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 325 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?
Mike Foley
Organizer
509-624-5101 (Ext 6)
irishmikef@msn.com
Page Last Updated: Jan 11, 2012 (07:54:57)
|