United Association


The United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry of the United States and Canada, commonly known as the United Association, is a labor union which represents workers in the plumbing and pipefitting industries in the United States and Canada.

History

Journeymen in the pipe trades in the 1880s worked in three basic crafts: plumbers, steamfitters and gasfitters.
The first truly successful national body, the United Association of Journeymen Plumbers, Gas Fitters, Steam Fitters, and Steam Fitters' Helpers of the United States and Canada, was officially founded on October 11, 1889.
Gradually, former members of rival unions joined the United Association. The depression of 1893–1897 slowed the development of a stronger organization. Membership in the United Association grew to 6,700 in 1893, but fell to 4,400 by 1897. Yet, by that year 151 local unions were listed on its rolls.
Starting in 1898, the construction industry entered a period of expansion and prosperity that lasted until 1914. From 1898 to 1906 the United Association quadrupled its membership.
During its first years, the United Association was essentially a federation of local unions, rather than a truly national union of the pipe trades. The major breakthrough toward a unified national organization came at the 1902 national convention in Omaha, when delegates approved a Nationalization Committee proposal establishing a comprehensive system of sick, death and strike benefits.
As such reforms to strengthen the national organization were being made in the early part of the century, however, some locals broke ranks to form a rival union. In August 1906, members of the secessionist union realized the futility of further rivalry and agreed to affiliate with the United Association.
From 1898 to 1914, the United Association went through several phases of a struggle with the International Association of Steam and Hot Water Fitters and Helpers, a prolonged and sometimes bitter dispute both over jurisdiction over a craft and work assignments. The conflict affected other building trades when walkouts by the rival steamfitting organizations, as a result of their jurisdictional dispute, led to work stoppages by other crafts.
The strength of the United Association, and favorable rulings by the American Federation of Labor, including the revocation of the International Association's charter in 1912, ended this jurisdictional battle, but other jurisdictional issues would continue to challenge the union.
New disputes arose over the construction of chemical plants and other manufacturing and service establishments that required extensive piping systems. Large volumes of newer types of pipefitting installation in the shift from World War I wartime industries to peacetime construction caused considerable difficulties. Jurisdictional problems also developed with other national unions, but the United Association retained jurisdiction over important, growing areas of work like construction of industrial plants, public utilities, petroleum facilities and residential buildings.
In the first half of the century, the United Association moved to formalize apprenticeship training programs, including making a five-year apprenticeship mandatory in 1921, and in 1938 holding that all apprentices be members of the United Association and attend related training classes. Its National Plumbing Apprenticeship Plan of 1936 was the first set of standards governing apprenticeship to win approval of the federal government.
In the Depression, United Association membership fell from its 1929 peak of 60,000 to 26,000 by 1933.
After several constitutional changes through the years, the 1946 convention changed the name of the organization to its present name: The United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry of the United States and Canada.
Throughout World War II and after, the United Association made considerable gains in membership and prestige. Between 1940 and 1954 membership surged from 60,000 to 240,000 with veterans entering the skilled craftsmen field.
United Association member George Meany was elected in 1952 to be president of the newly formed AFL-CIO and was to provide a shaping force in the American labor movement until his death in 1980.
The New Frontier of President John F. Kennedy and Great Society of President Lyndon Johnson were movements supported by the United Association. With expanded training programs beginning in 1956, the UA was able to meet the demands of accelerated construction activity in the 1960s. With the increased work the slogan, "There is no substitute for UA skilled craftsmen" became widespread throughout the industry. By 1971 the UA was 320,000 strong.

Composition

According to UA's reports to the Department of Labor since 2000, the union has consistently had about 93 percent members in "building trades", the remaining 7 percent in "metal trades". Out of the total membership, most are considered "journeymen", with about 12 percent considered "apprentices". As of January 1, 2017, fourth- and fifth-year apprentices are eligible to vote in the union.
From humble beginnings of 40 delegates representing 23 independent unions in 10 states and the District of Columbia, the United Association has grown to a powerful, international union representing over 300,000 members in more than 300 local unions throughout the United States and Canada.

Alabama

  • LU 91 BIRMINGHAM AL
  • LU 372 TUSCALOOSA AL
  • LU 548 MONTGOMERY AL
  • LU 119 MOBILE AL
  • LU 52 MONTGOMERY AL
  • LU 760 SHEFFIELD AL

    Alaska

  • LU 367 ANCHORAGE AK
  • LU 375 FAIRBANKS AK
  • LU 262 JUNEAU AK

    Arizona

  • LU 469 PHOENIX AZ

    Arkansas

  • LU 155 STATE OF ARKANSAS

    California

  • LU 460 BAKERSFIELD CA
  • LU 114 SANTA BARBARA CA
  • LU 761 BURBANK CA
  • LU 467 SAN MATEO CA
  • LU 62 MONTEREY-SANTA CRUZ CA
  • LU 364 COLTON CA
  • LU 342 OAKLAND CA
  • LU 345 LOS ANGELES CA
  • LU 246 FRESNO CA
  • LU 250 LOS ANGELES CA
  • LU 483 SAN FRANCISCO CA
  • LU 78 LOS ANGELES CA
  • LU 159 MARTINEZ CA
  • LU 228 MARYSVILLE CA
  • LU 442 STOCKTON CA
  • LU 582 SANTA ANA CA
  • LU 398 POMONA CA
  • LU 447 SACRAMENTO CA
  • LU 230 SAN DIEGO CA
  • LU 38 SAN FRANCISCO CA
  • LU 393 SAN JOSE CA
  • LU 403 SAN LUIS OBISPO CA
  • LU 343 VALLEJO-NAPA CA
  • LU 355 BURLINGAME CA
  • LU 484 VENTURA CA
  • LU 709 LOS ANGELES CA

    Colorado

  • LU 3 DENVER CO
  • LU 58 COLORADO SPRINGS CO
  • LU 208 DENVER CO
  • LU 145 GRAND JUNCTION CO

    Connecticut

  • LU 777 STATE OF CONNECTICUT

    Delaware

  • LU 74 WILMINGTON DE

    Florida

  • LU 295 DAYTONA BEACH FL
  • LU 123 TAMPA FL
  • LU 719 BROWARD COUNTY FL
  • LU 519 MIAMI FL
  • LU 234 JACKSONVILLE FL
  • LU 725 MIAMI FL
  • LU 803 ORLANDO FL
  • LU 630 WEST PALM BEACH FL
  • LU 821 STATE OF FLORIDA

    Georgia

  • LU 72 ATLANTA GA
  • LU 150 AUGUSTA GA
  • LU 177 BRUNSWICK GA
  • LU 473 JESUP GA
  • LU 188 SAVANNAH GA

    Hawaii

  • LU 675 HONOLULU HI
  • LU 811 HONOLULU HI

    Idaho

  • LU 296 BOISE ID
  • LU 648 POCATELLO ID

    Illinois

  • LU 281 CHICAGO IL
  • LU 101 BELLEVILLE IL
  • LU 99 BLOOMINGTON IL
  • LU 439 EAST ST LOUIS IL
  • LU 653 CENTRALIA IL
  • LU 130 CHICAGO IL
  • LU 597 CHICAGO IL
  • LU 360 EAST ST LOUIS IL
  • LU 63 PEORIA IL
  • LU 553 ALTON IL
  • LU 160 CARBONDALE IL
  • LU 353 PEORIA IL
  • LU 25 ROCK ISLAND IL
  • LU 23 ROCKFORD IL
  • LU 149 CHAMPAIGN IL
  • LU 137 SPRINGFIELD IL
  • LU 551 HERRIN IL

    Indiana

  • LU 136 EVANSVILLE IN
  • LU 166 FORT WAYNE IN
  • LU 440 INDIANAPOLIS IN
  • LU 210 HOBART IN
  • LU 172 SOUTH BEND IN
  • LU 157 TERRE HAUTE IN

    Iowa

  • LU 125 CEDAR RAPIDS IA
  • LU 33 DES MOINES IA

    Kansas

  • LU 441 WICHITA KS

    Kentucky

  • LU 248 ASHLAND KY
  • LU 452 LEXINGTON KY
  • LU 502 LOUISVILLE KY
  • LU 633 OWENSBORO KY
  • LU 184 PADUCAH KY

    Louisiana

  • LU 247 ALEXANDRIA LA
  • LU 198 BATON ROUGE LA
  • LU 60 NEW ORLEANS LA
  • LU 141 SHREVEPORT LA

    Maine

  • LU 716 STATE OF MAINE

    Maryland

  • LU 900 WASHINGTON DC
  • LU 486 BALTIMORE MD
  • LU 5 WASHINGTON DC
  • LU 602 WASHINGTON DC
  • LU 669 COLUMBIA MD
  • LU 489 CUMBERLAND MD

    Massachusetts

  • LU 12 BOSTON MA
  • LU 550 BOSTON MA
  • LU 537 BOSTON MA
  • LU 104 SPRINGFIELD MA
  • LU 4 WORCESTER MA

    Michigan

  • LU 190 ANN ARBOR MI
  • LU 174 WEST MICHIGAN
  • LU 111 ESCANABA MI
  • LU 636 DETROIT MI
  • LU 370 FLINT MI
  • LU 333 LANSING MI
  • LU 98 DETROIT MI
  • LU 671 MONROE MI
  • LU 85 SAGINAW MI
  • LU 357 KALAMAZOO MI
  • LU 704 DETROIT MI

    Minnesota

  • LU 11 DULUTH MN
  • LU 15 MINNEAPOLIS MN
  • LU 340 MINNEAPOLIS MN
  • LU 539 MINNEAPOLIS MN
  • LU 6 ROCHESTER MN
  • LU 417 MINNEAPOLIS MN
  • LU 34 ST PAUL MN
  • LU 455 ST PAUL MN
  • LU 589 HIBBING MN

    Mississippi

  • LU 568 GULFPORT MS
  • LU 436 PASCAGOULA MS
  • LU 619 VICKSBURG MS

    Missouri

  • LU 562 ST LOUIS MO
  • LU 8 KANSAS CITY MO
  • LU 781 KANSAS CITY MO
  • LU 314 KANSAS CITY MO
  • LU 533 KANSAS CITY MO
  • LU 178 SPRINGFIELD MO
  • LU 45 ST JOSEPH MO
  • LU 268 ST LOUIS MO

    Montana

  • LU 30 BILLINGS MT
  • LU 41 BUTTE MT
  • LU 459 MISSOULA MT

    Nebraska

  • LU 16 OMAHA NE
  • LU 464 OMAHA NE

    Nevada

  • LU 525 LAS VEGAS NV
  • LU 350 RENO NV

    New Hampshire

  • LU 131 CONCORD-MANCHESTER NH
  • LU 788 PORTSMOUTH NH

    New Jersey

  • LU 9 CENTRAL NEW JERSEY
  • LU 696 NEWARK NJ
  • LU 274 JERSEY CITY NJ
  • LU 855 JERSEY CITY NJ
  • LU 475 NEWARK NJ
  • LU 24 LODI NJ
  • LU 322 SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY

    New Mexico

  • LU 412 ALBUQUERQUE NM

    New York

  • LU 112 BINGHAMTON NY
  • LU 773 GLENS FALLS NY
  • LU 7 ALBANY NY
  • LU 1 NEW YORK NY
  • LU 638 NEW YORK NY
  • LU 373 ROCKLAND COUNTY NY
  • LU 21 PEEKSKILL NY
  • LU 13 ROCHESTER NY
  • LU 200 NASSAU-SUFFOLK NY
  • LU 128 SCHENECTADY NY
  • LU 81 SYRACUSE NY
  • LU 22 BUFFALO NY