Here’s a sign that the economy is still in the toilet.
An estimated 3,000 New Yorkers flooded the Queens headquarters of the Local 1 Plumbers Union yesterday for a chance at 150 plumber’s-apprentice slots opening over the next two years.
“I want a real job with health benefits and security, and I’m willing to bust my ass for it,” said Keri Feore, 33, a bartender from East Rockaway, one of a smattering of women who started lining up outside the Long Island City building over the weekend.
The former Bloomingdale’s makeup-counter clerk got in line at 8:30 a.m. Sunday in the hopes of snagging an apprenticeship that pays $14 an hour the first year but balloons to $49 an hour by the fifth year — not counting generous medical, dental and vision benefits and a pension.
The turnout was so high that only 1,000 of the would-be plumber’s helpers even had a chance to register for the lottery to select the lucky 150 apprentices. Local 1 plumbers work primarily on construction projects.
“This time, there were a lot of disappointed people,” said Arthur Klock, director of education at Local 1. Two years ago, there were 990 candidates.
“If this was just some Home Depot job, you wouldn’t see the same reaction,” Klock said, adding that the high turnout was “absolutely” linked to the poor economy.
The 1,000th application went to Steven Cialone, an unemployed 19-year-old from New Hyde Park. “People were saying I should play the Lotto,” he said of his chances.