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News And Current Events
2012/2013 UA Scholarship Award Recipients
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The UA Training Department has been recognized by the Department of Labor and the Secretary of Labor, Hilda Solis as being one of 75 Trailblazers and Innovators of Apprenticeship. Please visit http://www.dol.gov/_Sec/newsletter/#.UCFcw_aPVy3 for more information about this historic event. To read more about the United Association as a Training innovator, click here. |
UA General President William Hite Strongly Praised U.S. President Barack Obama's Decision Regarding Cushing Portion of Keystone Pipeline
March 22, 2012
General President Hite praised the President for his comprehensive approach to the development of substantive and realistic national energy policy that includes not only pipeline repair and construction, but also nuclear, solar, and other forms of energy as well.
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Three UA members on Brotherhood Outdoors
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The United Association endorses U.S. President Barack Obama's Candidacy for Second Term
March 2, 2012
The United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipefitting Industry, AFL-CIO ("UA"), the first International Union to endorse President Barack Obama's candidacy for President of the United States in 2008, announced today it is proudly endorsing the President's re-election bid. The UA is the first building trades union to endorse the re-election of President Obama.
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The International Training Fund February 2012 Training News is now available. Click the image of the newsletter or the link below to access it. |
TransCanada plans to build a pipeline to bring crude oil from Cushing, Oklahoma, to the Gulf of Mexico
February 28, 2012
Statement by the White House Press Secretary
The President welcomes today's news that TransCanada plans to build a pipeline to bring crude oil from Cushing, Oklahoma, to the Gulf of Mexico. As the President made clear in January, we support the company's interest in proceeding with this project, which will help address the bottleneck of oil in Cushing that has resulted in large part from increased domestic oil production, currently at an eight year high. Moving oil from the Midwest to the world-class, state-of-the-art refineries on the Gulf Coast will modernize our infrastructure, create jobs, and encourage American energy production. We look forward to working with TransCanada to ensure that it is built in a safe, responsible and timely manner, and we commit to take every step possible to expedite the necessary Federal permits.
Separately, TransCanada gave the State Department advance notice of its intention to submit a new application for the cross-border segment of the Keystone XL pipeline, from Canada to Steele City, Nebraska, once a route through Nebraska has been identified. House Republicans forced a rejection of the company's earlier application in January, by not allowing sufficient time for important review or even the identification of a complete pipeline route. But as we made clear, the President's decision in January in no way prejudged future applications. We will ensure any project receives the important assessment it deserves, and will base a decision to provide a permit on the completion of that review.
UA General President William Hite Supports U.S. President Barack Obama's Commitment to Veteran Employment
February 6, 2012
In a statement earlier this morning, Council on Competitiveness Labor Vice-Chair William P. Hite, General President of the United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters, remarked: "Putting our veterans to work should be America's top priority, and the UA and Council on Competitiveness supports President Obama's initiative to find jobs for the men and women who served their country. The President should not stop there. He should also work with the private sector to train veterans for jobs in the high-skills, high-wage trades sector."
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
November 21, 2011 |
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UNITED ASSOCIATION GENERAL PRESIDENT HITE STATEMENT ON THE PASSAGE OF THE VOW TO HIRE HEROES ACT OF 2011 Washington, D.C.—Continuing his push to help the economy, President Obama signed into law a critical component of the American Jobs Act, entitled the VOW to Hire Heroes Act of 2011, which not only grants companies a $5,600 to $9,600 tax break for hiring veterans, but also expands education and training opportunities, enhances and eases the transition back to civilian life and helps veterans transfer their military skills into marketable workplace skills. "I want to commend President Obama, Senator Murray (D-WA) and Congressman Miller (R-FL) for their bipartisan leadership on this issue. Helping our veterans transition from military life to the American workforce has been a top priority of the UA for decades--because, simply put, it's the right thing to do. The United Association's Veterans in Piping (VIP) program has been nationally recognized by the Secretary of Labor and other prominent leaders for its commitment to providing our service men and women with the lifelong skills they need for a successful career in the piping industry," remarked General President Hite. With the unemployment level for servicemen and women at an unacceptable 12.1%, coupled with more Iraq veterans returning home through the end of the year, this legislation provides crucial assistance to help our military heroes properly, and honorably, transition back into the American workforce. The law, which is fully paid for, was passed with an overwhelming majority in both Chambers. "No veteran who fought for our country should have to fight for a job when they come home," President Obama announced in a White House statement. UA Special Representative Anne St. Eloi; UA VIP Consultant Major General (RET) Matt Caulfield , UA General Counsel, Jim O'Connell, O'Donoghue & O'Donoghue; and Lonnie Coleman representing the Mechanical Contractors Association of America, were in attendance for the bill signing at the White House. |
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2011 International Apprenticeship Contest
September 20, 2011
By: Pete Marzec
We are a part of very competitive market and industry. So it should come as no surprise that this year's 30 competitors at the UA's 2011 International Apprenticeship Contest showed so much enthusiasm and competitive spirit as they did.
Plumbers, pipe fitters, sprinkler fitters, service technicians and welders from five regions in the United States and one from Canada hit the ground running on the morning of Sunday, August 14th. They showed no sign of slowing down until seated at Eastern Michigan University's Convocation Center awaiting the results.
Each contestant had been through their local union's competition, state/provincial and regional competitions to get here. They were challenged by theory exams that included general knowledge, United Association facts and figures and trade specific questions. Next up was a series of interviews to assess leadership skills, a working knowledge of the new apprentice standards and the true meaning of the "Standard for Excellence." From the interviews, the winner of the Allyn Parmenter and George Bliss award was chosen. The award, a plaque, recognized the contestant who demonstrated exceptional leadership and honors the ideals that are set forth by the Standard for Excellence. Thomas Almodovar from Plumbers Local 1 in New York City was the recipient.
As in years past, the previous year's winners were invited as assistants to the committee and were invaluable in transporting, guiding and otherwise being big brothers and/or mentors to this year's group.
The hands-on projects were both general and trade specific. The Copper Development Association not only designed, supplied materials and judged a project that all the competitors were challenged with; each winner of the project was awarded $1000.00. Congratulations to Dominic Villa, welder from Local 537, Boston Massachusetts, Dave DeRaadt, sprinkler fitter from Local 853, Kitchener, Ontario, Moses Yohalem, pipe fitter from Local 393, San Jose, California, Kyle Kulovitz, service technician from Local 597, Chicago, Illinois and Ryan Gibson, plumber from Local 162, Dayton, Ohio for being the best of their craft in the copper project!
Plumbers and service techs had a green awareness challenge and were shown to be on top of all things "green" too.
Every educational institution (and we are one of the largest) has its class representatives at all levels; its salutatorians and valedictorians at higher levels and scholars and fellows at the highest. If there was a Noble Prize for the various pipe trades, the following apprentices are our candidates!!!
Pictured above with General President William P. Hite are the winners of the 2011 International Apprentice Contest. From left to right is Plumber, Ryan Gibson, Local 162, Dayton Ohio; Pipe Fitter, Wyatt Carlson, Local 455, St. Paul, Minnesota; Sprinkler Fitter, Dave DeRaadt, Local 853, Toronto, ON, Canada; HVAC, James Cossart, LU 342, Oakland, California; Welder, Dwayne Tremaine, Local 400, Appleton, Wisconsin.
Helmets to Hard Hats: Steamfitter Geoff News on
September 20, 2011
The New York Post and ABC News have both done pieces about the United Association's Helmets to Hard Hats program that puts military veterans to work. These two links highlight the program and the transformation of Geoff Newson from Marine to steamfitter.
UA General President Hite's Message about the 10th Anniversary of 9/11
September 12, 2011
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On this day ten years ago, the world changed and none of us has ever been the same. We watched in horror as the World Trade Center, built so proudly with union hands, crumbled in less than an hour. Along with the attack on the Pentagon and the crash of United Flight 93 in Pennsylvania, America lost nearly 3,000 lives on that tragic day. As we reflect , each of us will commemorate this tragedy in our own private way. None of us will ever forget the Americans who lost their lives, including some of our own UA family. The lives we lost will live on in our memories and in our hearts. Nor will we forget the first responders and all the countless UA members and other building tradesmen and women who worked tirelessly in the rescue and recovery efforts. We owe it to those who died, as well as those who still suffer because of what happened on September 11, 2001, to uphold the American values that enabled us to stand together as a nation during that dark time. We also owe a great debt to all of our brave military men and women who have fought and sacrificed so courageously to protect our precious freedom. We must hold them in our prayers as they put themselves in harm's way for the sake of us and our families. Let us now renew our commitment to serving our union and our nation with courage, dignity and respect. Let us honor those who were lost by living our lives as best we can, by offering compassion in the face of hate, by rejecting fear and bigotry and by embracing those traditions which made us strong throughout our long and proud history. We have stood tall in the decade since the 9/11 attacks, and it is time for us to remind the world that the United States of America is and will always be a beacon of light and hope in the world. |
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