HOME : What benefits does an apprenticeship offer?
Earnings and Fringe Benefits
Wages of the apprentice vary from craft to craft. No attempt is made to state each craft’s beginning wages as new contract provisions are negotiated and become effective periodically.
The beginning wage of an apprentice is a percentage of the rate paid a journeyman.
As an apprentice's training and work experience proceeds, he or she will receive pay increases. Such increases usually become effective after 1,000 hours of employment, and progress upward to the journeyman rate.
Union Membership
Each trade union governs its own admission of apprentices to membership. Generally, apprentices become members at the end of the probationary period and then gain the benefits of union membership.
A variety of benefits accrue to union members under the Collective Bargaining Agreement. These benefits provide health and life insurance, medical care, pensions, etc. and are called “Fringe Benefits”. These benefits are paid out of a trust fund to which the employer contributes on an hourly basis.
Unemployment Benefits
Apprentices who may become unemployed due to a shortage of work in the respective trade may be eligible for unemployment compensation benefits during their period of unemployment.
Veteran’s Benefits
Apprentices who are veterans and enrolled in registered and certified programs (construction industry programs in Montana) are eligible for Veterans Administration training allowances under Public Law 92-540.
Tutoring
Refresher Courses may be arranged through the Apprentice Outreach Program for the Apprentice Applicant who needs to upgrade Math, English, or other academic skills, or who require a General Equivalency Diploma.
Probationary Period
A probationary period varying from a few weeks to a few months, is included as a provision in all standards of apprenticeship. During the probationary period, the agreement between the apprentice and the Committee may be terminated by either party without stated cause. The purpose of the probationary period is to afford both the apprentice and the Committee an opportunity to correct obvious mistakes and misunderstandings with a minimum of harm to either party.
Discrimination
The sponsors of the apprenticeship program are dedicated to the ideals of Equal Employment Opportunity with selections made on the basis of qualifications alone without regard to race, creed, color, national origin, sex, or occupationally irrelevant physical requirements in accordance with objective standards which permit review after full and fair opportunity for application. Furthermore, the sponsors are party to affirmative action through the participation of an outreach program covering the state of Montana.
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