The demise of the professional electrician?

[Dave Buchan]

Hi Guys,

I'm just after a bit feedback with regard to current members job status and job opportunities available nationwide. I've been currently fully self employed now for over 3 years but before deciding to take the plunge I used to work either cards in or self employed (labour only). Based in Newcastle I've met some fantastic people and characters on my travels but seemed to notice a trend a few years ago (mainly on building construction sites and domestic works) where it now seems cost effective for employers to semi-skill the majority of the electrical workforce. With the big sites carrying a handful of supervision to monitor the semi-skilled electrical mates and a few 2391 testers to accept full legal responsibility for signing off the electrical installation the client now seems to be the only person who is benefitting from this current pandemic sweeping across the north east at present. Which brings me to my next question; As continous professional development seems the buzz word at the moment and many professional electricians have many safety courses, content and exams continually thrust upon them, what seems to be the point as you can't compete with a man or women who's just bought a toolbox from B&Q, gets a government grant to complete their training and is just grateful for a wage?
I have a few good colleagues who i've met over the years who have probably forgot more than I'll ever know, who can't seem to get a job because an electricians mate is supposedly more cost effective. I've also had a friend (JIB Approved Electrician) who have had to accept an electricians mates pay just to get off the dole.
What I'd really like to know is if this phenomenom is just based across the north east or if it is nationwide?
I've stopped paying my union dues some time ago as it's been amalgamated that many times they've really forgot about who they're supposed to represent.
With the JIB designed by EMPLOYERS for EMPLOYERS and with todays current economic climate and every business struggling to survive ,will the status of a professional electrician keep getting sacrificed for semi-skilled labour until they cease to exist?

 

[benji]

I retired this year after 50 years in the electrical trade and i am afraid that this is just the tip of the iceberg

yours benji

 

[alarm man]

as long as people pay to train themselves the company's wont offer to do it,the days of proper jib apprentices are over,saying that a 30 yr old will learn alot quicker than a 16 yr old,the jib ceased to be a force a long time ago,the good times are over for jib members they had it good for years but the times are changing,if the company's took on the lads who have paid to train themselves they could afford to pay a decent rate and offer experience as they have saved on training,but its all down to money,they want cheap to boost the profit margins..i dont think its just the spark game that operates this way..

 

[oldtimer]

I quit the union 25 years ago after being in the trade man and boy for 9 years and why well I worked for an alarm company and as I was the only JIB spark they wanted me to connect 8 500w floods into a spur fed from a spur supplying a hand drier I explained I could lose my card for doing this and recommended on how to do the job right but no hope do it or your sacked I got sacked went to the union who said "what do you want us to do about it we are used to representing 100 plus not 1 individual and by the way here is some insurance products we are pushing" I said I pay my dues (£75) a year in advance and its only February so here there is my card dont bother with the refund you probably wont give me it "yes thats right they smiled" This was the year that our so called beloved leader big Frank was sideing with the tories and teling us how proud he was his sons were following in his footstep.
Sad to say that was the year 1985 when the rot set I will never forget telling my wife who was by then full term waiting to give birth to our daughter that I was out of a job and lost the company motor yep we scraped through but 25 years later unions are like politicians they are happy to take the dosh but not take the responsability.
Yes standards have dropped and it is like a virus but thankfully if you treat people with dignity and respect you get (sometimes) the same back the catch is dont get caught up with the "we need to drive cost down mantra" as it cost me in 1985 £120 to fit a 8 way wylex CB board in my house this is now worth £300 + in today prices so stay true to yourselve and dont let it grind you down just rise above it . Rememember Unions/JIB/NIEC/ are all self serving their not here to protect the industry they are there to make a buck from the system that they are meant to be the caretakers of.

 

[Des 56]

Good post and very true, especially our beloved leader big Frank
Chapple it was yes?
Thats the guy who masterminded the demise of a seperate body to speak for sparks
Thats the last time I was in a union
Everybody new of the ETU and it was something proud to be a member of,it stood you high at one time

 

[oldtimer]

Yes it was Chapple

Funny thing is was that Thatcher was actaully Gekko in other words "greed is good" and it has been dog eat dog ever since I am not trying to be totally negitive but this country cannot take the middle road it has to by definition swing from one extreme to another mind you the positive thing is I have a 25 year old who still wants to sit on my knee and run her hands through my hair so as I said get positive and yes sometimes people will let you down but to this day I sometimes bump into the "Im alright Jack" brigade and their lives are no richer for it and they still cannot look me in the eye.

 

[ecclescake]

as long as people pay to train themselves the company's wont offer to do it,the days of proper jib apprentices are over,saying that a 30 yr old will learn alot quicker than a 16 yr old,the jib ceased to be a force a long time ago,the good times are over for jib members they had it good for years but the times are changing,if the company's took on the lads who have paid to train themselves they could afford to pay a decent rate and offer experience as they have saved on training,but its all down to money,they want cheap to boost the profit margins..i dont think its just the spark game that operates this way..

Why will a 30 year old learn quicker than a 16 year old? Apprentices of all sorts have been around for 100's of years but now because a load are paying for it themselves they are better, why is that?

 

[malcolmsanford]

I quit the union 25 years ago after being in the trade man and boy for 9 years and why well I worked for an alarm company and as I was the only JIB spark they wanted me to connect 8 500w floods into a spur fed from a spur supplying a hand drier I explained I could lose my card for doing this and recommended on how to do the job right but no hope do it or your sacked I got sacked went to the union who said "what do you want us to do about it we are used to representing 100 plus not 1 individual and by the way here is some insurance products we are pushing" I said I pay my dues (£75) a year in advance and its only February so here there is my card dont bother with the refund you probably wont give me it "yes thats right they smiled" This was the year that our so called beloved leader big Frank was sideing with the tories and teling us how proud he was his sons were following in his footstep.
Sad to say that was the year 1985 when the rot set I will never forget telling my wife who was by then full term waiting to give birth to our daughter that I was out of a job and lost the company motor yep we scraped through but 25 years later unions are like politicians they are happy to take the dosh but not take the responsability.
Yes standards have dropped and it is like a virus but thankfully if you treat people with dignity and respect you get (sometimes) the same back the catch is dont get caught up with the "we need to drive cost down mantra" as it cost me in 1985 £120 to fit a 8 way wylex CB board in my house this is now worth £300 + in today prices so stay true to yourselve and dont let it grind you down just rise above it . Rememember Unions/JIB/NIEC/ are all self serving their not here to protect the industry they are there to make a buck from the system that they are meant to be the caretakers of.

Yes like us all a real lover of Mr Chapple. I remember I was at the london branch of our union when the proposal to malmigate with the plumbers, and there were near riots as the time for the meeting was posted at 19.30 but started at 18.30. By the time most of us got there we were a lost cause, Think that was my last ever meeting

 

[Knobhead]

I don’t know if the union still have a training collage at Easher Place, but if you go in to the library the minutes for the years 57 to 61 I think are filed under “FICTION”
I gave up my membership when they amalgamated with the destitute AEU. I’d been a convenor up until then.
Big Frank started the rot, Eric Hammond made it worse. (But I was sorry to hear of his death last year). The only time I met him we argued.
As for Amicus, where the hell a tradesman gets help from that lot I don’t know. Their just insurance salesmen!

 

[Knobhead]

Read Steve Jefferys: EETPU - The Decline of the Narrow Left (May 1976)