United Association

United Association
United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry of the United States and Canada
Abbreviation	UA
Formation	October 11, 1889; 135 years ago
Type	Trade union
Headquarters	Annapolis, Maryland, US
Location	Canada; United States; ;
Membership	363,000 (2014)
President	Mark McManus
Affiliations	AFL–CIO; Canadian Labour Congress; North America's Building Trades Unions;
Website	ua.org

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 (UA), is a labor union which represents workers in the plumbing and pipefitting industries in the United States and Canada.

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Membership (US records)^[2]

Finances (US records; ×$1000)^[2]

Assets Liabilities Receipts Disbursements

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 (steamfitting) and work assignments (plumbers vs. steamfitters). 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.

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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.^[2]

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 (LU) throughout the United States and Canada.^[3]

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

North Dakota

LU 300 NORTH & SOUTH DAKOTA

Ohio

LU 219 AKRON OH
LU 396 BOARDMAN OH
LU 55 CLEVELAND OH
LU 495 CAMBRIDGE OH
LU 94 CANTON OH
LU 392 CINCINNATI OH
LU 120 CLEVELAND OH
LU 189 COLUMBUS OH
LU 162 DAYTON OH
LU 776 LIMA OH
LU 168 MARIETTA OH
LU 50 TOLEDO OH
LU 42 NORWALK OH
LU 577 PORTSMOUTH OH
LU 711 STATE OF OHIO

Oklahoma

LU 344 OKLAHOMA CITY OK
LU 430 TULSA OK
LU 798 TULSA OK

Oregon

LU 290 PORTLAND OR

Pennsylvania

LU 27 PITTSBURGH PA
LU 520 HARRISBURG PA
LU 420 PHILADELPHIA PA
LU 690 PHILADELPHIA PA
LU 692 PHILADELPHIA PA
LU 542 PITTSBURGH PA
LU 449 PITTSBURGH PA
LU 524 SCRANTON PA
LU 600 READING PA
LU 354 LATROBE PA

Rhode Island

LU 51 PROVIDENCE RI

South Carolina

LU 421 CHARLESTON SC

Tennessee

LU 614 MEMPHIS TN
LU 854 HENDERSON TN
LU 43 CHATTANOOGA TN
LU 538 JOHNSON CITY TN
LU 102 KNOXVILLE TN
LU 17 MEMPHIS TN
LU 572 NASHVILLE TN
LU 702 NASHVILLE TN
LU 718 OAK RIDGE TN

Texas

LU 286 AUSTIN TX
LU 211 HOUSTON TX
LU 146 FORT WORTH TX
LU 68 HOUSTON TX
LU 404 NORTHWEST TEXAS
LU 100 DALLAS TX
LU 142 SAN ANTONIO TX
LU 529 WACO TX

Utah

LU 140 SALT LAKE CITY UT

Vermont

LU 693 BARRE VT

Virginia

LU 851 HOPEWELL VA
LU 110 NORFOLK VA
LU 376 NORFOLK VA
LU 10 RICHMOND VA
LU 477 PORTSMOUTH VA
LU 272 PORTSMOUTH VA

Washington

LU 26 WESTERN WASHINGTON
LU 598 PASCO WA
LU 32 SEATTLE WA
LU 699 SEATTLE WA
LU 44 SPOKANE WA

West Virginia

LU 625 CHARLESTON WV
LU 521 HUNTINGTON WV
LU 152 MORGANTOWN WV
LU 565 PARKERSBURG WV
LU 83 WHEELING WV

Wisconsin

LU 400 APPLETON WI
LU 118 RACINE WI
LU 183 MILWAUKEE WI
LU 75 MILWAUKEE WI
LU 601 MILWAUKEE WI
LU 434 CENTRAL & WESTERN WI

Wyoming

LU 192 CHEYENNE WY

192 CHEYENNE WY

Alberta

LU 496 CALGARY AB
LU 488 EDMONTON AB

British Columbia

LU 170 VANCOUVER BC
LU 516 VANCOUVER BC
LU 324 VICTORIA BC

Manitoba

LU 254 WINNIPEG MB

New Brunswick

LU 325 FREDERICTON NB
LU 213 ST JOHN NB

Newfoundland and Labrador

LU 740 ST JOHNS NL

Nova Scotia

LU 244 ANTIGONISH NS
LU 56 HALIFAX NS
LU 282 HALIFAX NS
LU 682 SYDNEY NS

Ontario

LU 401 EASTERN-CENTRAL ON
LU 787 TORONTO ON
LU 67 HAMILTON ON
LU 853 TORONTO ON
LU 71 OTTAWA/HULL ON
LU 663 SARNIA ON
LU 46 TORONTO ON
LU 800 SUDBURY ON
LU 628 THUNDER BAY ON
LU 527 SOUTHWESTERN ONTARIO

Prince Edward Island

LU 721 CHARLOTTETOWN PE

Quebec

LU 827 CORNWALL ON
LU 500 CHICOUTIMI QC
LU 292 MONTREAL QC
LU 144 MONTREAL QC
LU 608 MONTREAL QC

Saskatchewan

LU 179 REGINA SK

Yukon

LU 310 WHITEHORSE YT

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"The objects of this Association are to protect its members from unjust and injurious competition, and secure through unity of action among all workers of the industry throughout the United States and Canada, claiming, as we do, that labor is capital, and is the only capital that possesses power to reproduce itself or in other words, to create capital. Labor is the interest underlying all other interests; therefore, it is entitled to and should receive from society and government protection and encouragement."^[4]

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