Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 344 created this page to communicate important information to its members.
Plumbers & Pipefitters Local 344 was chartered in 1975 as a result of merging five previously organized Local Unions consisting of Oklahoma City Local 291 established 1901, Lawton Local 362 established 1918, Enid Local 739 established 1918, Oklahoma City Plumbers Local 369 established 1926, and Oklahoma City Pipefitter Local 344 established 1938. Our forefathers have dedicated their lives through hard work and dedication towards the Union movement to make us what we are today. Hard fights were won and lost at the bargaining table to ensure we have the best wages and benefit package the industry has to offer within the state of Oklahoma. Legislation was fought for to protect workers rights for every worker across Oklahoma and the United States. We still continue today to fight for workers rights on the steps of the state capital, as well as higher wages and benefits through collective bargaining.
The United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry of the United States and Canada or "UA" as it is commonly known is a multi-craft union whose members are engaged in the fabrication, installation and servicing of piping systems. There are approximately 326,000 highly-skilled United Association members who belong to over 300 individual local unions across North America.
Founded in 1889, the United Association is one of the most respected and influential building trades unions in the U.S. and Canada today. It serves as a collective voice for workers through negotiation and collective bargaining with employing contractor groups, such as the Mechanical Contractors Association of America, and the National Association of Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors. The UA is also a key member of the Building and Construction Trades Department, the AFL-CIO, and the Canadian Federation of Labour.
The United Association has been training qualified pipe tradesmen longer than anyone else in the industry. The UA boasts the premier training programs available in the industry today, including five-year apprenticeship programs, extensive journeyman training organized instructor training, and certification programs.
The UA has been at the forefront of the fight for worker's rights for over 100 years. Now, as we move into a new millenium we are faced with many new and imposing obstacles. To prepare our membership for the rapid advancements in technology and the way business is conducted, the UA has developed one of the most extensive training programs of any union in the world, spending more than $1 million dollars a week ensuring that our members are prepared for the future.
