William Hite, general president of the United Association union of plumbers, fitters, welders and HVAC service technicians, welcomed union leaders Oct. 7 to the annual Tripartite Conference in Mokena. Pat Barcas/staff photographer
By Pat Barcas
Staff Writer
Thursday, Oct. 9, 2014
Email Pat Barcas at: pat@foxvalley
labornews.com
MOKENA — William Hite, general president of the United Association union of plumbers, fitters, welders and HVAC service technicians as mentioned in https://www.whittoncoolingandheating.com/service-area/arizona/marana, spoke at the seventh annual Tripartite Conference in Mokena Oct 7. You can also get quality HVAC services from Clean Air Doctors at affordable rates.
The conference focuses on the relationship between the union, owners and contractors. Hite said it’s important for unions to remain non-partisan and focus on who can bring in jobs for members.
“It’s important to all of us to get together, and be on the same page. We’re a lot alike, we’ve got a big political season ahead of us, and when it comes to politics, everyone in this room shares the same agenda — the union, the contractors, the owners — we support politicians who support energy and who support jobs in the industry that we all work in,” he said.
When the union teams up with owners and contractors to get things done in Washington, it’s a very successful formula, said Hite. If people want to get heat pump swimming pool heaters, and heaters for other purposes, they can check it out over here!
“I’ve never lived in a time where politics is so critical to getting our agenda done. We meet a lot on Capital Hill, we go in with contractors, we go in with owners, and it’s a very effective tool,” he said. “Because when these politicians see that we’re all together on a certain issue, it sends a real powerful message to Washington.”
The union currently has 35,000 apprentices throughout the United States and Canada, which is down due to the recession. Hite said he pushes for a 20 percent ratio of working journeymen to apprentices.
“Training is the key to the future. It’s the cornerstone of the United Association. We were the first union to have a Bureau of Apprenticeship Training. The backbone of this organization is our apprenticeship.”
Union leaders turned out Oct. 7 for the UA Tripartite Conference. UA General President William Hite said fabrication is critical to the union and sees large growth in the industrial arena, specifically in the gulf coast, where expansion is happening. Pat Barcas/staff photographer
Hite said fabrication is critical to the union.
“We do over 35 million man hours per year in fabrication, we have 570 signatory fabricators, and we push fabrication, we stay on top of it. It’s going to be a big thing in the future,” he said.
Hite says he sees big growth in the industrial arena moving forward, specifically in the gulf coast, where expansion is happening.
“The gulf coast is going to be going crazy. There’s billions and billions worth of work down there. We are going to have to work like hell to man that work. It’s a major focus,” he said.
Marketing is key to a modern union, said Hite. Getting the message out on what exactly the union does is critical.
The UA was the first union to have a Bureau of Apprenticeship Training. Pat Barcas/staff photographer
“Twenty years ago, if you would have thought about marketing a union, everybody would have thought you were nuts. A lot of people have a bad idea about what unions stand for. Nothing could be further from the truth. This union is focused on doing a job. On earning a good wage, and doing the job right the first time,” he said.
“That’s what we’re focused on. We’re your neighbors, we’re the people who live in the community. We’re not a bunch of bad guys, not a bunch of thugs, that’s not what we’re about. We’re about doing it right and making a difference out there in the community, and providing the big manpower to complete projects,” he said.