AUGUSTA, Maine — Maine lawmakers have given initial approval to a bill that’s intended to get more students who aspire to be electricians into the field as helpers.
The House on Tuesday gave initial approval to the bill, which changes the state’s electrician licensing laws by changing the number of helper electricians that may be supervised by a journeyman electrician from one to two.
The bill faces further House and Senate votes.
Republican supporters said the bill encourages more students looking for careers in the trades to get into the field.
Democratic opponents warned that less-experienced electricians would be taking jobs from more experienced master electricians. They also said the demand for electricians is estimated to decrease during the next few years.
Oh oh.
The dems and the unions aren’t going to like this one.
No wonnder Maine got an F when it comes to government corruption this really shows the corporate greed , especially considering that one of the cainchettes just happen to governot lopages right hand man.
I believe this law has another agenda. They are purposely doing this so large electircal companies can reduce their costs by hiring untrained lower wage people to do normal electrical work. I saw this first hand as a carpenters apprentice where there is no limit to how many helpers there could be. The company was very large and there were 4-5 “helpers” to each master carpenter. There was no “teaching” going on. The apprentices were basically used as “cheap” laborers!! Whats an apprenticeship if your not taught anything?? What do you learn other than carrying boards, or in this case pulling wire all day?? Pulling wire all day for 2 years will not teach any of these “helpers” in the electrical trade. It will not help them get their license! Just a ploy to get payroll costs down!!
And where did I read there was a shortage of electricians in Maine???? And I thought trades people were out of work. Now they are helping unexperienced people come into the field?? So, this law will actually allow companies to have fewer licensed electricians and more helpers. Thus more licensed electricians without employment will have that much of a harder time finding employment. And then possibly have to take lower wages. THATS THE PLAN!!!
No I am not in any kind of union either! No longer in the trades. But I know the ploys companies use!