IBEW 993 Frequently Asked Questions

If you see a job posting with the stated agreement being “Project Agreement” this means that there is an agreement that is specific to that job site.

If there’s more than one agreement for a job site, please refer to the appropriate jobsite information page.

If a job is posted as filled it’s usually because it was a name request, an apprentice returning from school, etc.

The Unemployed List

The Unemployed List contains everyone who is currently unemployed and has their Ready for Work certifications, regardless of their availability.

Typically shifts are written with the number of working days, a slash, then the number of days off.

Some Typical Shifts

21/7 = Work 21 days, 7 days off
20/8 = Work 20 days, 8 days off
14/7 = Work 14 days, 7 days off
10/4 = Work 10 days, 4 days off
5/2 = Work 5 days, 2 days off

Compressed Work Week

A contractor may decide to work a compressed work week which is 10 hours per day for 4 days per week. This is often called 4/10 or four tens. Don’t confuse this with the 10/4 shift.
For more information on Compressed Work Week schedules, check out section 301 of our agreement.

A Dispatch Request for a compressed work week will always be displayed as:

Shift: 4/3
Hours: 10 Hours/Day

This is something that’s very poorly named.

You do not need a Travel Card to work in another local’s jurisdiction.

With a Travel Card, you are becoming a member of another local. You would do this if you’ve permanently moved to within the receiving local’s jurisdiction.

A better name for a Travel Card would be Transfer Card because you’re transferring to another local and becoming a member of that local.

When you request a Travel Card from your current local, you will need to have your dues paid 3 months months in advance to cover the period of time that it will take to process.

If you are a member of 993 and you drop a Travel Card into another local and you’re accepted, you will no longer be a member of 993. You will be a member of the local where you submitted your Travel Card.

To have your Travel Card accepted by 993, you will need to have lived in our jurisdiction for 1 year.

At the beginning of a new year the unemployed lists are renumbered, maintaining everyone’s position. You position on the unemployed list will not change because of a zero out.

Immediately after a zero out, your position on the Master Unemployed List and your days worked number will be exactly the same.

The process of zeroing out the unemployed list is done to ensure fairness over time for all members.

Example list before a Zero Out:

Example of the same last after a Zero Out:

Notice that all positions have been maintained and no one has been moved up or down the list. Only the Days Worked numbers have changed.

Your current number is determined by taking your number from the beginning of the year and adding the number of days that you’ve worked in the current year.

Your number is not your place on the out of work list but determines your place on the list.

Even if you haven’t worked any days in the current year, your number cannot be zero because we have to maintain the list order.

To see how the order of the unemployed list is determined see How is the order of the unemployed list determined?

When you’re logged in as a member and viewing unfilled dispatch requests, you will see a link to Register for the call.

The online call registration is one of two ways that you can inform the dispatch office that you are interested in and would like a phone call for that dispatch request.

If you register for a dispatch request, it means that you have read over all of the requirements and definitely want the job.

Call the main office at 250-376-8755

Occasionally, the dispatch request postings on the web site will have acronyms in the details section.

RFS: Return From School. See this FAQ for more information

NR: Name Request. See the Dispatch Rules and Name Request FAQs for more information

JW: Journeyman Wireman

AW: Apprentice Wireman

WW: Wireman Welder

BT: Boomtruck Operator

LOA: Living Out Allowance. See 704(g) in the Inside Wireman’s Agreement

Acc: Accomodations. The contractor is supplying accommodations, usually along with a daily mail allowance. See 704(g) in the Inside Wireman’s Agreement

If you’re an apprentice that’s currently working and you will be attending school, the contractor that you’re working for will give you a layoff to attend school.

You must call the dispatch office to put your name on the out of work list.

If you don’t call the dispatch office when you’re laid off, all of those days in school will be counted as days worked and that will effect your position on the out of work list. If the contractor doesn’t have work for you when you’re finished school, you will be further down the out of work list than you should be.

If the contractor that you were working for when you were laid off to go to school has work for you when you’ve completed school, they can issue a Dispatch Request for you stating that you are returning from school. The dispatch office will issue a Return From School clearance and you can go right back to work. To initiate the Return From School procedure, please let the dispatcher know that you’d like to go back and we will contact the contractor.

You cannot go back to work until the Return From School clearance has been sent.

What is a name request?
A name request is when a contractor requests a specific person regardless of where they are on the out of work list.

From the IBEW 993 Dispatch Rules:
All contractors working in the jurisdiction of IBEW LU 993 will be entitled to name request one journeyman on a one to one basis to the maximum of fourteen journeymen, from the unemployed list. For example: one jouneyman name request and one journeyman cleared under the normal procedure and so on to a maximum of fourteen journeymen.

From Our Agreement: Article IV Section 402 (Last paragraph)
An Employer shall be allowed to send one (1) “A” Foreman and one “B” Foreman per project site into the geographic jurisdiction of other locals within the Province.

Examples

Out of Jurisdiction Signatory Contractor
One of our signatory contractors based outside of our jurisdiction obtains work within our jurisdiction and sends a name request for their “A” Foreman that is a current employee and member of another local. At this time, they cannot request their second out of jurisdiction “B” foreman because there aren’t enough people on the job site to warrant a “B” foreman. See Article IV Section 402 for an example of job build up numbers and positions.

Calls would be one off the list and one name request until there were 14 journeymen on the job. Further calls would then be all off the list.

Local Shop
A local shop may have a 50/50 name request ratio up to a total of 14 journeymen, which is a total of 7 name requests.
If a shop employs 6 journeymen, then only 3 of them should be name requests.
The name request ratio can get out of sync due to normal business operations with layoffs, people quiting, etc. If the number of name requests is less than 7 but there are less list requests than name requests, then all requests must be off the list until the ratio is restored.

No. There is a maximum number of name requests that a contractor can have, based on the number of people currently on site.

See “How do name requests work?” for more information.

While it’s possible to move down on the list, it usually only happens rarely unless you’re quite far down on the list.

If a member is cleared for a short period of time, it’s possible that their days worked number after their days worked are added is still lower than yours.

No.

15th of the month, following the month you worked.

When you move within 993’s jurisdiction, there will be a six month waiting period before you can be considered for local hire.

Proof of residency will be required.

Yes, if you live outside of 993’s jurisdiction you can declare residency in four areas: Prince George, Kamloops, or Terrace/Kitimat, or Prince Rupert.

The IBEW 993 unemployed lists are ordered based on the number of days worked in the current year. Everyone is assigned a number, to which the number of days worked is added to, determining their position on the list.

Example: If someone has a number of 100 and they work 53 days, their new number when they’re added to the unemployed list will be 153.

At the beginning of each year, the lists are zeroed out and everyone is renumbered maintaining their current position on the list. This is done to ensure that the numbers don’t become unwieldy and to maintain fairness over time.

If you were laid off from a job that you started in the current year, the formula would be:

Number of Days Worked + Starting List Number = New Number

If you were laid off from a job that you started in the previous year, the formula would be:

1. Number of Days from the Start Date to the Zero Out Date + Starting List Number = Number At The Beginning of the Previous Year
2. The Number at the Beginning of the Previous Year is then compared to the Zero Out list so a new number for the Beginning of the Current Year can be determined.
3. Number of Days from The Zero Out Date to the Last Day Worked + Number at the Beginning of the Current Year =  New Number

Depending on the situation, you may be able to move from one job site to another as long as:

1. You are a 993 member
2. The contractor is the same and has an office/shop in our jurisdiction.
3. The contract is the same.

In some cases, contractors from outside our jurisdiction are granted name requests on a per site basis. When this is the case, you must not transfer to another job site.

If you’re ever in doubt, just call the dispatch office and I’ll help you out.

It’s important to inform the dispatch office via telephone (no messages), in person, or by using the online form (no emails) whenever you are out of work so those days aren’t counted as days worked. You must contact the dispatch office and not the main office staff.

We cannot put you back on the list via telephone message or an email. You MUST use one of the two methods:

1. Telephone – 778-470-5657
2. Online Form – https://ibew993.org/end-work/

Even if you do not want to go right back to work, you should should still call in to the dispatch office. If you’re not available for work, just let the dispatch office know and we’ll mark you as not available.

You can visit the main office in Kamloops and pay your dues with a cheque or cash. We do not accept credit cards or debit.

For your convenience, you can also pay online through your bank’s web site. You would set up IBEW 993 as a payee with your card number as the account number.
Please call the main office at 250-376-8755 if you have questions about online payments.

The dues for 2024 are $49 per month from January to June, then $50 from July forward.

Typically no. Your position on the unemployed list is determined by the number of days that you’ve worked in the current year.

It’s important to inform the dispatch office via the online form or by telephone (no messages) whenever you are out of work so those days aren’t counted as days worked.

You can always find out when the next meeting in your area is by checking the Event Calendar.

Here’s how the meeting dates are determined:

The Executive Board Meeting is always the first Tuesday of the month.

The Unit 2 Meeting is the Thursday following the Executive Board Meeting (first Thursday after the first Tuesday).

The Unit 1 Meeting is the second Wednesday following the Executive Meeting (second Wednesday after the first Tuesday).

The Unit 3 Meeting is the second Thursday after the Executive Board Meeting (second Thursday after the first Tuesday). Unit 3 Meetings alternate between Terrace and Kitimat, so if you’re unsure, take a look at the Event Calendar.

Meetings start at 7:00pm.

Yes. You can fine some online training options available on the Western Jets website (http://wjets.ca).

You will need to create an account for the Western Jets website if you haven’t already in order to see the information.

Once you’re logged in, under “Training” on the main navigation menu, choose “Online Training”.

If you need CSTS-09 (Construction Safety Training System) training, please contact Joann at joann@ibew993.org.

All training requests for IBEW 993 are done through the Western Jets website (http://wjets.ca)..

You will need to create an account on the Western Jets website if you haven’t already. You account for the IBEW 993 website will not work because they are two separate websites.

Once you’re logged in to the Western Jets website, under “Training” on the main navigation menu, choose “Training Request”

For information on upcoming jobs, the first place to check would be the Work Picture page on our website.

For information on current jobs and calls, you can log in to the Member’s Only section of our website and view any outstanding calls, as well as past calls.

Attending monthly unit meetings is a great way to get information on current and upcoming jobs.

The dispatch office has no insight as to what will happen in the future.

If you’re currently working and do not have a paid up dues receipt, there’s a possibility that you could be removed from site until you’re up to date.

You cannot be cleared to a job site if your dues are not up to date.

If your dues have lapsed by 3 months, you will be required to pay a reinstatement fee of $30 in addition to all past dues.

If your dues have lapsed by 6 months, you will be dropped from membership.

Manpower requests are posted on the website by 4:00 pm the day they were received. You will be able to register for that request until 8:00 am the following business day.

At 8:00 am the following business day, the request is closed to registrations.

A call out will be performed, calling the members that registered in the order that they are on the list.

Manpower requests are posted on the website by 4:00 pm the day they were received. You will be able to register for that request until 8:00 am the following business day.

You have from 4:00 pm to 8:00 am to think about the job, talk to your family or significant other, ask questions via the dispatch request page, etc.

No. As per the Collective Agreements, all calls are based on a 40 hour work week. Any other shift duration listed can be changed at the contractor’s discretion without notice either according to a PLA or standard agreement. Calls may specify expected shifts but scheduling, material, weather delays, etc. may cause you not to get full expected shifts or hours worked within pay period.

* However, the two day rule still applies during the 40 hour period.

No/Possible. All jobs are subject to lifting, pulling, climbing, and heights. We will indicate specific requirements (e.g. extreme heights) if it is required. We may be able to get the contractor to accommodate you, but no guarantees of success.

If you leave to site before your tests are confirmed you cannot check into camp or be reimbursed for any excess travel, etc. Members must ensure drug and alcohol test results, when required, are confirmed negative before reporting to or leaving for site.

In the case of a positive or even false positive, you will be on the hook for all your travel costs.

No, we cannot force the company to lay you off. All job calls will be considered indefinite in duration unless an exact completion date is specified.

Yes. Dues must be paid up before reporting to the Job Site. Failing to do so may mean removal from the job until your are dues are paid the the end of the current month.