Unions are groups of workers who come together to negotiate wages, affordable health care, job security, workload, safe and respectful workplaces, fair scheduling, and other benefits. As a union, you and your coworkers have a say in how you are compensated for the time and labor you give your employer instead of just accepting what your employer decides to give you. The AFL-CIO is a great resource for more information…follow this link to learn more.

Union jobs change working families’ lives.

Strong wages & benefits, solid healthcare, retirement plans, power, and respect on the job are the beginning of a long list of benefits union members and their families receive.

Watch the three short videos on this page to get a quick look at that list of benefits — benefits that generations of IUPAT members have fought for, and we will continue to fight for. Or, click here to see the specific benefits of each IUPAT DC5 local union.

After you watch the videos, visit the AFL-CIO website to learn more about the power of union membership…click here.

You may have heard someone say something like, “I’m a member of Local 10.”

What does this mean?

International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT) represents over 160,000 trades workers (painters, drywall finishers, glaziers, & more) across the U.S. and Canada. These members are organized into different IUPAT local unions that represent their specific location and trade.

Here’s two examples…

1. IUPAT Local Union 10 (a.k.a. Local 10) represents IUPAT members from Oregon and Southwest Washington who work as painters.

2. IUPAT Local Union 364 (a.k.a. Local 364) represents drywall finishers who work in Eastern Washington.

IUPAT isn’t the only union out there. There are many other unions who represent other trades and industries, and they are organized into locals as well. So, when you hear someone say they are a member of “Local…,” they may not be a member of IUPAT, and they may live somewhere else in the world.

They may be an electrician from Chicago, or a nurse from Toronto, or an actor from L.A., or a janitor from Seattle, or a Major League Baseball player…the list goes on and on.

You may think only men work in construction. THIS IS NOT TRUE.

Not only do many women work in the trades, they are leaders on our job sites and in our union.

Want to find out how you can start your career in the trades? Or, are you an IUPAT tradeswoman that wants to join your sisters and siblings who are opening the doors of opportunity for women even wider?

Contact Cynthia Grant, Labor Representative and Women’s Committee Chair: (206) 794-7312

Many of us are faced with obstacles that prevent us from being able to go to college or we choose not to, but all of us need a career to support ourselves and our families.

IUPAT Apprenticeship programs and Job Corps are two paths toward a financially sound future for you and your family.

Qualifications for IUPAT Apprenticeship and Job Corps programs vary. No experience is necessary.

Job Corps is a program that can help anyone 16-24 years of age complete high school, train you in a specialized craft, and lead you to a career with strong wages, benefits, and a retirement plan.

For more information on both options, click here.

As an Apprentice, you will earn a paycheck and benefits while you complete your job training. Click here to learn more…