The Illinois thing sounds exactly like Washington. I just don't know if an electrician is given master status over all subclasses or even if the subclasses exist.

I'm not bitching about anything else Washignton has done. Allowing us to become certified basically gave a path to all of the "jacks of all trades" to get licensed or get out and it was pretty well advertised. I agree that unlicensed "contractors" do screw us all... we call them "trunkslammers" and most have never even seen the inside of an L%I office. It's funny how once you do get your license you sort of feel like the member of a club and even if you used to be on the outside looking in, your sympathies aren't really there once you cross over.

The Union houses put another division in the line though. I feel I'm competent and run a successful business but I'm looked down upon by those in that club much like I would look down on a trunkslammer; the difference being that we are both licensed professionals in the first scenario.

I use your advice... I just stay away from Union sites or schedule my work post electrical. On the incident I described with the cut wires, I knew something was fishy and the fix was a meter and about an extra hour and a half of labor so it really wasn't a huge deal.

My biggest fears are the Massachusetts style legislations that the Unions are sponsoring. Having to pay a Union scale worker who didn't actually work would be enough of an erosion of my profits to probably kill my business. Our area is competitive enough without this extra expense.