HIGHER WAGES | HEALTHCARE & RETIREMENT BENEFITS | SAFETY & TRAINING | DIGNITY & RESPECT
NORTHWEST
IRONWORKERS
THE UNION DIFFERENCE
HIGHER WAGES | HEALTHCARE & RETIREMENT BENEFITS | SAFETY & TRAINING | DIGNITY & RESPECT
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UNION IRONWORKER
BENEFITS
HIGHER WAGES
Ironworkers that join together in a union are able to bargain collectively for better wages. By demanding fairness in pay, you will be able to support your family, earn paid vacation time, and invest in your future. On average, union workers make 23%, or $812 more per month than non-union workers.
HEALTHCARE
We provide comprehensive, affordable healthcare for union members and their family members, including paid maternity leave for female ironworkers, dental, and vision. Feel secure knowing you can visit a doctor, fill your prescriptions, and go to the hospital when necessary.
RETIREMENT
PENSION & ANNUITY
Union ironworkers earn regular contributions towards a retirement you can count on. Each pay period, union employers contribute funds into pension and annuity plans that increase in value over time. When you retire, the money you have earned is yours, paid out regularly to provide a stable, reliable income when you are no longer working.
SAFETY
Union ironworkers are well-trained, professional, and most importantly, safe and healthy on the job. Studies show that union construction workers are five times less likely to suffer a fatal accident compared to their non-union counterparts. Your well-being is a priority for our union, and we fight for the equipment and protections necessary to make sure that everyone gets home safe at the end of the day.
DIGNITY
& RESPECT
We believe in dignity, respect, and justice in the workplace — each earned through hard work and protected by solidarity. We know our livelihoods have been fought for and won by those who came before us, and so we stand together today to reinforce the pride of every ironworker and our commitment to produce the highest quality work worthy of our name.
ADVANCED TRAINING & CERTIFICATIONS
We enhance your career and earning power through first-class training and education. Union ironworkers go through a complete training program, touching on all facets of ironworking and designed to teach the important stills necessary to be successful on the job. Union members may also take courses to earn advanced certifications in welding, rigging, safety and more.
IRONWORKER CONTRACTOR UNIVERSITY
If you're interested in starting your own ironworking business, we're here to help. Ironworker Contractor University (ICU) supports union employers with a huge selection of courses and educational tools including: business fundamentals, cost estimating, project management, field leadership, technology, and more.
IRONWORKERS CREDIT UNION
The Ironworkers Credit Union is exclusively focused on serving the specific needs of union ironworkers. This non-profit financial cooperative is owned and operated by its members, and will help you save and grow your money, improve your credit, start a mortgage, secure an auto loan, and more. Members also receive discounts and special offers on many products and services.
THE POWER OF COLLECTIVE BARGAINING
Together, we bargain collectively to negotiate the terms of our employment. That includes pay, benefits, hours, leave, safety policies, and more. Being an ironworker means you never have to stand alone, knowing that the brothers and sisters of your union will always have your back, ready to fight for your rights to a fair wage and fair treatment for an honest day's work.
WHO WE ARE
The International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers Union, AFL-CIO (IW), is a proud trade association whose beginnings go back to the 1890s. The IW represents 120,000 members in North America. Members of our union have worked on nearly every major construction project you can think of - the Golden Gate Bridge, the Sears Tower, the St. Louis Arch, the Oil Sands Plant Expansion in Alberta, the World Trade Center and Freedom Tower. We represent ironworkers who work on bridges, structural steel, ornamental, architectural, and miscellaneous metals, rebar and in shops. Across North America, we build.
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We provide many benefits and support for our members. These benefits include the advantage of working under a collective bargaining agreement that brings bigger paychecks, better health and retirement benefits, more secure jobs and safe working conditions.
UNION IRONWORKERS
IN THEIR OWN WORDS
“What makes our union successful is the new ironworker apprentices coming in. They're willing to learn. They're willing to work. They're teachable."
APRIL "CYALTSA" FINKBONNER, Iron Worker Welding instructor
“I came from non-union and I was getting sick of being treated poorly and not having any benefits. I came to the union and now I'm stable enough and making enough money to support our family on a single income.”
James Sackett, LOCAL 29
“I'm learning better work practices, how to be safer, how to work fast, and how to get it done right. Working together, seeing everybody as a team, it's the comradery and the working together that I enjoy.”
Lonnie Mack Johnson, LOCAL 86
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