Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Longshoremen do get paid really well. But it's a union job, and there are people that are already in the union waiting for an opening so they can get on the list to apply. By being in the union they are also eligible to work as extra labor. Longshoremen jobs do not open up very often. I used to work at a Cruise Ship Terminal and met many longshoremen.
Has anyone worked as a Longshoreman? I heard they get paid really good.
When I lived in Corpus Christi back in 1983, I worked for an attorney who handled workers compensation claims for longshoremen. As I recall, they had a very strong union then. I don't know if that has changed in the past 20 years or not.
When I lived in Corpus Christi back in 1983, I worked for an attorney who handled workers compensation claims for longshoremen. As I recall, they had a very strong union then. I don't know if that has changed in the past 20 years or not.
20yrsinBranson
My ex was working as a longshoreman when I met him. The pay is good and the union is powerful, but in NY/NJ at least, you usually have to know someone to get in, aka your rabbi. My ex was bartending after he got out of the army, and this little old man used to come in and sit at the bar for a few hours and then his middle-aged son would come pick him up. My ex was nice to the old man, and it turned out the son was connected to the union.
I don't know if it works that way everywhere, though.
Yes, you have to be a union member to get a longshoremen job. The openings are few are few and far between, and when there is an opening, there are hundreds of union applicants that apply for them.
I got on by way of a lottery. It used to be that no one was hired on as a Casual unless you were family. The Feds finally forced the ILWU to open up a certain percentage to the general public.
for the entire Westcoast. I sent in a 3x5 card and it was drawn from 8 to 10,000 others from a barrel. There were 234 drawn. check out the odds. I don't expect this to happen again for many years. Keep your ears open however, because casuals aren't getting much work and many give it up. If the casual workforce drops to a low enough point the local union will publish an ad in your local newspaper for applicants. Be sharp because they don't make a big deal out of it. One ad may be it. It is very lucrative. As a regestered B-Man I can earn $500 to $800 per shift. Good luck! Jim
I got on by way of a lottery. It used to be that no one was hired on as a Casual unless you were family. The Feds finally forced the ILWU to open up a certain percentage to the general public.
for the entire Westcoast. I sent in a 3x5 card and it was drawn from 8 to 10,000 others from a barrel. There were 234 drawn. check out the odds. I don't expect this to happen again for many years. Keep your ears open however, because casuals aren't getting much work and many give it up. If the casual workforce drops to a low enough point the local union will publish an ad in your local newspaper for applicants. Be sharp because they don't make a big deal out of it. One ad may be it. It is very lucrative. As a regestered B-Man I can earn $500 to $800 per shift. Good luck! Jim
That is what I understand, too. It used to be like the UAW, where only the relatives of existing members, then friends recommended, could get in. And I have heard of lawyers and accountants applying. I don't think the work is nearly as physically demanding as it once was. Can you confirm that?
The work is very physically demanding. You have to be able to load and unload luggage, boxes and other items that are extremely heavy, and you also need to be fast.
That's the union that (in)famously fought the introduction of bar code readers since they had guys making 90k writing down big numbers in pencil.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
