UA Local 190

What UA Local 190 does

UA Local 190 is a private labor union chartered circa 1900 and headquartered at 7920 Jackson Rd. in Ann Arbor, Michigan, representing plumbers, pipefitters, service technicians, and gas distribution workers. The organization has grown from an initial 15 members to over 1,500 members and operates as an affiliate of the international United Association (UA), a 250,000-member union across the United States, Canada, and Australia. Jurisdictional territory covers all of Washtenaw County plus specified townships in Livingston and Lenawee Counties in Michigan, with additional gas distribution rights spanning Michigan and Ohio.

The union's core offerings revolve around three pillars: workforce representation and collective bargaining, training through a 5-year registered apprenticeship program (combining 1,500–2,000 paid on-the-job training hours annually with classroom instruction and an optional Associate's Degree pathway via Washtenaw Community College), and a contractor referral/dispatch system organized across eight specialty categories (Commercial, Gas, Industrial, Nuclear, Residential, Service, 24/7 Heating & Cooling, and All Contractors). A separate training facility is operated at 8040 Jackson Rd. through the Greater Michigan UA Local 190 JATC subsidiary. Member benefits — including pension, healthcare, 401k, and sub-pay — are administered through BeneSys and the in-house benefits office.

Revenue is generated primarily through recurring member dues supplemented by contractor referral and dispatch-related activity, with an apprentice application fee of $75 (non-refundable). The union's go-to-market is community-led and event-driven: monthly membership meetings (second Monday of each month), organizing outreach to unorganized workers, veteran recruitment via Helmets to Hardhats and UA VIP, and political action through Michigan Building Trades and UA Get Involved. The organization publishes wage rates and jurisdictional data publicly but does not disclose consolidated financials.

Name

UA Local 190

Legal name

United Association Local 190

Website

https://ua190.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1900

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

United Association Local 190 is a Michigan-based labor union representing over 1,500 plumbers, pipefitters, service technicians, and gas distribution workers across Washtenaw County and Ohio. It operates a 5-year apprenticeship program and dispatches trained members to contractor employers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Labor Union Services (Plumbing, Pipefitting, HVAC, Gas Distribution)

NAICS

Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors (23822), Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors (238220), Temporary Help Services (561320), Temporary Help Services (56132)

SIC

Construction - Special Trade Contractors (1700), Natural Gas Transmisison & Distribution (4923)

akta.pro primary industry

Plumbing & Pipefitting Contracting (IMAFALAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Plumbing (Residential & Commercial) (EDAOACAA), Welding Codes, Safety & Compliance Training (AWS/ASME/OSHA) (EDAOADAG), Structural Steel Welding & Erection-Focused Training (EDAOADAC), Mutual Assistance Crew Logistics, Staging & Base Camp Services (EUAEAIAJ), Employment & Job Readiness Support Services (BPAGAEAJ)

Keywords

• Plumbing apprenticeship program
• Pipefitter training
• Gas distribution services
• HVAC service technicians
• Trade union representation

Headquarters

HQ city

Ann Arbor

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Member Dues: Union operates through member dues from its 1,500+ members.
2. Member Referral/Dispatch to Contractors: The union maintains a referral system connecting trained members (journeymen and apprentices) to contractors who need plumbing, pipefitting, HVAC, and gas distribution workers. This serves both union members (employment) and contractors (workforce).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

UA Local 190 is a labor union (local chapter of the United Association) that represents plumbers, pipefitters, service technicians, and gas distribution workers in Washtenaw County, Michigan, with additional jurisdiction over all natural gas distribution pipeline work in Michigan and Ohio. Its core services include collective bargaining representation for over 1,500 members, a 5-year registered apprenticeship program (1,500-2,000 paid on-the-job training hours per year plus classroom instruction leading to an optional Associate's Degree in Applied Sciences through Washtenaw Community College), administration of member fringe benefits (pension, healthcare, 401k), and a dispatch/referral system connecting trained members to signatory contractor employers.

Product overview

UA Local 190 is a labor union (local chapter of the United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry) providing union representation, apprenticeship training, and member benefits services. The organization operates as a membership-based professional association rather than a software product company. Its core offerings include union membership for plumbers, pipefitters, service technicians, and gas distribution workers; a 5-year Building Trades Plumber/Pipefitter Apprenticeship Program with options for an Associate's Degree; certified training for residential, building trades, and service technicians; and a contractor referral service directory. The union serves Washtenaw County, Michigan with over 1,500 members and maintains jurisdiction over gas distribution operations throughout Michigan and Ohio.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Union Membership Services
• Building Trades Plumber/Pipefitter Apprenticeship Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Members earn 28% more than nonunion workers on average

Named customers9 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

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• United Association (UA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational affiliation connecting Local 190 to a network of 250,000 members across the United States, Canada, and Australia. The United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry provides training standards, collective bargaining support, and organizational resources.
• Helmets to HardhatsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational nonprofit program connecting National Guard, Reserve, retired, and transitioning active-duty military service members to careers in the plumbing and pipe fitting industry. Provides pathway for veterans to join UA Local 190.
• UA VIP (Veteran's In Piping)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorkforce development program for military and government officials. Paid for entirely by the UA and its industry partners at NO cost to participants.
• Union Communication ServicesminorOthersFounded in 1981 by David Prosten, a former publications and public relations director and staffer for several national unions. Provides communications support.
• Rock The VoteminorOthersNon-profit, non-partisan organization engaged in political power building for young people. UA Local 190 partners to encourage voter registration and political participation among union members.
• Greater Michigan Plumbing & Mechanical Contractors AssociationminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorState association of plumbing and mechanical contractors. Linked as a resource for contractor information and industry standards in Greater Michigan.
• Michigan Building TradesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorState-level building trades council that coordinates political endorsements and advocacy for affiliated unions including UA Local 190.
• Washtenaw Community CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerApprentices in the Local 190 program have the option to complete general education classes through Washtenaw Community College to earn an Associate's Degree in Applied Sciences alongside their journeyman certification.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• UA Local 1 (St. Louis): Direct peer United Association local covering the St. Louis metropolitan area for plumbers, pipefitters, and HVAC service technicians. Operates the same dispatch, apprenticeship training, and benefits administration model as UA Local 190, just at a larger scale.
• UA Local 98 (Philadelphia): Direct peer United Association local representing plumbers, pipefitters, and HVAC technicians in the Philadelphia area. Operates the same union hall, apprenticeship, and dispatch model; commonly benchmarked against locals like Local 190 for organizing effectiveness.
• UA Local 322: Direct peer local of the same United Association, representing plumbers, pipefitters, and HVAC workers in a neighboring Michigan jurisdiction. Directly comparable business model: member dues, dispatch to contractors, 5-year apprenticeship, and jurisdictional gas distribution rights.
• Plumbers Local 130 (Chicago): Direct peer United Association local serving the Chicago metro area for plumbers, pipefitters, and HVAC service workers. Comparable member-driven dispatch, apprenticeship program, and jurisdiction over residential, commercial, and industrial piping scopes.

Broad incumbents

• Sheet Metal Workers International Association: International union representing sheet metal workers, including HVAC fabrication and installation. Closely overlaps with Local 190's HVAC service scope and operates the same union model of training, dispatch, and collective bargaining for skilled construction trades.
• United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices (International): Parent international union with 250,000+ members across the US, Canada, and Australia. Operates the same union model at much greater scale, sets training standards, and provides collective bargaining infrastructure used by Local 190 and all affiliated locals.
• IBEW (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers): National building trades union representing electrical workers. Comparable labor-union business model (dues, apprenticeship, dispatch, collective bargaining), though for a different skilled trade; competes for the same construction labor pool and policy influence.

Emerging players

• Helmets to Hardhats: National nonprofit workforce program placing military veterans into union building trades apprenticeships, including with UA Local 190. Comparable on the talent-pipeline side; functions as a feeder and partner rather than a competing dispatch operator.

Others

• Washtenaw Community College (Apprenticeship Partner): Community college delivering classroom education for Local 190's apprentices, enabling an Associate's Degree in Applied Sciences alongside journeyman certification. Strong partnership overlap on the vocational training side of Local 190's apprenticeship program.
• BeneSys: Third-party administrator that handles pension, health care, 401k, and fringe benefits for Local 190 members and signatory contractors. Comparable enabling-services overlap for benefits administration across multiple building trades locals.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/UaLocal190
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ua-190

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 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 UA Local 190