I left IBEW almost one decade ago; my former local's contract is only +10% since then... in one of the nation's secondary tech capitals! After a decade I shutt

I left IBEW almost one decade ago; my former local's contract is only +10% since then... in one of the nation's secondary tech capitals! After a decade I shuttered my own electrical contracting shop because I realized I didn't want to become large enough for full-time employees, but also didn't want to be 100% responsible for problem solving 24/7 (in addition to sales, billing/collection). If I had to start over Apprenticeship Year One, I couldn't afford to anywhere in America... unless perhaps I were still young and/or lived with parents at under-market rates. In my three decades working, now feels like the worst time to be Bottom 80th%ile™.