Posts tagged pipefitters
UAW calls off strike authorization vote at Ram truck plant after reaching deal
May 11, 2026 // The Sterling Heights plant that employs about 6,000 union workers is critical for the company as it builds the highly profitable Ram 1500 pickup, one of the automaker's top sellers. The facility has recently been run at full capacity, on "emergency status," to churn out as many pickups as possible and make up for previous production hiccups related to an engine shortage, the union leader said. Spencer previously told The Detroit News that union officials had grown increasingly frustrated over the last year and filed a series of grievances after Stellantis hired outside contractors to do certain work inside the plant, rather than letting the plant's own union-represented skilled tradespeople bid on the jobs. Such projects by workers who include electricians, pipefitters and millwrights might involve repairing a production line, or installing new lights inside the plant.
Plumbers picket outside Moore Mechanical in Grand Rapids in effort to unionize
October 24, 2025 // Local plumbers gathered outside a West Michigan business on Wednesday to picket after their management has reportedly blocked a union from forming. Workers at Moore Mechanical in Grand Rapids say a majority want to form a union, but company leaders have been trying to keep that from happening.
Lessons from Other Trades in ‘Leaving the Union:’ What Sheet Metal and HVAC Can Learn
July 28, 2025 // The stories of Brian Head and Brandon Davis are extreme, but the underlying issues are common across the trades: high financial stakes, legal complexity, and the threat of union penalties make leaving the union a daunting proposition. For sheet metal and HVAC contractors – or any skilled tradesperson – understanding the process, the potential pitfalls, and the importance of documentation is essential before making any move. And as Semmens pointed out, workers have options for legal support if they feel their rights are being violated – but the process remains anything but simple.
A Union View from Inside
June 20, 2023 // UA local unions not only suppress opportunities for nonunion workers but also seek to limit union membership to protect the high earnings of current members; in other words, the UA is doing the exact opposite of what it claims to do: instead of “protecting” workers, the UA intentionally excludes potential pipefitters from the labor market to limit supply and drive up prices. Worse, this exclusion means that less pipefitting work gets done. American industries processing steam, petrochemical, water, and other materials suffer from a loss of valuable skilled labor. Probably the best example of this policy of disenfranchisement is the pictured flier, which I saw inside the union hall. The flier claims that bureaucrats are trying to destroy the UA apprenticeship program. Of course, I was surprised to learn that apprenticeships would be targeted by politicians, since politicians usually support work and skill training regardless of political affiliation. As neither the flier nor the website directly referenced the bill in question, I did my own research. In June 2019, the Department of Labor proposed an expansion of apprenticeship programs, awarding $183.8 million to support the development and expansion of training programs. This included industry, employer, government, nonprofit and union training programs. The United Association told its members that union apprenticeships were being attacked. In truth, the DOL was merely seeking to expand apprenticeship options, including union apprenticeships.