Table of Contents:

  1. International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW)
  2. United Association (UA)
  3. United Brotherhood of Carpenters (UBC)
  4. Ironworkers (IW)
  5. International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation (SMART)
  6. Laborer’s International Union of North America (LIUNA)
  7. International Union of Elevator Constructors (IUEC)
  8. International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT)
  9. International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftsmen (BAC)
  10. United Union of Roofers, Waterproofers, and Allied Workers (UURWAW)
  11. International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers (HFIAW)
  12. Operative Plasterers and Cement Masons International Association (OPCMIA)

International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW)

Website: http://www.ibew.org
Founded: 1891
Number of members: 775,000
Area of service: US and Canada
Office Address : 900 Seventh Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20001

The IBEW represents approximately 775,000 active members and retirees who work in a wide variety of fields, including utilities, construction, telecommunications, broadcasting, manufacturing, railroads and government.  The IBEW has members in both the United States and Canada and stands out among the American unions in the AFL-CIO because it is among the largest and has members in so many skilled occupations.

Classifications: The IBEW has 3 main classifications, however this does not represent all of its members.

  1. Inside Wiremen: Inside wiremen are electricians who generally work on commercial and industrial projects installing electrical and power systems in buildings.
  2. Linemen: Linemen install and repair high voltage utility lines that power buildings, neighborhoods, and cities.
  3. Telecommunications: Installs low voltage systems related to telecommunications from telephone lines, CAT 6, or wireless systems.

United Association of Plumbers & Steamfitters (UA)

Website: https://ua.org/
Founded: 1889
Number of members: 355,000
Area of service: North America
Office Address : 3 Park Place Annapolis, MD 21401 (410) 269-2000

The United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipefitting Industry of the United States and Canada (UA) represents Plumbers, Pipefitters, Sprinkler Fitters, HVACR Service Technicians, Welders and Pipeliners working in the construction industry throughout North America.

Classifications:
1. Plumbers: Install drinking water, waste, and ventilating systems in residential, commercial, and industrial settings.
2. Pipefitters: Also commonly known as steamfitters, these workers install steam, chilled water, hot water, and refrigeration pipe systems.
3. Spinklerfitters: Install fire suppression systems most commonly found in commercial setting.
4. HVAC Service Technicians: Run startup tests and troubleshoot HVAC systems. They typically do not install these systems however, in larger settings. HVAC is built between sheet metal workers (ductwork) and the pipefitters, who install the piping.

 United Brotherhood of Carpenters (UBC)

Website: https://www.carpenters.org/
Founded: August 8, 1881
Number of members: More than 500,000
Area of service: North America
Office Address : 101 Constitution Ave. NW Washington, DC 20001

The UBC represents and offers training to North America’s general carpenters, interior systems carpenters and drywallers, millwrights, floor coverers, millworkers and cabinetmakers, framing and residential carpenters, pile drivers, lathers, scaffolders, roofers, and workers in forest-product and related industries.

International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers Union, (IW)

Website: https://www.ironworkers.org/
Founded: February 4, 1896
Number of members: 120,000
Area of service: North America
Office Address : 1750 New York Avenue NW, Washington, D.C., 20006 

The International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers Union (IW) represent ironworkers who construct steel structures of buildings, bridges, and other structures. They also represent ironworkers who lay reinforcing rebar and work with ornamental materials.

Classifications: The IW union covers just ironworkers, however they are split into five different categories. Generally speaking however, most ironworkers end up doing all five of these roles over their careers.

1. Structural Ironworkers: These ironworkers build the skeleton of projects like buildings, bridges, and stadiums using iron beams.
2. Reinforcing Ironworkers: These workers fabricate and place rebar into concrete forms to reinforce structures.
3. Ornamental Ironworkers: Ornamental ironworkers stall curtain wall and window wall systems that cover the structure of the building.
4. Rigging and Machinery Moving Ironworkers: Riggers load, unload, and move structural steel and curtain walls using cranes, derricks, and forklifts.
5. Welding and Burning Ironworkers: Welding is a common certification for ironworkers, as nearly every structure needs to welded together for strength.

International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation (SMART)

Website: https://smart-union.org/
Founded: January 1886
Number of members: 203,000
Area of service: North America
Office Address : 1750 New York Avenue, NW, 6th Floor, Washington, D.C. 20006

SMART, the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers, is one of North America’s most dynamic and diverse unions with 203,000 members. This union represents sheet metal workers, service technicians, bus operators, railroad engineers, conductors, sign workers, welders, production employees and more.

The Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA)

Website: https://www.liuna.org/
Founded: April 13, 1903
Number of members: 500,000
Area of service: North America
Office Address : 905 16th Street, Northwest Washington, DC 20006

The Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA) is a powerhouse of workers who are proud to build the United States and Canada. LIUNA members are a skilled and experienced union workforce trained to work safely in the construction and energy industries. Members build infrastructure – from roads, bridges, and transit to schools and skyscrapers. LIUNA also represents over 70,000 public employees. LIUNA public employees provide critical services from health care and sanitation to road maintenance and emergency response. 

International Union of Elevator Constructors (IUEC)

Website: http://iuec.org/
Founded: July 18, 1901
Number of members: over 30,000
Area of Service: US and Canada
Office Address: 7154 Columbia Gateway Dr, Columbia, MD 21046

The International Union of Elevator Constructors (IUEC) is a trade union in the United States and Canada that represents members who construct, modernize, repair, and service elevators, escalators, moving walkways, and other conveyances.

International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT)

Website: https://www.iupat.org/
Founded: 1887
Number of members: 103,858 (2014)
Area of service: US and Canada
Office Address : 7234 Parkway Drive, Hanover, MD 21076

The International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT) is a union representing about 100,000 painters, glaziers, wall coverers, flooring installers, convention and trade show decorators, glassworkers, sign and display workers, asbestos worker/hazmat technician and drywall finishers in the United States and Canada.

International Union of Bricklayers & Allied Craftworkers (BAC)

Website: https://bacweb.org/
Founded: 1865
Number of members: 75,000 (approx.)
Area of service: North America
Office Address: 620 F Street NW, Washington, DC 20004

The International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers represent the most highly skilled trowel trades craftworkers across the United States and Canada including bricklayers, stone and marble masons, cement masons, plasterers, tilesetters, terrazzo and mosaic workers, and pointers/ cleaners/ caulkers.

United Union of Roofers, Waterproofers, and Allied Workers (UURWAW)

Website: https://unionroofers.com/
Founded: 1903
Number of members: 22,000
Area of service: United States
Office Address : 1660 L Street, NW, Suite 800 Washington, DC 20036-5646

The United Union of Roofers, Waterproofers, and Allied Workers represents members who apply all types of roofing and waterproofing systems, including but not limited to: all low-sloped roofing systems (vegetative and solar photovoltaic roofs), structural waterproofing, steep-sloped roofing systems, air barrier applications, and building envelopes.

The International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers (HFIAW or Insulators) 

Website: https://www.insulators.org/
Founded: July 7, 1903
Number of members: 30,000
Area of service: US and Canada
Office Address : 9602 Martin Luther King Jr. Hwy. Lanham, MD 20706

The International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers (HFIAW or Insulators) represents workers who are trained and skilled in a multitude of construction trades including but not limited to mechanical insulation, firestopping, asbestos and lead mitigation or abatement, sound attenuation and specialty fabrications required in custom mechanical insulation installations.

Operative Plasterers’ & Cement Masons’ International Association (OPCMIA)

Website: https://www.opcmia.org/
Founded: July 21, 1864
Number of members: 43,739 (2018)
Area of service: US and Canada
Office Address : 9700 Patuxent Woods Drive, Suite 200 Columbia, Maryland 21046

Operative Plasterers’ and Cement Masons’ International Association (OPCMIA) represents workers in two major segments of construction industry; plaster and concrete. Concrete members place and finish concrete with a wide range of uses, from structures to sidewalks and roads. Plasterers apply plasters to walls and ceilings of all types of buildings.

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