Any union carpenters out there?

[AZ8]

Yeah that's what I'm worried about, I'm sure I could find non union work in any of the western states but I wouldn't be paying into my pension. But at the same time I don't know if I could make it in CA for another 25 years.

25 years is a long time to grow a Roth IRA. Assuming your age is 40. Open with 150K, contribute your max every year and with a modest rate of return @ 7%, you’ll have over $1.3 million waiting for you at 65.

 

[WKR]

There’s a reason for that and it largely has to do with politics.

Go work for yourself, set your own rate, set your own hours, set your own vacation, set your own retirement.

You’re welcome.

Yes I'm aware it's political and the majority of Red states are "right to work" states with weak unions.

I am considering working for myself. It's a big jump though.

 

[eLightfoot]

Yes I'm aware it's political and the majority of Red states are "right to work" states with weak unions.

I am considering working for myself. It's a big jump though.

its funny, pretty much all the Union tradesmen are republican. But the republican party is not pro Union lol.

 

[Smid]

its funny, pretty much all the Union tradesmen are republican. But the republican party is not pro Union lol.

My induction night, I filled a paper out at our hall and one of the questions was political affiliation. I put republican and the BA read that and told me I was going to vote myself out of a job. There’s some things about the union I like, but that’s one I hate

 

[WKR]

its funny, pretty much all the Union tradesmen are republican. But the republican party is not pro Union lol.

Ain't that the truth.
I still remember when they sent us that Carpenter magazine with hillary Clintons face on the cover.
That went directly from the mailbox to the trash can.

 

[Squamch]

Interesting, wonder how hard it would be for an American to immigrate up there and go to work. What's your retirement look like? Pension and annuity?

And they could pay $100 an hour and I still wouldn't even consider going to Seattle. Not with what's been going on over there.

Pensions have been badly invested, and reinvested. I'm 34, so at this point, who knows what it will look like when (if) I retire.

I know we are a member of the international union, so I would assume your membership would somehow transfer. Maybe call the local and see what they have to say about it?

As to self employment, I still have my company on the books, but the stress and hours were not worth the financial return. I do small jobs here and there, and manage to write off a fair bit of tools and vehicle expenses through it. But taxes, insurance, etc...it ain't cheap or easy to run your own show. You need to be lining up the next job while keeping your head wrapped around the current one, and all the while hoping you don't have to put a lein on the last one. And let's not talk about when your wife finds out how much it costs to float a job. Or the grey hair that comes with watching the line of credit sit there.

 

[WKR]

Pensions have been badly invested, and reinvested. I'm 34, so at this point, who knows what it will look like when (if) I retire.

I know we are a member of the international union, so I would assume your membership would somehow transfer. Maybe call the local and see what they have to say about it?

As to self employment, I still have my company on the books, but the stress and hours were not worth the financial return. I do small jobs here and there, and manage to write off a fair bit of tools and vehicle expenses through it. But taxes, insurance, etc...it ain't cheap or easy to run your own show. You need to be lining up the next job while keeping your head wrapped around the current one, and all the while hoping you don't have to put a lein on the last one. And let's not talk about when your wife finds out how much it costs to float a job. Or the grey hair that comes with watching the line of credit sit there.

From what I am hearing the guys over here are retiring and making more money from there pension/annuity than when they were working.

Yeah running your own outfit is such a high risk/high reward kinda thing. You might make your own hours but you take work home with you everyday.

 

[Smid]

From what I am hearing the guys over here are retiring and making more money from there pension/annuity than when they were working.

That’s how it is in my local right now, and it’s dicking the newer guys. In the 90’s they had quite a few years where the multiplier on the pension was 2x on ot and double time. This year they raised the retirement age to 59 from 55 and the multiplier is like .85.