Their median
weekly earnings for full-time wage and salary work were $659 in 1998,
compared with $499 for their nonunion counterparts.
The union wage benefit is even greater for minorities and women. Union
women earn 39 percent more than nonunion women, African American union
members earn 45 more than their nonunion counterparts and for Latino
workers the union advantage totals 54 percent. UA Locals offer their
members excellent wages.
In addition to the highest competitive wage for our industry, the United Association of Plumbers, Pipefitters and Sprinklerfitters provides comprehensive training, certification and upgrading programs at state-of-the-art apprenticeship and training centers throughout New England at no cost to you.
If you're interested in apprenticeship training, click on
Training and Licensing.
Union workers are more likely than their nonunion counterparts to receive health care and pension benefits, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. In 1995, 85 percent of union workers in medium and large establishments had medical care benefits, compared with only 74 percent of nonunion workers.
Union workers are more likely to have retirement and short-term disability benefits. Eighty seven percent of union workers have pension plans versus 78 percent of nonunion workers. Seventy-nine percent of union workers have defined-benefit retirement coverage, compared with 44 percent of nonunion workers. (Defined-benefit plans are federally insured and provide a guaranteed monthly pension amount. They are better for workers than defined-contribution plans, in which the benefit amount depends on how well the underlying investments perform.)
The United Association of Plumbers, Pipefitters and Sprinklerfitters offers a first class health plan for your entire family, one of the best pension plans available and a tax deferred annuity on all jobs.
My name is Gerry Driscoll, and I became a member of Local 12
about two years ago. Before that I worked for years at
Sagamore Plumbing & Heating. It was a good place to work for
but eventually you reach a point where you’re not going to
make any more money. I was also getting older, and I needed to
start thinking about myself. Things had also changed at
Sagamore: There wasn’t the same team atmosphere, and a lot of
quality mechanics and foreman had quit (and gone mostly to
Local 12).
I was getting all these mailings from the union explaining the
benefits, and they really caught my attention, and my wife
would get them and ask me why didn’t I join. I was also in
contact with former Sagamore employees that had made the jump,
and they were always bragging about their paychecks, and
asking me when I was going to wake up. So my wife and I
finally sat down, and I decided to call the union.
It was the best decision I ever made! I’ve been working steady
(with lots of overtime) for the same contractor since I came
in. In addition to my great wages, I get an annuity and (more
importantly) a pension for my retirement. And when I open my
medical bills, they’re all paid. I’m currently working with
two other guys that came from Sagamore, and we look at our
paychecks every week and say we should’ve done this years ago.
The two years have just flown by, and I’m almost halfway to
being vested in the pension. (In fact the first wave of
Sagamore people that came in are already vested. That could’ve
been me).
I always hoped (and still hope)
that Sagamore would go union. He would have access to top
foremen and mechanics. Pat and Joe are good businessmen, but I
had to be a good businessman for myself and my family.
"I am a lifelong resident of Worcester and a member of a professional union. My husband has been a member of a labor union for over thirty years. We are not wealthy and my husband's boss doesn't live in a house any better than ours. In a union it really is equal work for equal pay. And although there are economic hard times for everyone at some time or another, I can honestly say that even in less prosperous times, we still had health, vision, and dental insurance provided to our family through the union. Although many workers have benefits and wages while working open shop, I can assure you that many of those benefits stop after retirement. My father-in-law worked for thirteen years at Wyman-Gordon [union shop] before his retirement. My father retired from Norton Company [non-union shop] after forty-four years of service. Both are now deceased, yet, my mother-in-law continues to receive health benefits from Wyman-Gordon while my mother received health benefits from Norton Company for only three months after my father's death. My mother was lucky however, she was also a retiree of the City of Worcester, and she is provided with healthcare coverage from HER union. She also receives a pension from the city in addition to her social security check. Union members pay dues to ensure they will not burden the system."
Claudia Gauthier
Worcester, MA
"From Road Sprinkler Fitters"
Local Union No. 669
Newsletter, February, 2001
A recent apprentice graduate, Local 131 member Darren Gilbert
of Sandown, NH says that entering the apprentice program “was
the best decision of my life.” At 27, Gilbert, a person who
likes working with his hands, was newly married and looking to
provide for his family.
At first he was unsure about joining the union, but the
excellent training and support he found in the apprenticeship
program convinced him it was the right choice. “The best part
of the apprentice process is the support. It’s not just
yourself but 300 others more than willing to help.” For four
years Gilbert attended classes two nights a week while often
working between 60-70 hours. But he is glad he did.
“I’m a little guy doing big
jobs in schools and hospitals throughout the state,” Gilbert
says. “My family is taken care of. Our health benefits are 100
percent paid for and our retirement funds are taken care of. I
figure I can make up to $60,000 a year because overtime is
there – and it’s there because we do have the best training
and do good work.”
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