What United Association National Pension Fund does

United Association National Pension Fund (UANPF) is a multiemployer defined benefit pension plan established in July 1968 and headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia. Originally named the Plumbers and Pipefitters National Pension Fund, it was renamed to its current name effective July 1, 2021. The fund provides retirement, disability, and survivor benefits exclusively to workers represented by the United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry, serving 156,000+ participants across 175 UA Local Unions and District Councils throughout the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It is governed by a Board of Trustees composed equally of union and employer representatives as required by ERISA, and is insured by the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) through its multiemployer insurance program.

UANPF is funded solely by hourly employer contributions made pursuant to collective bargaining agreements and by investment earnings on its diversified asset portfolio (no employee contributions are required). The fund manages over $1 billion in assets and distributes approximately $100 million in benefits annually. Its operational technology stack consists of three secure web-based portals: the Participant Documents Portal (for members to access statements, tax forms, and benefit estimates), the Local Union Documents Portal (for union offices to manage contribution reports and member data), and PEERS—Pension Electronic Employer Remittance System (for employers to submit contributions electronically). All portals use 256-bit SSL encryption and multi-factor authentication. An Online Pension Estimate Calculator provides deterministic benefit projections, and a Reciprocity Program—supported by United Association Reciprocity Services (UARS)—enables traveling workers to maintain benefits across jurisdictions.

The fund's go-to-market is not traditional sales-driven; participation is determined entirely by union membership and collective bargaining agreements between contributing employers and UA local unions. Its distribution channels are union offices (175+ local points of contact), employer onboarding for new employees, the fund website (uanpf.org), and direct mail/email for plan documents and annual notices. UANPF previously entered Endangered status following the 2008–2009 recession and adopted a 15-year Funding Improvement Plan in 2010, which it has been meeting ahead of schedule.

Name

United Association National Pension Fund

Legal name

United Association National Pension Fund

Website

https://uanpf.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1968

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Multiemployer defined benefit pension fund serving 156,000+ United Association plumbing and pipefitting union members across North America, managing $1B+ in assets and paying $100M+ in retirement benefits annually through 175 local unions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Multi-Employer Defined Benefit Pension Fund

NAICS

Pension Funds (525110), Pension Funds (52511), Insurance and Employee Benefit Funds (5251)

akta.pro primary industry

Taft-Hartley / Labor Union & Public Sector Retirement Systems (FSAAAGAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Pension Master Trusts, Superannuation & Provident Funds (FSAAAGAB), Corporate & Public Pension Funds (DB/DC Sponsors) (FSAAAGAA), Pensions & Retirement Benefits Administration (BPAIAKAA)

Keywords

• Multiemployer pension plan
• Defined benefit pension
• Pension fund administration
• Retirement benefits management
• Investment portfolio management

Headquarters

HQ city

Alexandria

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Employer Contributions: Hourly employer contributions made in accordance with collective bargaining agreements between contributing employers and United Association local unions. Employers contribute on behalf of employees for each hour of covered work performed. No employee contributions are made.
2. Investment Earnings: Investment returns generated from the fund's diversified asset portfolio. The fund is well-diversified and managed prudently by trustees to maximize returns for participant benefits.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The United Association National Pension Fund is a non-profit multiemployer defined benefit pension plan that provides monthly retirement, disability, and survivor benefits to eligible participants of the United Association (plumbers, pipefitters, service technicians, and sprinkler fitters industry). The Fund is funded through hourly employer contributions negotiated via collective bargaining agreements and investment earnings on plan assets, and is governed jointly by union and employer trustees under ERISA.

Product overview

UANPF operates as a single core product—a multiemployer defined benefit pension plan—supplemented by several digital service portals and tools. The main pension fund provides retirement benefits funded by employer contributions. Supporting this core offering are the PEERS (Pension Electronic Employer Remittance System) for employer contribution payments, the Participant Documents Portal for members to manage their accounts, the Local Union Documents Portal for union offices, and an Online Pension Estimate Calculator for retirement projections. The Reciprocity Program enables traveling workers to maintain benefits across different jurisdictions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• United Association National Pension Fund (Defined Benefit Pension Plan) Non-contributory multiemployer defined benefit pension plan that pays monthly retirement, disability, and survivor benefits to eligible UA participants based on credited service and employer contributions.
• PEERS (Pension Electronic Employer Remittance System) Secure online remittance system that allows contributing employers to electronically submit required hourly pension contributions on behalf of covered UA workers and reconcile remittance activity.
• Participant Documents Portal Secure online portal allowing individual participants to access pension-related documents, with 256-bit SSL encryption and multi-factor authentication.
• Local Union Documents Portal Secure online portal for UA Local Unions and District Councils to access and submit documentation related to Fund administration and participant records.
• Online Pension Estimate Calculator Web-based tool that allows participants to estimate their accrued and projected pension benefits based on their covered employment history.
• Reciprocity Program Program that protects and consolidates pension credits earned by traveling UA workers who work for multiple contributing employers across different local unions during their career.

Quantifiable outcome

• $1 Billion+ in assets under management
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting IndustrycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1889The UA is the parent labor organization that established UANPF in 1968. The UA represents 355,000+ plumbers, pipefitters, sprinkler fitters, service technicians, and welders in over 300 Local Unions across North America. UANPF provides retirement benefits exclusively to UA-represented workers through participating local unions.
• Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC)coreOthersPBGC protects the retirement benefits of over 34 million workers and retirees. PBGC operates multiple separate insurance programs including Multiemployer Insurance Programs. UANPF, as a multiemployer pension plan, is insured by PBGC's multiemployer insurance program.
• United Association Reciprocity Services (UARS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUARS provides fund administrators with tools to help traveling UA members accurately receive full credit and funds for their travel employment. This enables the reciprocity program that allows workers to maintain and earn benefits when working outside their home local union jurisdiction.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Western Conference of Teamsters Pension Plan: One of the largest multiemployer DB pension plans in the U.S., covering Teamsters members across multiple industries. While not construction-specific, it is a benchmark Taft-Hartley plan with a similar funding-improvement-plan history and regulatory exposure; broader in scope than UANPF.
• International Association of Machinists National Pension Fund: Multiemployer defined benefit pension plan for IAM members across aerospace, manufacturing, and transportation. Comparable in being a Taft-Hartley DB plan, though it spans multiple industries rather than UANPF's single-trade concentration.

Direct peers

• Sheet Metal Workers' National Pension Fund: National Taft-Hartley defined benefit pension fund for sheet metal workers in the building trades. A direct parallel to UANPF as a multiemployer DB plan for a construction trade union, with similar participant demographics, employer contribution structure, and ERISA/PBGC regulatory environment.
• Central Pension Fund of the International Union of Operating Engineers: Multiemployer defined benefit pension plan for operating engineers (heavy equipment operators) in the construction industry. Closely comparable to UANPF in being a Taft-Hartley DB plan covering a skilled construction trade, with similar funding improvement plan history and PBGC oversight.
• IBEW-NECA Family Pension Plan: A multiemployer Taft-Hartley defined benefit pension plan covering International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) members and NECA-signatory electrical contractors. Directly comparable to UANPF in structure (Taft-Hartley DB plan), funding model (hourly employer contributions), and participant base (skilled construction trades union).
• National Automatic Sprinkler Industry Pension Fund: Taft-Hartley multiemployer pension plan for sprinkler fitter workers, a sub-segment of the same fire protection/life safety construction trade family that UANPF covers through UA local unions. Closely comparable in size, structure, and industry concentration.
• Carpenters Pension Fund (NCCRC): Multiemployer defined benefit pension plans for carpenters and related trades through United Brotherhood of Carpenters regional funds. Directly comparable as a Taft-Hartley DB construction trade pension plan with similar employer contribution mechanics and participant demographics.

Regional players

• Plumbers Local Union Pension Funds (individual locals): Local UA plumbers and pipefitters union pension funds that operate at a regional level rather than as part of the national UANPF. These are smaller, geographically-scoped multiemployer DB plans serving the same trade; some jurisdictions have multiple competing funds.

Emerging players

• Empower Retirement (defined contribution / 401(k) provider): A large defined contribution retirement plan provider that increasingly competes with traditional DB plans for employer-sponsored contributions. Comparable not as a DB plan but as an alternative capital pool that could absorb employer retirement spend if multiemployer DB plans decline.

Others

• Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC): Federal agency that insures UANPF's benefits under the Multiemployer Insurance Program. While not a competing plan, PBGC is the critical counterparty and regulatory backstop that defines UANPF's risk profile and is therefore a key ecosystem participant for benchmarking.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/united-association-national-pension-fund
• Xx.com/UANPFund
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 United Association National Pension Fund