So you pay less than non-union workers? You say you are paying them directly
(cash - probably no 1099) so their unions are not paid their dues since they are
officially 'unemployed' and their employers who were footing the bill for their
benefits, WC claims, etc. are also not benefiting from your payments for their
work?

I read your response twice and it seems like you are acknowledging that union
work is too (OK, more) expensive so you have found a way to hire the same,
skilled, people at competitive rates through your connections. How many others
have the same connections to make union labor economical?

Last year I read that the largest trade show in the US - the National Hardware
Show had pulled out of Chicago and moved to Las Vegas. Reasons cited were
costs. I know that it cost at least $100 to have a union worker PLUG IN a phone
line and the same charges were assessed in the booth operator di the same thing.

Wouldn't "scab" mean a person who works when a strike is taking place?

Do you know where your moonlighters are buying their materials?

We can debate this for a decade in another forum but I personally know of some
very dedicated and qualified union workers who HATE their unions because of the
slackers who earn the same pay increases that they do (by contract) and push the
real work on the few and the proud...

Dan




Harry Krause wrote:

Dan Krueger wrote:


Union carpenters and materials from a small, union, lumberyard, right?

Harry Krause wrote:


Uh, I'm having the basement finished in a house I built last year.


Here's the site you need...

http://towrating.trailerboats.com/

Dan



The crews I have coming in are, indeed, union members. I have two union
carpenters to do the rough and finish carpentry, a union electrician and
an apprentice, and a union plumber, and when they are finished, a union
tilesetter. No and I mean no union contractors will touch residential
work in my area, so I usually call union business agents I know and ask
if they have some guys between jobs, or just coming back after an
injury. They usually do. I pay the hourly rate. I know enough tradesmen
now that I usually just call them direct and pay them the hourly rate. I
get top-drawer work and for less than the scab contractors charge.