International Union of Bricklayers & Allied Craftworkers

What International Union of Bricklayers & Allied Craftworkers does

The International Union of Bricklayers & Allied Craftworkers (BAC/IUBAC) is a private, non-profit labor union founded in 1865 in Washington, D.C., recognized as the oldest continuous union in North America. It represents skilled trowel trades craftworkers across eight crafts — brick, tile, stone, marble, terrazzo, cement, plaster, and PCC/Restoration — organized through Locals and Administrative District Councils in five regions spanning the Northeast, North Central, South, West, and Canada. Members access representation, collective bargaining, training, and a portfolio of benefits including the International Pension Fund, International Health Fund, Member Assistance Program, Disaster Relief Fund, scholarships, and tool purchasing.

BAC's core product surface centers on a secure Member Portal exposing membership data, work history, pension and health benefits, and the BAC Job Network (a bulletin-board system that routes craftworkers to labor-short Locals). Two wholly owned subsidiaries, the International Masonry Institute (IMI) and the International Masonry Training and Education Foundation (IMTEF), deliver standardized apprenticeship, certification, and contractor skills development in cooperation with signatory contractors. The organization also publishes the quarterly BAC Journal and operates social channels across YouTube, Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok.

Revenue is generated through recurring membership dues set by the Union's Constitution and varying by Local/ADC; figures are not publicly disclosed. BAC's go-to-market combines a sales-led organizing model (signatory contractor agreements and apprenticeship recruiting) with a community-led member engagement model emphasizing solidarity, training access, and advocacy. Strategic positioning rests on labor law protections (prevailing wage, Project Labor Agreements) and deep integration with AFL-CIO, NABTU, TCAA, ICE, CPWR, and the Canadian Labour Congress.

Name

International Union of Bricklayers & Allied Craftworkers

Legal name

International Union of Bricklayers & Allied Craftworkers

Website

https://bacweb.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1865

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

BAC is the oldest continuous labor union in North America, founded in 1865, representing trowel trades craftworkers across five regions in the U.S. and Canada through collective bargaining, training, and member benefits including pension and health funds.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Construction Trade Union Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Professional Organizations (81392), Masonry Contractors (23814)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Construction & Trades Licensure (Contractor, Electrician, Plumber, HVAC CE) (EDAAALAH)

Keywords

• Construction trade union
• Apprenticeship training programs
• Collective bargaining services
• Trade union benefits
• Masonry craftworker training

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Union Dues: BAC generates revenue through membership dues paid by active craftworkers. Dues are used to negotiate with employers for better wages and working conditions, represent members, develop member programs, and strengthen the unionized masonry-trowel trades industry.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

International Union of Bricklayers & Allied Craftworkers (BAC) is the oldest continuous union in North America, representing skilled trowel trades craftworkers including bricklayers, stone and marble masons, cement masons, plasterers, tilesetters, terrazzo and mosaic workers, and pointers/cleaners/caulkers. BAC negotiates collective bargaining agreements on behalf of members, administers pension and health benefit funds, delivers apprenticeship and craft training through the International Masonry Institute (IMI) and International Masonry Training and Education Foundation (IMTEF), and provides member services such as a job network, scholarship programs, disaster relief, and a member assistance program.

Product overview

The International Union of Bricklayers & Allied Craftworkers (BAC) operates as a labor union offering a portfolio of member services centered around its secure Member Portal platform. The core offerings include the Member Portal (for accessing membership data, work history, benefits, and job opportunities via the BAC Job Network), the BAC Journal (quarterly publication), International Pension Fund and International Health Fund (benefit programs), Member Assistance Program and BAC Disaster Relief Fund (support services), and Tool Sales. Associated organizations International Masonry Institute (IMI) and International Masonry Training and Education Foundation (IMTEF) provide training, certification, and contractor development programs. Scholarship programs (U.S. and Canadian Bates Scholarships) support members' families, and the BAC Craft Awards recognize excellence in the trowel trades.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 80,000 retirees had pension benefits restored through American Rescue Plan
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• International Masonry Institute (IMI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIMI is a labor-management cooperative of BAC and the contractors who employ its members. IMI provides industry outreach and education to AEC professionals, tracks potential work opportunities, assists with plan and specification review, offers contractor skills development through Contractor College, and provides certification programs including historic masonry preservation, grout and reinforced masonry, and advanced tile installation.
• International Masonry Training and Education Foundation (IMTEF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIMTEF provides training programs and instructor resources for BAC craftworkers. The organization trains workers to meet certificate and certification requirements, updates training as new products and systems enter the market, and can provide customized training for specialty projects through local JATCs.
• International Council of Employers (ICE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerICE represents BAC signatory contractors' interests and collaborates with BAC on industry standards, workforce development, and labor-management initiatives.
• Tile Contractors' Association of America (TCAA)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTCAA is an industry association for tile contractors that works with BAC on training standards, certification programs, and promoting union tile installation.
• AFL-CIOcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBAC is affiliated with the AFL-CIO, the largest federation of unions in the United States. The affiliation provides BAC members with access to AFL-CIO resources, advocacy at the federal level, and solidarity with other union members across industries.
• North American Building Trades Union (NABTU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNABTU is an alliance of construction trades unions including BAC. NABTU advocates for construction industry policies, organizes annual Legislative Conferences, and coordinates efforts on infrastructure, apprenticeship, and labor standards.
• American Ladder Institute (ALI)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerALI promotes ladder safety and hosts National Ladder Safety Month each March. BAC and IMI are sponsors of National Ladder Safety Month, participating in resources, training, and national dialogue on safe ladder use.
• Center for Construction Research and Training (CPWR)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCPWR conducts research and provides training on construction safety. BAC works with CPWR on hazard alerts, silica safety, and other occupational health initiatives for masonry craftworkers.
• BAC CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBAC became an international union in 1881 with the admittance of locals representing workers from Hamilton and Toronto in Ontario, Canada. BAC Canada represents workers across Canada and collaborates with the Canadian government on workforce development and apprenticeship programs.
• Canadian Labour CongressmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Canadian Labour Congress is the central federation of Canadian trade unions. BAC Canada engages with the CLC on sustainable jobs initiatives, climate policy, and worker advocacy in Canada.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves2 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• AFL-CIO: National federation of labor unions that includes BAC as an affiliate. Compares as the umbrella organization in the same member-based labor representation model.
• United Brotherhood of Carpenters (UBC): Large construction trades union with overlapping signatory contractor base, apprenticeship structure, and PLA-advocacy model; competes for the same craftworker and contractor pool.
• United Steelworkers (USW): Large North American industrial union with similar dues-funded operating model, training apparatus, and pension/benefit administration. Comparable scale and cross-Canada footprint.
• International Brotherhood of Teamsters: Major U.S./Canada labor union using the same dues-based revenue model, collective bargaining structure, and benefit fund administration. Comparable institutional scale.
• Laborers' International Union of North America (LiUNA): Major North American construction labor union frequently co-located with BAC on unionized job sites, sharing the same training-fund, PLA, and prevailing-wage policy ecosystem.

Direct peers

• North American Building Trades Union (NABTU): Sectoral alliance of construction trades unions that includes BAC. Directly comparable as sister construction-trade union federation sharing apprenticeship and PLA policy advocacy.
• Operative Plasterers and Cement Masons International Association (OPCMIA): AFL-CIO affiliate covering plasterers and cement masons — two crafts that overlap directly with BAC's eight covered trades, serving the same contractors and project sites.
• International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT): AFL-CIO affiliate representing finishing-trade craftworkers including painters, glaziers, and drywall finishers. The closest direct peer in scope of finishing trades and apprenticeship model.
• International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation (SMART): Construction trade union with direct overlap to BAC's apprenticeship, training, and signatory contractor model; both represent skilled construction craftworkers in the building trades.

Others

• Tile Contractors' Association of America (TCAA): Industry association partnered with BAC on tile trade standards, certifications, and apprenticeship — not a competitor but the closest employer-side counterpart for the tile-setting portion of BAC's craft base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses6 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/iubac
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCbulpIsk0Wa1azSaxKYmDMw
• Facebookfacebook.com/IUBAC
• Instagraminstagram.com/iubac
• TikToktiktok.com/@bac_tok?
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/international-union-of-bricklayers-and-allied-craftworkers

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about International Union of Bricklayers & Allied Craftworkers