pipe Fitters program
Pipe Fitters’ Local Union 533, chartered in 191l, is led by a group of Officers who are elected by the membership and is affiliated with the United Association, one of the most respected and influential building trades unions in the U.S. and Canada.
LU 533 in Kansas City has enjoyed growth in professional knowledge, membership, and strength through unity in addition to an ability to an aggressive program of adapting to change. This has been supplemented by a mastery of its trade, which has continued to evolve year after year. Over time, the tools of the trade have grown from a few simple hand tools to complex machines, gauges, and computerized equipment.
In the 1930's, the United Association started the first nationally recognized Apprenticeship Program, followed by Local 533 starting its Apprenticeship Program in the late 1940's. The Program is recognized by the Department of Labor, through the Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training. This Program is administered by the Joint Apprenticeship Committee, comprised of Union officials and Contractors.
Local 533 strives to stay on the forefront of training. Its Apprenticeship and Journeyman Training Programs are state-of-the-art, insuring that the union Pipefitter is the best qualified and the best trained service and construction Pipe Fitter on the job. Beyond attending a rigorous five-year classroom program, the Local’s Pipe Fitter Apprentices are trained in the field by skilled trades people and the contractors who employed them. The competition in today's market requires skilled workers to ensure a job is done on time and under budget the first time. It's not just about filling the position or obtaining the lowest bid anymore — it is about hiring an asset for the company.
A full-time Organizer heads Local 533's organizing efforts. Local 533 is constantly looking for and recruiting skilled workers from the non-union sector to sharpen its competitive edge in the construction and service markets.
Currently, Local 533 has agreements with four different employer groups, representing more than 100 local contractors. In 1959, the Mechanical Contractors Association of Kansas City and Local 533 agreed to start an Industry Development Fund, the purpose of which was to promote the good and welfare of the industry. Since its inception in 1987, LU 533 also has helped contractor employers through its Job Targeting Program, fully funded by our members, which has enabled signatory contractors to be competitive with non-union contractors
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