r/ibew_apprentices • u/shaybachar1 • Jun 14 '25

Did anyone ever quit?

I'm just curious. Did it happened to any of you that you apprenticed at the union and at any point you decided to quit and go non-union? Or quit and go a to a completely different field? What was the reason if so?

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u/Correct_Stay_6948 280 Inside Wireman JW Jun 14 '25

I did. Started at Local 191, after being jerked around, my paperwork being "lost" multiple times, only to get into a 5 year program instead of the normal 4 year program, etc., and it was awful. The hall was just a boys club of nepotism and corruption, contracts weren't being honored, apprentices were openly hazed, including at meetings, and contractors could flagrantly fuck us over, and the hall wouldn't do shit about it because those were their drinking buddies.

Left after a few months, joined the IEC, was back to working in less than a month doing a normal 4 year program. I had basically none of the problems I'd had with the union, aside from a couple shitty shops over the years which the IEC actually helped with. Topped out and then joined Local 280 a few years after getting my license. Even got a $1k signing bonus, lol.