Frequently Asked Questions
about Becoming a Union Contractor
Q: What is it going to cost me to become a union contractor?
Q: What is the current rate?
Q: What benefits do you offer?
Q: I already give my crew health insurance and a 401k, what happens when I sign?
Q: What are benefit stamps?
Q: What kind of training does the union offer?
Q: Can you help me build my client base?
Q: Can you help me build relationships in the area?
Q: Why did you pick me? I don't build skyscrapers
Q: Why do you picket and hand out leaflets?
Q: I was a union contractor 10 years ago. It didn't work then, why should it work now?
Q: Is the union going to run my company?
Q: What happens to my current client base? They don't want anything to do with the union.
Q: What happens to the sub-contractors that I'm currently using?
Q: What happens to the jobs that I have contracts on? I can't make them union over night.
Q: Do you have workers available?
Q: If union carpenters are unemployed and waiting at the hall for a job, how good can they be?
Q: What happens to my current crew if I sign?
Q: What is a journeyman?
Q: Who categorizes my crew members into journeymen and apprentices?
Q: What is a steward?
A: A steward is a union member who is appointed by a local business representative to ensure that the contract is being adhered to both by the contractor and the carpenters. The steward acts as a liaison between the workers and management if a dispute arises. The steward is a working carpenter who has been trained to recognize safety hazards and will assist the contractor to provide a safe and healthy worksite. Because stewards are the second person hired and second to last to be laid off, they typically posses a high skill level in all aspects of the trade.
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