UNION OR NON-UNION WITH MASTER ELECTRICIAN!

Should I go union, non-union? Should I get my license, not get my license? Listen, that's a quick answer, easy answer. Do you want to work for yourself or are you okay, you know, working for somebody else? First off, should I join the union or can you even be admitted? Will you be accepted into the union? That's what it should be. >> What's up, guys? It's Henny, the Sparky. I'm an electrician. I'm with my pops, master electrician, dad, henlect. >> Electrician family. >> Electrician family. Welcome to another episode and today we got a juicy one for you guys. Uh we had a comment. Somebody asked at 18 years old, should they go union or non-union electrician? Pops, what's your thoughts? >> You know, that is the question. Should I go union, non-union? Should I get my license, not get my license? Listen, that's a quick answer, easy answer. Unfortunately, it's difficult to answer that when you're at that age of making that decision, right? Because hindsight's always 2020. Now, first off, should I join the union or can you even be admitted? Will you be accepted into the union? That's what it should be. >> It's an honor to be accepted into the union. They only accept like 50 people a year per local. So it's not should I, it's can I. That's number one. >> And I would think that it depends on uh who you are. Is your family a bluecollar family? Were your parents, you know, truck drivers, plumbers, electricians, carpenters? Did they work with their hands? Um, and they enjoyed that type of career, then I would say yes, you want to go union. If you're like want to be a ballerase, >> does that make sense? Baller. >> If you want uh to be an independent person, you really don't want to answer to people. You want to be in your own business >> and you really want to direct how fast you go up or go down. It's really going independent and getting your license. >> You're working for a guy like me. you get your five years in and then you can qualify, take your test and you go out on your own. >> You wouldn't want to work for a guy like me and be a career, you know, spend 30 years with a small contractor. That doesn't make sense. >> Yeah. >> So, think about that. Do you like the structure, the regimen of getting up very early and being part of a system? Uh, it's semi steady work. It's not always steady work. It's a challenge to get in if you don't have connections or a, you know, family member. >> Uh, I am told by Kenny, the New Jersey Sparky. >> Yeah, >> we have Kenny, ours, Kenny, but the other guy, >> if you watch us, what's up, Kenny? >> And he said in New Jersey, his local, it cost $100 to apply. >> Yep. >> And if you don't hear anything, you apply again the following year. >> Okay. Okay. So if you don't hear anything again, then you can maybe contact them or maybe dig a little deeper. >> Um but again, since they only take so few and like if I was in the union, you would be in the union. Kenny would be in the union. We'd have, you know, a lot of Hendersons would be in the union because >> it's just the way it is. >> So if you're if you're not in that brethren, let's say, don't give up. Um, I think some of the most wealthiest, successful electricians are non-union independent electrical contractors. So, it's a fantastic rewarding career and congratulations for even thinking of asking that question at such a young age. >> Yeah, guys. So, at 18, it's, you know, you really, you really don't know what you really want to do yet. Let's be honest. So, but I feel like it's all about like your personal values. like if you do you want to work for yourself or do you wanna are you okay you know working for somebody else. I honestly think also uh the non-union or like if you're self-employed, you kind of have to be personable with people, you know, that's also another thing. Um if you don't like talking to people, you know, I would go union then that's a huge thing >> because non-union, you're going to have to talk to customers. You're going to have to be personable. >> That's a huge thing. And if you're if you just are not if you're an introverted person and you know I just want to go you know do my six to two and go home like let me join the union and that is a great great tip. You have to be very amiable personable >> and uh it's some people just don't like that connection with other people. They just want to go to work. >> They want a job to do. They want to come home from work, have their beers, >> have their weekends, have their vacations, >> and they'll see you Monday morning. And that works for That's what you don't know yet at 18. >> Yeah. >> Right. >> But I would say this, let's go a little step further. Let's say you're older than 18. Let's say you're even close to 30 and you're going from job to job to job. If you're always looking for more money, who's paying more money? Who's paying more money? and you're leaving job six months here, a couple months there, you are destined to be your own boss. >> I agree. Yeah. Because if you can handle your own jobs, why not just work for yourself at that point? >> You're either bored, something is not, you know, when and if you're falling asleep at work or you just loathe going to work, a lot of times it's because you just you're mentally not there. But if it's your money you and it's you know the harder you work the lower price parts that you you know the more economic you can do a job the more money you make the more inspired you become your bank account grows your customer base grows you start snowballing into wow and that's why you don't want to be an electrician you want to be Hendy the sparky or Chris Henderson the electrician Garrett Henderson the electrician You don't want to be just whatever trade you're in. You want to be the >> electrician, not a send me an electrician is awful. It's send me Chris. Send me the guy you had here. That's when you can start charging more because your services are in demand. >> You're above the vanilla ice cream type work >> and you can really really become a baller. >> Yeah. So, Dad, you have a Yeah. 30 years experience over, right, >> man? 30. I'm I'm I'm 60 now, dude. >> Over 30. How many years? 35. >> 1985. >> Okay. So, >> well, 1985, I started working with wiring. So, when I was 27 years old, I quit my job and I worked and I started on my own. I was 27. I got my license. >> I started that thing like when I was 25. Okay. >> When I was 25, I was at rock bottom. I had terrible credit. I I bought too many things. I bought a house. I had cars. I had a nice job. I was making a good salary, but I just wasn't happy. Toxic relationship. >> Yeah. >> So, when I was 25, man, I went back and live with my parents. >> Yeah. >> I was like live, you know, went back on like my mom and dad like, "Hey, can I come back?" You know? >> Yeah. I feel like it's a little normal. I mean, at least at my age now, in this generation, I I go uh like I go out when I'm in, you know, with a couple friends and they're that's normal. Living 25 at home. In my generation, it was >> move out at 18. >> Buy a house. >> Oh, yeah. >> Yeah. Absolutely. Was really wasn't even the car. I mean, it was a house. >> Okay. >> Could could buy a house. So, >> uh I got my first house and I 9 and a half% uh interest rate in like 1988 or ' 89 and I lost it because I couldn't pay for it. You got it repoed. >> Yeah. They came and they took it and I had well the you know foreclosed on it and >> then I had two new cars I had couldn't pay for them. I I I kind of equate a licensed electrician to kind of like golf and tennis. >> Yeah. >> Where it's not a team sport. >> You know I it's it's an individual. It's like, you know, h you know, how do you make sure you you get the customers and and charge a fair and profitable abundant rate so that you make money? >> You know, that's the other thing a lot of guys do. Yeah. >> Is they work so cheap >> because they're happy just to say they're busy. >> Right. Right. >> They they they mentally cannot handle that or their wife is like, "You got work tomorrow? You got work tomorrow?" And they don't. They're embarrassed. They're like, "Ah." So look, that's just the ups and downs of this business. >> Yeah. >> So if you have no work, just be ready and and and remember there's someone out there that needs your services that have put a lot of value on you and your services. Never give that away. >> Agree. >> So when you're slow, it's okay. You won't be slow forever. When that phone rings, you could hit the jackpot. >> That's true. >> Be ready for that. That's that's the pros of being a self-employed electrician. >> Instead of, oh, we're going to get laid off. When is you know, no, it's you. You got no work. You go knock on some doors. Go put some signs up. Let everybody know in your neighborhood like this young man who's 18 asking, "Should I join the union?" Remember, it's not should I join the union. It is, "Am I honored enough to be accepted into the union?" >> Right. I agree. If you're okay working for a contractor the rest of your life, then go to union. >> Well, you basically you'll be an employed person. You'll have a boss. Yeah. You'll have to answer to somebody. You'll have to apply for vacations, right? You'll have to manage your layoffs and not layoffs, right? So, it it's it's a very structured environment. I'm I'm told. I' like again, I have not I can't speak for that. Um I would say though if you either way you must get your license. >> Yeah. >> I I think that should be your question is um should I become a licensed electrician is more important than union or non-union? Yeah, >> I really do because if you once you make that commitment like yes, I do want to get my license. Um, then you can if you get in, if you're fortunate enough to get into the unit, you go through that apprenticeship program. But in here, you know, hey, I'm going to get my license. So, if I get laid off, I'm going to do side work, right? I'm going to do other work outside of the union because I'm licensed. I'm insured. I'm protecting myself. >> I think that's the prudent way to handle it. Not say, well, I'm not licensed and, you know, doing work on the side illegally and then you get caught and you never can get your license. So, um, it's a great field and, uh, it's very scary to give up a paycheck. >> Yeah, >> I will say that. >> Um, but it is so rewarding when you get those fat checks, right, dude. Yeah. Being an electrician, you got great job security, especially now with these AI, these EV chargers. Who's going to wire these things up? Who's going to, you know, get install the batteries? Who's going to we are hey these guys that got a lot of skills doing I mean there was a lot of migrant guys that were here and now are being deported but you know what they can work electric in their country right maybe they learned a skill here and brought it back to their country so as an electrician it's a trade it's something that stays with us for life right and the best part is let's say this kid who wanted to join the union or not five years in is like you know what I want to become a plumber or I want to become a home builder Yeah, >> he's got skills that'll stay with him for life. He'll know all about electrical tools. True. >> He'll be able to do his own work in the future. If he wants to wire something up, he'll have enough. So, it's like life skills that you develop. >> So, even if you're working for someone, max out what you can learn every day. >> Remember, it's not just a job, it's a career, man. >> It's a skill that stays with you forever. >> And we're here to make money, >> not survive. We're trying to thrive and be wealthy, guys. I think also the great thing, too, is like if you learn a skill, like for example, electrician, let's say you get your own house, you can potentially wire your own house. Like if you have those skills, >> absolutely. >> If you need to your outlet goes bad, oh, you can save yourself >> absolutely >> a $200 service call because, oh, wait, I know these basics. I know I know how to, you know, change an outlet. >> Hey, even that though, you learn how to just become uh ambidextrous in a way. You're good with hand tools, right? Wrenches and and screwdrivers. So, what does that mean? That means you can change your own water heater, right? You can put your own water softener in, right? Yeah. You can do a little additions. You can do any, you know, you you're building up. You can do solar, right? You can do >> it. It's just awesome to have the ability. And I, you know, I I my wife makes fun of of husbands that can't do anything. you know, these doctors and lawyers and, you know, guys that are like, you know, very intelligent and but they just can't work a screwdriver, right? >> And all women love a guy that can fix something. >> That's true. >> That's true. >> That is very valid. That's that's facts. But yeah, guys, it's been a great talk. Electrician family over here, please go to electrician family and subscribe. I think I have about 2500 subscribers now. Thank you so much for that. >> Electrician family. >> Electrician family. It's just about, you know, if you're into electrical stuff, we do some motorcycle stuff. We do fix the pool. We do a lot of solar stuff. We just fun stuff, you know. >> Yeah. >> The Tik Tok is for like electricians where we talk to electricians, but the YouTube is more of a generic situation to maybe show you hobby. Like we're doing Bitcoin mining now. >> Nice. Nice. >> So, um, we should talk about how, you know, Bitcoining and doing it via solar. Yeah, we could put that in a video. >> Yeah, >> show that up. >> So, uh >> guys, Bitcoin's going up. >> You're an electrician, you could you could really Bitcoin mine now. So, >> well, we'll see. I don't know what the hash rate is. I have to see what the payout is. I'm going to turn that on tomorrow. >> Yeah, >> I added some more batteries to the solar so we can get more capacity to run and be able to mine Bitcoin. >> Yeah. >> For free. >> That That'd be huge. >> But keep it. >> Get your license. Get that license. >> Yep. If you're 18 and you can get into the union, you do a four or five year apprenticeship program, then start your life. I mean, you get your license before 30, you're golden, man. >> Yeah, man. >> You really are golden. >> Everybody, you know, if you're an electrician watching this, get your license. That should be the end game. >> No, that's the beginning game. That's the start, but that's what you should be focused on. Forget all the rest. >> Is once you're licensed, man, >> it's almost a license to steal. That's a good way to put it. All right, guys. Henny the Sparky. Henlect. Want to give you guys the the good content, the real content, not the sugarcoated content. Uh, follow us, Henny the Sparky. Here's my pops, henn on YouTube. Electrician family. >> Electrician family on YouTube. And hlect >> on Tik Tok. Hen LCT >> on Tik Tok. >> And then I'm Hendy the Sparky on every handle. Instagram, YouTube, Tik Tok. So, all right guys, see you in the next one.