The “Heart of the UA” lives in every member who believes union membership opportunities belong to everyone – regardless of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender. 

For 132 years, the UA has endured tragedies, sacrifices and extreme challenges, and yet, it has been the heart and soul of its membership that has seen it through. 

UA members are thankful for our solid apprenticeship and training programs, our benefits and the ability to retire with dignity. Many have attributed their success and the success of their family members to their union. 

While members prospered, their children, spouses and partners prospered. Becoming a union member lifted them into the middle class and now is the time to give others that leg up. 

With increased job opportunities for the Building Trades, local union members are working hard to offer women and other underrepresented workers the same opportunities to become UA members.

Members know what is at stake and they know that going through an apprenticeship could mean changing a person’s life and they are right. 

UA members create strong bonds for life

The brotherhood and sisterhood that union membership conveys is a bond found only in one other entity – the military. It is a bond with which you forge lasting friendships no matter what local union you are in. 

It’s a bond in which you are family. You care for your retired members. The union hall becomes our retirees’ “home away from home,” where they can reminisce with fellow retirees and continue to have a place of belonging. 

Our union is a place of learning. We instruct and mentor the next generation and we are proud to pass on those skills. 

We take pride in our work and can point out projects that we’ve completed to our children and grandchildren. 

We are designers and builders and our union, our communities, our countries and our world are better because the Heart of the UA lives in every member and our members themselves are the true heart of the UA.