Pros
JCI offers great benefits, very good starting pay, and the protection and comradery of union support (at least at my plant; UAW). From insurance and retirement packages to health incentives and coaching, they want to help you. I appreciate that. The people I work with, too, are by and large a pleasure, and even in a relatively small facility I am always meeting new people and finding friendship rather freely. The company is made up of its people, and there are a lot of good people at JCI.
Kontras
I am in assembly, which is tough work with long, odd hours. Unfortunately, the same union contract which is there to protect me makes personal advancement feel like walking through mud. The best hours and choice positions go to those with highest seniority, regardless of who can do the job well. I have been trying to secure a position in management, which would mean leaving union membership. Yet now instead of battling seniority, I face upper management who do not care about my abilities, performance, and experience in my plant, but would rather hire in people from outside with more experience, though at totally different facilities, even companies. It is frustrating, but not unique to JCI, of course. Just know to expect some locked doors and politics as side effects.
