UA History
The United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the
Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry of the United States and
Canada, the parent Union of Local # 777 in Connecticut , has a
long and proud history that goes back more than 100 years.
Before and during the Civil War, plumbers and pipefitters were
organized in many major cities of the United States. The first
strong, long-lasting local Unions were established in the boom
construction decade, 1879-1889, when United States population
growth accelerated.
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.
General President William P. Hite now leads the United
Association forward into the 21st century.
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