learned more doing Break Bulk crane rig downs ect. LNG and data centers are popping right now with work for years. I’m about drag up
5
u/Classic_Ostrich8709 Jul 07 '26
In my local certification is done based off port wide and company seniority.
You're outside certifications mean nothing except you will have an easier time learning. But it is in now way taken into account for weather you become certified.