Why Consider Joining A Union?

A long time ago, mankind learned that by teaming up with

others, he could tackle any task with greater success. Thus, villages

and towns were formed – together, men could provide a safer and

more stable life for themselves and their families.

The principle of trade unionism is much the same. A Union, a

group of dedicated men and women striving toward the same goals,

provides security and dignity for all members.

The voices of many are louder than the voice of an individual.

The United Association speaks for its members, working to achieve

job security, health and welfare benefits, a living wage, a safe working

environment, and a comfortable pension.

When you join a union, you are joining a democracy. Each

member has the opportunity to voice his concerns and suggestions,

working for a better life for all.

What Union Should You Join?

Naturally when you decide to join a union, you will want one

which best represents workers who may be Building Trades

Craftsman, journeymen or apprentices, tradesmen, helpers, trainees

or any other work classification used in the plumbing and pipefitting

industry. They also represent utility and production workers,

maintenance and/or service personnel, marine pipefitters, production

workers, engineers, technicians and/or any other worker classification

that fits into work that could fall under UA jurisdiction.

Because the United Association is composed of craftsmen

who share skills and experience, it is well-suited to help you

achieve your goals. The local union officers, elected by local

union members, have a working knowledge of the conditions and

demands of the trade. They can speak with authority on the

problems and challenges that the workers face daily on the

jobsite.

If you are employed at the plumbing and/or pipefitting

trade or on any other type of work allied to or connected in any

manner with the plumbing and pipefitting industry then the

United Association is the union for you.

What Is The United Association?

The United Association is an effective international union

made up of the most skilled pipe tradesmen the construction

industry has ever known. It is a union which protects its

members and jurisdiction at every level. The United Association

is composed of journeymen and apprentices in every division of

the plumbing and pipefitting industry.

A democratic organization, with officers elected by the

membership, the United Association is affiliated with the various

departments of the AFL-CIO and the Canadian Federation of

Labour.

The United Association is international, having members in

Canada as well as in the United States. It is an organization that

you can be proud to be part of.

Why Does The United Association Exist?

All unions were born of necessity. During the Industrial

Revolution, working men and women were treated very unfairly.

There were no child labor laws, and thousands of children –

some as young as five years old – worked ten-hour days under

oppressive conditions.

It was standard practice for employers to demand that their

employees work ten-hours a day, seven days a week. There were

no vacations, no sick leave, no workmen’s compensation, no

pensions, and no health and safety laws. Working men, women

and children had nothing to look forward to – their lives were

spent working, and they worked until they died.

In the mid-1800s, the trade union movement began in

earnest. The United Association was officially born on October

11, 1889, when 40 delegates from 23 local unions traveled to

Washington, D.C. to attend the founding convention.

The convention was held to ensure that workers would no

longer be taken advantage of. Almost all of the benefits and

protections enjoyed by American workers today are a direct

result of the trade union movement.

What Can The United Association Do For

You?

The United Association and its local unions work to

provide members a fair wage and safe working conditions,

process grievances, and protect members from unjust and

injurious competition. All local unions have training facilities,

health and welfare plans, and pension plans. The United

Association provides training for both apprentices and

journeymen, making UA craftsmen the very best.

Journeymen may take advantage of training sessions

which provide up-to-date technology necessary to United

Association members so that they can be kept abreast of

innovations and changes in the industry, thereby insuring

that their skills are current and in demand.

If you are working in any industry allied to the

plumbing and pipefitting trade it is important to your future

to become a member of the United Association. Join with

the thousands of craftsmen who have united to build a

secure, prosperous future for themselves and their families.

What Type Of Work Is Performed By

United Association Members?

United Association members work in a variety of

settings from housing to power stations, doing new

construction and maintenance, air conditioning, heating,

refrigeration and plumbing service work.

They install and service fire sprinkler systems, perform

marine pipefitting, gas fitting, pipe fabrication and assembly,

lead burning, manufacturing of mechanical parts and

equipment, air and water balance, pneumatic and electric

control work, startup of all mechanical equipment, quality

control and non-destructive testing on all types of jobs or

products, appliance service and repair, inplant operation of

mechanical systems, servicing utility plants and systems.

As a United Association member, you may be working

at your job on single family residence, apartments,

commercial establishments, office buildings, hospitals,

airports, shipyards, fabrication shops, shopping centers,

offshore oil rigs, manufacturing plants, refineries, power

houses, pipelines, utility plants and systems and/or other site

where work of the United Association is being performed.

Who Hires United Association Members

To Do This Work?

United Association members are employed by

plumbing and mechanical contractors, fire sprinkler

contractors, plumbing, heating, refrigeration and air

conditioning service companies, utility contractors,

shipbuilders (private and federal sector) building and plant

owners, utility companies, quality control contractors, control

companies, instrumentation companies, air and water balance

companies, chain stores, food processing companies, paper mills,

power plants, hospitals, school systems, universities and colleges,

federal, state and local governments, manufacturing companies,

recreational centers (such as Disney World), fabricating shops,

refineries, casinos, electric power companies. In short, the United

Association represented workers are a vital part of virtually every

industry in the United States of America and Canada.

How Does The United Association Operate?

The United Association is led by a group of General Officers

who are elected by the delegates at a convention held every five

years. Members who attend these conventions as delegates are elected

by their brother / sister members at the local union level.

The General Office has many departments and functions,

including Jurisdiction, Organizing, Training, Legislative and Safety.

Each General Officer pledges to uphold the United Association

constitution and to protect the interest and welfare of all members.

How Many Locals And Members Are In The

United Association?

Currently, there are over 275 local unions in the United

Association, with over 300,000 members.

The local unions are located in all of the 50 states of America

and every Province of Canada. Members are free to travel from one

local area to another to satisfy the needs of local work conditions.

Where Can You Learn More About The United

Association?

Jesse Gray

Organizer

509-624-5101 (Ext 6)

jesse@ua44.org