Plumbers and Pipe Fitters (UA), Roofers announce affiliation

(Aug. 6, 2015) — The following was distributed last week by the United Association and the United Union of Roofers, Waterproofers and Allied Workers:

United Association and United Union of Roofers, Waterproofers and Allied Workers Approve Historic Affiliation Agreement

ANNAPOLIS, MD and WASHINGTON, DC — Citing strong ties and common interests in water conservation, General President William P. Hite of the United Association of Union Plumbers, Pipefitters, Sprinklerfitters, Welders and HVAC Technicians (UA) and International President Kinsey M. Robinson of the United Union of Roofers, Waterproofers and Allied Workers (Roofers Union) have announced that their unions have executed a historic affiliation agreement.

Under the agreement, the Roofers Union will affiliate with the UA. The agreement maintains the two unions’ autonomy and structure while providing for close cooperation between the two organizations in relation to training, organizing and other areas.

In recent years, the UA has cemented itself as a global leader in the industry through landmark affiliation agreements with the Plumbing Trades Employees Union (PTEU) of Australia and the Technical Engineering and Electrical Union (TEEU) of Ireland. The Roofers Union’s 22,000 members will join the more than 410,000 members affiliated with the UA throughout North America, Australia, and Ireland.

According to General President Hite and International President Robinson, the agreement was motivated in large part by a shared passion for water conservation and a desire to offer clientowners environmentally responsible building solutions that will improve their bottom line.

“Water scarcity is a serious and growing problem in the United States, particularly in the western and southwestern parts of the country,” said General President Hite. “With the assistance of our affiliates in Australia, the Plumbing Trades Employees Union, we are developing cutting-edge techniques to outfit U.S. buildings with systems that capture and reuse a lot of the water that is currently wasted. The top-notch skills that the men and women of the Roofers Union bring to the table are critical to the success of this initiative. Working together, we’re going to create jobs and take on water scarcity by delivering the most water efficient buildings our country has ever seen.”

“Commercial building construction has evolved over the years and continues to evolve as rainwater harvest systems are now real, not just an idea on paper,” said International President Kinsey M. Robinson. “Water shortages and the need for pollution controls have fueled the recent passage of state and municipal rainwater recapture regulations. The roofs we install protect structures from the elements, but the days of building run-offs entering the groundwater or sewer systems are over. Skilled Roofers, while partnering with UA members, will assist building owners and contractors to not only comply with these new regulations but also increase building efficiency. This affiliation brings two respected trade member organizations together for the development of state-of-the-art training programs, and subsequently, the installation of an integrated roof and water capture system. The agreement also encourages the UA and Roofers to jointly develop safety programs and market our story to contractors, owners and the greater community. We look forward to a long partnership with the UA and creating new opportunities for our collective membership.”

The agreement was formally approved on August 1, 2015, and will take effect on Nov. 1, 2015.