Plumbers Local 68

Growth and early programs

• By 1924, Local 68 had grown to 125 members, and by 1929 to 218 members.
• Apprenticeship programs were established in the 1920s. At that time, apprentices were not allowed to become members until their apprenticeship was completed.
• In the 1940s, the first apprentices were initiated as members.

1930s and 1940s

• During the Great Depression, members remained united, held annual picnics and received support from the Ladies Auxiliary Club, which helped families of unemployed members.
• In 1938, Local 68 merged with Local 195 of Beaumont, which became the Industrial Pipe Fitters branch of Local 68.
• By 1942, membership had grown to 785.
• In 1943, in-house disputes led to the pipe fitters leaving Local 68; the United Association chartered Local 214, which later became Local 195 of Beaumont and Local 211 of Houston.
• During these years, Local 68 held union meetings twice a month and elected officers every two years.

1950s and 1960s

• In the 1950s, Local 68 established a Health and Welfare Plan on December 23, 1955.
• In 1956, officers negotiated a journeyman wage scale of $3.17½ per hour, an insurance contribution of $0.07½ per hour and an Apprentice Training Fund of $0.01 per hour.
• In the 1960s, membership doubled, a Residential Branch was adopted and hundreds of members worked on apartments and housing.
• In 1964, a Pension Plan was established with a contribution rate of $0.10 per hour.
• The Local's annual Christmas Party for members' children began in the 1960s and remains a key event.
• In 1968, Local 68 purchased property at 468 Link Road in Houston and built the first union hall owned by the members; it now serves as the Fringe Benefit Offices.

1970s to 1980s

• In 1975, membership grew to almost 1,500 with the merger of Local 567's plumbers from the Bryan–College Station area.
• Local 68 opened a new union hall and offices at 502 Link Road.
• In 1979, Galveston area plumbers of Local 200 were merged into Local 68.
• That same year, health insurance became self-funded and administered in-house.
• During the late 1970s and early 1980s, an active organizing program helped membership grow to almost 1,800.
• By 1984, tough times resulted in about two-thirds of the 1,794 members being unemployed, leading to a wage reduction. Membership declined to under 1,000 by 1987.

1990s and 2000s

• In the early 1990s, the economy and Local 68's work outlook improved. By the mid to late 1990s, membership and wages were again increasing.
• Contractors obtained more work in commercial, hospital and school construction.
• The Local continued its children's Christmas party and, in 1998, started its first annual Saltwater Fishing Tournament.
• As Local 68 moved into the new millennium, employment returned to full levels and membership increased to over 1,000.
• The apprenticeship program trained over 600 students each semester, with a growing focus on computerized training.
• A new union hall in Beaumont was completed in late 2003.
• Property was purchased in Houston for future expansion of the Training Center.

Today

• Local 68 maintains a membership of over 1,800 across 62 Texas counties.
• A $3.5M Training Center expansion accommodates approximately 400 apprentices.
• Apprentices' training hours may be applied toward college credit hours, and several journeyman courses can also count toward college degrees.
• Since 2002, the scholarship program has provided over 950 scholarships to members and their families.
• As of the website's description, Local 68 leadership emphasizes apprentice training, serving members and the community, and protecting public health.

• Angelina
• Aransas
• Austin
• Bee
• Brazoria
• Brazos
• Brooks
• Burleson
• Calhoun
• Cameron
• Chambers
• Colorado
• Duval
• Fayette
• Fort Bend
• Galveston
• Goliad
• Grimes
• Hardin
• Harris
• Hildago
• Houston
• Jackson
• Jasper
• Jefferson
• Jim Hogg
• Jim Wells
• Kenedy
• Kleberg
• La Salle
• Lavaca
• Lee
• Leon
• Liberty
• Live Oak
• Madison
• Madison
• Matagorda
• McMullen
• Milam
• Montgomery
• Nacogdoches
• Newton
• Nueces
• Orange
• Polk
• Refugio
• Robertson
• Sabine
• San Augustine
• San Jacinto
• San Patricio
• Shelby
• Starr
• Trinity
• Tyler
• Victoria
• Walker
• Waller
• Washington

Union hall locations

Union Hall – Houston

Plumbers Local Union # 68 502 Link Road / P O Box 8746 Houston, Texas 77249-8746 Phone: (713) 869-3592 Toll Free: (800) 798-1074 Fax: (713) 869-3671

Union Hall – Beaumont

695 Chamberlin Beaumont, Texas 77707 Phone: (409) 842-3680 Fax: (409) 842-3531

Union Hall – Corpus Christi

4841 Leopard Street Corpus Christ TX 78408 Phone: (361) 887-7700

Apprenticeship training office

Houston Area Plumbing Joint Apprenticeship Committee

454 Link Road / P O Box 8653 Houston, Texas 77249-8653 Phone: (713) 861-3202 Toll Free: (800) 891-8900 Fax: (713) 861-5616

Benefit Fund Office

Plumbers Local Union # 68 Benefit Fund Office

468 Link Road / P O Box 8726 Houston, Texas 77249-8726 Phone: (713) 869-2592 Toll Free: (800) 833-2980 Fax: (713) 862-4877

Lists Montgomery, Calhoun, Perry, Jasper, Liberty, Jackson, Wharton, and Chattanooga as a location. Names Colorado, Texas, and Washington as a service area. Areas beyond these are not published.

Recruiting contacts

From the website:

• Houston Area – Brian Granger

Phone: (713) 869-3592

• Beaumont Area – Brian Granger

Phone: (409) 842-3680

• Corpus Christi / Coastal Bend – Chato Woodard

Phone: (361) 887-7700

• Service Plumbing – Chato Woodard

For additional recruiting and organizing information:

• Houston Area – Brian Granger

Phone: (713) 869-3592

• Beaumont Area – Chato Woodard / Brian Granger

Phone: (409) 840-3680

• Corpus Christi / Coastal Bend – Chato Woodard

Phone: (361) 887-7700

Why be a Local 68 member?

The site describes the following reasons to be a member of Local 68:

• Higher Wages
• Member and Family Insurance Plans
• Vacation Savings and Pensions
• Journeyman and Apprentice Training
• Credit Union for Members and Families
• Scholarships for Members and Families

Organizing and union representation

Organizing

The Organizing Department participates in United Association–sponsored seminars and receives additional support from the Southwest Pipe Trades Association (SWPTA). The department:

• Seeks out and stays in contact with the non-union work force.
• Gathers information about job locations.
• Creates and executes campaigns to educate workers and employers about the benefits of union affiliation.

Reports on organizing campaigns are given at Union Meetings.

What is organizing?

"Organizing" is the term used when a group of workers looks to join a union. Workers organize to:

• Improve working conditions.
• Increase pay or benefits.
• Create a better working environment.

Why unions?

The website notes that the freedom to form unions is a basic human right, referencing the National Labor Relations Act of 1935 and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Workers form unions because there is strength in numbers and because collective bargaining helps balance the demand for profits with fairness toward workers.

What have unions done for workers?

From the site, unions have contributed to:

• 8-hour day
• 5-day work week
• Health Insurance
• Good pensions
• Higher wages
• Job security
• Overtime pay
• Job safety
• Family and medical leave
• Fair treatment for women, people of all ethnic backgrounds, and those with disabilities

The site notes that union members earn more on average than nonunion workers and that stronger unions are associated with higher household income, more education spending and better public policy.

Local union officers

• Andy Martinez – President
• David Bowman – Vice President
• Arthur Juarez – Recording Secretary
• Jose Garcia – Inside Guard

Executive Board

• David Bowman – Chairman
• Jason Britnell
• Freddy Lopez
• Tim Sandusky, Jr.
• James Venable

Examining Board

• Devlin Alsup
• Jose Guerra
• Brad Jenkins
• Amber Vasilenko
• John Ward III

Finance Committee

• John Mata
• Deric Perry
• Anthony Woodard

• Arrive on time, adhere to break times and only use cell phones during those times.
• Are prepared with required tools and respect tools and equipment supplied by the employer.
• Adhere to a zero tolerance substance abuse policy.
• Eliminate work disruptions.
• Ensure safe, on-time completion of projects.
• Respect property; vandalism is not tolerated.
• Are productive and dress appropriately.
• Respect and adhere to employer and customer rules and policies.
• Follow management directives.
• Enhance their skill level by using local and international training classes and the certification system.

Employer and management responsibilities

Under the UA Standard for Excellence, signatory contractors and management (including MCAA / MSCA / PFI / MCPWB / PCA / UAC / NFSA and others) have the following responsibilities:

• Ineffective management, superintendents, journeyworkers and apprentices will be returned to the referral hall.
• Provide worker recognition.
• Ensure all materials needed are available.
• Provide storage for tools.
• Provide leadership to jobsite supervisors.
• Ensure leadership takes responsibility for mistakes created by management decisions.
• Be consistent and fair with disciplinary action.
• Create and maintain a safe work environment.
• Promote and support continued education and training.
• Have properly manned projects.
• Treat employees with respect.
• Cooperate and communicate with the job steward.

The Local notes that it has always maintained these standards with its contractors and will continue to do so.

Ask anyway — the agent will say plainly that it is not published rather than guess.