# Trade Jobs....



## JessicaRae (Jun 24, 2010)

So hubby is heading up to the Yukon for some out of town work for awhile.  There just doesn't seem to be any jobs here in the lower mainland.
Hes a fire sprinkler installer by trade (also a Machinist) - if anyone knows of any local work we would love to hear about it 
Hes short a few hours of having his ticket but once hes obtained the rest of the hours he will be ticketed!


----------



## April (Apr 21, 2010)

nice website. congrats. 
hope he finds work.


----------



## JessicaRae (Jun 24, 2010)

haha thanks April - its just a temp one for now... I have a friend building me one that will have a shopping cart feature and all that fun stuff.
For the most part right now I sell mainly through my FaceBook fan page 

Though I will be at the Coquitlam Canada Day Fair at Lafarge Lake selling my jewellery.

The job up in the Yukon is good money but its 11 hours days for 21 days straight then hes home for a week and goes back and does it all again.


----------



## Death's Sting (Apr 21, 2010)

lots of work at BC place!! i just started there on Friday.


----------



## April (Apr 21, 2010)

well sounds like a good idea for now..to get ahead. the yukon thing. hes young..just harder for you with 3 kids alone. 
id buy some of your jewellery..but you know..lol. none..ill show your website to my friend who loves...jewellery.


----------



## neven (May 15, 2010)

Trades are doing rather poorly here, When the construction cranes go up around the city, then we'll know its picking up. Thats always been the indicator of good economic growth.

Im an electrician for institutional, commercial and industrial construction, Being in the union here lets you keep a closer eye on how the market is picking up, since every dispatch is logged and numbers tallied in vs out each month. Its been rather grim lately though with numbers going out rarely rising above 1 or 2 a week. Out of town, well alberta is going slow right now aswell, the calls aren't coming in.

I've been off work since december, which puts me about halfway on the dispatch list, so im hoping the projects break ground before the end of fall. I've got the options to go out of town, but i remember my father (also electrician) doing the same in the late 80s, won't do that to my kids unless we'll be evicted and thrown on the street.


----------



## darb (Apr 21, 2010)

Well, there are some great benefits to working out of town, well one at least. He should be able to make 6 figures as a minimum, which after a couple of years is a nice downpayment on a home ...


Not YKZ by chance ...


----------



## big_bubba_B (Apr 25, 2010)

dont always make six figures out of town


----------



## darb (Apr 21, 2010)

any trade, even CLAC will ...


----------



## big_bubba_B (Apr 25, 2010)

ahhh no ... machinist yes if get in with good place . other job no


----------



## big_bubba_B (Apr 25, 2010)

u mean union clac ?


----------



## big_bubba_B (Apr 25, 2010)

cause if christian labor union ur talking about there a joke big time


----------



## darb (Apr 21, 2010)

it is that which I speak of and yes, I would largely agree, but most of the large construction primes are CLAC certified. But a CLAC carp will make a base of 6 with a min of 7X10 and typically do 12s....


----------



## JessicaRae (Jun 24, 2010)

The co. hes working for is Gisborn Group - they are union but I dont know anything about which one or anything.
They are paying him what he deserves and the good money being made is due to all the overtime - he will be working 21 days straight 11 hour days then hes home for 7 days and back out again etc.
They will also be giving us med/dental after 150 hours or something pay RRSPs and pay your MSP which is huge when you have 3 little kids 

Also we own our house I was fortunate enough to buy into the market 8 years ago when it was attainable ..... but this could help us in our hopes to sell our townhouse and buy a house


----------



## darb (Apr 21, 2010)

yes, that is who I was thought it was, I was up there for a bit. They have closer projects coming up, so the rotations could get better, but it is still a great opportunity.


----------



## neven (May 15, 2010)

CLAC is not a union. They may legally be considered a union by many provinces, but their actions, practices and how they are run go against what a union is meant to stand for. They know this and flaunt the legal loop hole that's made them seen as one... At the International Open Shop Conference, CLAC was a sponsor. A conference for companies who wish to stay non union or wish to stop employees from joining a union of their choice.

http://www.thetruthaboutclac.ca

I may be a union member raised in a union family, but i personally have no issues with companies wishing to remain open shop and people wishing to remain in the open shop market. Many companies in the open shop treat their employees great and have equal benefits (or close to) as union. But CLAC defaces what it means to be in a union, which has made them despised by the whole labour movement.

Rather than move forward with Worker's Rights, they have things like Reduced overtime (longer you work the less you make an hour), substandard work conditions, and the use of improperly trained underpaid workers. They have little regard for laws of the jurisdiction they are working in. They pretty much have acted like the shady employer unions use to convince people to join them.


----------



## darb (Apr 21, 2010)

Your opening statement is somewhat contradictory and this thread is getting off topic from the OP.

Fact is that there are many lame duck full fledged unions out there as well as CLAC, which I am not a fan of. Fact is that it is no more easier/harder to decertify CLAC than any other union. Fact is that they largely dominate the construction industry in Western Canada and membership is a requirement to work in the industry for most larger sized construction companies. Fact, a CLAC tradesman at YKZ will be making an easy 6 figures.


----------



## JessicaRae (Jun 24, 2010)

Well - we shall see how it goes... he got on the plane today 
but again if anyone hears of anything local - let me know 

they did say there would be some work in Kamloops coming up soon - thats a bit closer then northern yukon!


----------



## Smiladon (Apr 23, 2010)

Its very unfortunate that most of us are still out of jobs. I've been searching for the past 6 months...(not trades though). Its hard to land a good job during this time. I really pray that your husband finds a good job locally soon.


----------



## rescuepenguin (Apr 21, 2010)

Jessica,

My mother knows your situation well. She raised 3 boys while my father was out of town working. She made do, we all survived and turned into good people. She always said that the short term pains when you are younger yield long term gains later. Keep it up and always look at the light at the end of the tunnel. btw Jessica Rae is a great name for a line of jewelry.

Steve


----------



## gimlid (Apr 23, 2010)

darb said:


> any trade, even CLAC will ...


CLAC can KMA, I would rather starve. I work for cash or real union only.
All trades are having a bit of a tough go thanks to the olympic rush being over. I've been out of town for almost 4 months now.
Still tons of work with lots of hours in Alberta for pipe trades.


----------



## davefrombc (Apr 21, 2010)

CLAC is definitely a swear word to anyone working in companies where they are.
Building trades are taking a beating down here right now .. I know another sprinkler installer who was forman on a project in the Yukon , but is laid off now he is on the coast .


----------



## animagusbc (Jun 27, 2010)

Great Job on the Jewellry. Let me know if you are ever wanting to use Lampwork Beads as I make them. 

Hope your hubby finds a job closer. We grew up with my father working out of town all the time.


----------



## JessicaRae (Jun 24, 2010)

rescuepenguin said:


> Jessica,
> 
> My mother knows your situation well. She raised 3 boys while my father was out of town working. She made do, we all survived and turned into good people. She always said that the short term pains when you are younger yield long term gains later. Keep it up and always look at the light at the end of the tunnel. btw Jessica Rae is a great name for a line of jewelry.
> 
> Steve


Thank you Steve - and that is exactly what I am telling myself and hubby too... short term sacrifice long term gain. 
I think of military familys and they are gone for months at end even a year or more! Hubby is only gone for 3 weeks then home for a week and he can call me every night. 
It could be so much worse so I will not complain. He has a job and that is a good thing EI was just about to run out so it came just in time


----------



## neven (May 15, 2010)

one company who had over 200 electricians a year ago is down to 6 employees. they've been losing bids to companies who underbid at big pay cuts to their workers aswell as one man show uncertified companies. like the 80s it'll take people dead for the govt to clamp down. atleast burnaby city has fair wage laws for any of its work.


----------



## big_bubba_B (Apr 25, 2010)

atleast he is not in the logging industry in bc there all but extinct and now northern homes being built have to have that new styrafoam blocks for the basement so i got work for a verry long time. and is funny in alberta u mention the word union they wanna send u swimming with concrete flippers


----------



## gimlid (Apr 23, 2010)

I'll be heading back to Fort Mcmurray next week. Nice to make good wages but what a sacrifice.
They say the BC acronym means "bring cash". Thats not just because it's so expensive here, it's because there is no money here to earn. haha (?)


----------



## JessicaRae (Jun 24, 2010)

Yeah how sad eh?!

I dont know how they expect us to survive.... we are barely making it as is .. .actually were not we've maxed out all our credit just to survive the past 8 months hubby was on EI

I even tried going back to work part time but every cent I made went to pay our portion of daycare... every time we try to get ahead we get pushed a little further back.

On a positive note I was selling my jewellery and accessories at the Coquitlam Canada Day Fair yesterday (my first artisan market / fair) and I did well


----------



## neven (May 15, 2010)

JessicaRae said:


> Yeah how sad eh?!
> 
> I dont know how they expect us to survive.... we are barely making it as is .. .actually were not we've maxed out all our credit just to survive the past 8 months hubby was on EI
> 
> ...


Tell me about it  Pretty much the last 5 years its been work 6 months, something always comes up with that makes me miss work. I had school for 2 months every year (done now), coupled with surgeries, lulls in the market, and having children it kept it like that. I'd get back to work, pay off a lot of build up debt, then repeat.

There is an advantage to all of this, you learn to really manage your money when you are on EI supporting a family. It sucks but its a lessen better learnt when the kids are young. Almost all the savings come from tightening the drawstrings grocery shopping and cutting off cell phones. Can make about five nights of dinner (healthy and filling) with $10 of meat and $15 of veggies.


----------



## SeaHorse_Fanatic (Apr 22, 2010)

Jess,

After I graduated, I ended up moving to Powell River for 4 years to work in the aquaculture industry (not many local fish farming jobs in the Lower Mainland) and spent the last two years working a month on, then 3 days trip down to the big city. The commute was shorter than the Yukon, but the pay also sucked. Still, good learning experience and made some good memories and great friends. I'm sure that Will will also get some positives out of this experience and being a young man is an advantage. You (dealing with the 3 little ones) have the tougher job, but you'll also survive. Remember that old saying, "whatever doesn't kill you, makes you stronger". 

When Will comes back, bring the family over here for a bbq or something. They can play with Felicia & I'll take care of the cooking so you all can relax. Irene would love to visit with you two again and I'll introduce you to my little one. We have big backyard for them to play in & stay safe. If you just want a break from cooking & watching the kids alone, you're welcome to bring them over during his 3 weeks stint as well.

Anthony, Irene & Felicia


----------



## JessicaRae (Jun 24, 2010)

thank you so much Anthony <3


----------



## big_bubba_B (Apr 25, 2010)

good luck to him and hope it all works out ur both good people and deserve the best . just keep him away from the java moss delivery lol


----------



## JessicaRae (Jun 24, 2010)

haha yes Big B - he hasnt picked up ANY type of aquarium plants for me since that "incident" lol and I do not think he will ever live that one down LOL


----------



## neven (May 15, 2010)

java moss incident?


----------



## SeaHorse_Fanatic (Apr 22, 2010)

Before the crash, Will was infamous as the BCA Moss Man for getting stopped by the police with a ziplock bag of java moss on his dash. Jess wrote all about the incident & he became an instant "celebrity" for his "damp weeds".


----------



## eternity302 (Apr 22, 2010)

SeaHorse_Fanatic said:


> Before the crash, Will was infamous as the BCA Moss Man for getting stopped by the police with a ziplock bag of java moss on his dash. Jess wrote all about the incident & he became an instant "celebrity" for his "damp weeds".


HAHAAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAA!!!!!
ARE YOU SERIOUS??? OMG!!!
Anyways we can bring that back? As i missed that completely!!!


----------



## imtrippedup (Apr 25, 2010)

trades are deathly slow here right now. if you have a job consider yourself lucky.. im a first year electrician and i make 1/3rd less than what i am suppose to be making. there are huge companies that have died down to almost nothing because as one posted mentioned, they are being underbid hugely. it sucks but it is the nature of the business.

i have even considered taking a different type of job until i can find something better but there is no luck there either. i cant even get lucky enough to find a better paying job in the meantime or a 2nd job


----------



## JessicaRae (Jun 24, 2010)

We are grateful he got a job which is why he went... and the only other job he was offered was as a machinist (his previous trade) and they offered him $12/hr hes a ticketed machinists thats a slap in the face and he just got up and left.

Funny enough I just got a phone call for a resume I sent out over 6 months ago for a sales position with a printing co. (thats what i did previous to having kids) I told the guy its not worth it for me I tried going back to work but the cost of daycare left me with NOTHING at the end of the month.... the he said the magic words - WORK FROM HOME.... Im waiting on him to call me back next week to talk about money and we'll go from there 


And yes... MOSS MAN - hes my man....

Long story short as Anthony said... he went to pick up some Java moss for me it was put into a ziploc bag - he was pulled over at a random check and it got worse from there. The cops kept asking my hubby "whats in the bag" he kept telling them it was a plant for my fish tank but they insisted on smelling it, tasting it, testing it and searching our entire van and HIM lol.... finally they let him go
The best part was the cops kept asking "why is it wet" um..... its a WATER PLANT! idiots LOL


----------

