Is Being A Union Carpenter Worth It

Because fees are tax deductible and youll get great member benefits being a union member can actually save you money.

Is being a union carpenter worth it. Unions pay ok and have great benefits. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Workers in 2013 was 46440.

Well first of all it is nothing like a dying art there is so much to do in this field there are a lot of people building using timber frame nowadays the carpenter is the one who is first on the site to handover all the other trades come and go for me with carpentry you have a way of doing things that is taught to you like hanging doors cutting roofs but there is so much stuff that you have to invent a. This is especially true if you join a local union and graduate from their apprenticeship program. In addition apprentices are usually covered by the unions.

The carpenters union in Utah isnt as great compared to the one back in Hawaii where Im originally from but it does help pay the bills. Depending on your area work goes in waves with booms of 5 to 10 years then slow work for up to 5 years. In my experience the greatest variation in salary for non-union workers mind you derives from qualities of the individual carpenter.

As of 2013 the average annual wage for American carpenters was 44980 according to the US. If you are considering working in a union building trade ask about the pension and definitely avoid the carpenters all they care about as a union is getting your money. Most journeyman construction carpenters are 30 and over.

Unless they happen to live in Guatemala and earn 4800 a year which is less than half the US. I was a Union Employee and enjoyed that to the fullest. Good career start for those who wish to work simply as a carpenter or foreman or work as staff for the union.

Getting some basic woodworking or carpentry training before applying for union apprenticeships can make you a more attractive candidate. The term journeyman is not just a name but a requirement to work steady for those that do not stay with one company or in one facet of the trade. Lots of carpenters dont know what the fuck theyre doing his exact words including the finger quotations.