Question about tower crane operators - union vs non-union training

3 comments

3 Comments

I gotta say, this whole debate about union vs non-union training feels a little overblown to me. I've been in construction for over 30 years now and I've seen good operators come from both sides. The union guys get a nice structured program sure, but I've also met non-union guys who learned on the job just as well from a veteran foreman who knew his stuff. At the end of the day, it's more about the person than the piece of paper saying where they trained.

skylerrobinson22d agoMost Upvoted

...and honestly, I think people on both sides get way too defensive about it. Like, I get it, union training is solid and all, but I've also seen a dude fresh out of the apprenticeship program almost put a loader through a trailer wall because he couldn't read the ground conditions. Meanwhile, a guy who just learned from his old man on a farm could finesse an excavator like it was an extension of his arm. It's really just about who's got the natural touch and who cares enough to pay attention, you know? The piece of paper doesn't stop you from making a dumb mistake.

hannahm3922d agoTop Commenter

Yeah totally, my buddy got licensed through the union and still messed up his first week on site.