Carpenters Union Local 308

What Carpenters Union Local 308 does

Carpenters Union Local 308 is a chartered labor union local based at 240 Classic Car Court SW, Suite B, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Founded on May 9, 1899, by forty journeymen carpenters, the local represents 450-475 members across four Iowa counties and operates as a chapter of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America (UBC), a national organization with more than 500,000 members. The local serves journeyman, apprentice, early retired, sick, and retired carpenters in commercial construction, interior systems, door and hardware, residential, and shop carpentry disciplines.

The union's core services include a state-certified four-year apprenticeship program delivered through the Five Rivers Carpenters Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (JATC), free journeymen upgrade classes covering more than 20 certifications including OSHA 30, scaffold training, and construction fall protection, and a Career Connections curriculum for high school students in grades 9-12 with credit articulation into the apprenticeship pipeline. A dispatch-based job referral system connects members with signatory contractors, while benefits administration covers health insurance, dental, life, vision, temporary disability, pension, and defined-contribution retirement plans through Eastern Iowa Fringe Benefits Funds, Inc. and Wilson-McShane Corporation.

Revenue is generated primarily through tiered quarterly membership dues ($12-$42 per quarter depending on member class) plus initiation and re-initiation fees ($300 plus applicable dues). Operating with six paid staff, the local is governed by an elected Executive Board including President, Vice President, Financial Secretary, Recording Secretary, Treasurer, Warden, Conductor, and Trustees. Regional coordination occurs through successive district council structures — Five River (1974), Northwest Illinois and Eastern Iowa (1988), and Heartland (1996) — under the North Central States Regional Council of Carpenters.

Name

Carpenters Union Local 308

Legal name

Carpenters Union Local 308

Website

https://carpenterslocal308.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1899

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Carpenters Union Local 308 is a chartered chapter of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters based in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, representing 450-475 members across four Iowa counties in commercial, residential, interior systems, door and hardware, trim, and shop carpentry.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Cedar Rapids

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Member Dues: The union generates revenue through quarterly membership dues from carpenters at various levels. Dues are collected quarterly and must be paid within the first 15th day of each new quarter.
2. Initiation and Re-initiation Fees: New members pay initiation fees of $300 plus 3 months dues. Ex-members rejoining pay $300 plus $50 fee and 3-6 months of dues. Apprentices re-initiating after suspending out must pay one year's dues plus all initiation fees upfront.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Carpenters Union Local 308 is a chartered local chapter of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America that represents 450-475 carpenters across four Iowa counties. Its core offering is union representation and labor services: it recruits members, runs a state-certified four-year apprenticeship program through Five Rivers Carpenters JATC, provides free journeymen upgrade classes and certifications, dispatches members to signatory contractors, and administers health, welfare, and pension benefits through affiliated benefit funds. The members and the union act as a skilled-labor supplier to commercial, residential, and shop construction contractors in the Cedar Rapids region.

Product overview

Carpenters Union Local 308 is a labor union chapter of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America, not a technology product company. The union offers a unified set of membership services centered around workforce development and member benefits. These include a four-year state-certified apprenticeship program run through Five Rivers Carpenters JATC, free journeymen upgrade/skill advancement classes covering OSHA certifications and technical skills, the Career Connections high school curriculum program with apprenticeship credit articulation, dispatch/job referral services connecting members with contractors, and comprehensive health/welfare/pension benefits. The union represents over 475 members across four Iowa counties in Cedar Rapids.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Four-Year Apprenticeship Program A state-certified four-year apprenticeship program delivered through Five Rivers Carpenters JATC that allows apprentices to work alongside highly trained journeymen carpenters while earning a paycheck. The program covers commercial carpentry, residential carpentry, and cabinetry, and leads to journeyman certification for individuals seeking union careers.
• Journeymen Upgrade Classes (Skilled Advancement Classes) Free skill advancement classes for journeymen carpenters in good standing covering safety certifications (OSHA 30, First Aid/CPR/AED), technical skills (Scaffold 40 Hour, Acoustical Ceilings, Doors Hardware, Total Station, Solid Surface Installer, Rigging & Signaling), and specialized training (ICRA, Aerial Lift & Fork Truck, Construction Fall Protection). Targets existing union journeymen seeking continuous certification and skill development.
• Career Connections Program Educational curriculum for students in grades 9-12 teaching hands-on carpentry skills, with articulation agreements allowing students to earn credits toward apprenticeship programs. Includes books such as One Trade Many Careers, Math for the Trades, and Project Books. Targets high school students exploring carpentry careers.
• Dispatch Job Referral Service Job referral service that places union members on an out-of-work list and connects signatory contractors with skilled workers through the dispatch system. Members can register online or by phone (1-877-558-6699), and contractors contact the dispatch office (1-855-987-2020) to find workers. Available to all union journeyman and apprentice members in good standing.
• Health and Welfare Benefits Comprehensive health coverage including health care, dental, life insurance, vision, and temporary disability (accident and sickness) through the Five Rivers Carpenters District Council Health & Welfare plan administered by Eastern Iowa Fringe Benefits Funds, Inc. Health coverage begins after a member accrues $3,030 per quarter. Targets all union members and their families.
• Pension and Retirement Plans Pension plans through Carpenters Pension Fund of Illinois and retirement savings plans (Carpenters and Joiners Defined Contribution Plan) administered by Wilson-McShane Corporation. Provides retirement income and annuity benefits to union members based on years of service and contributions.

Quantifiable outcome

• Members receive health insurance, pension plans, and annuity plans for retirement
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• North Central States Regional Council of CarpenterscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal 308 is affiliated with the North Central States Regional Council of Carpenters (also called North Country Carpenter Council), which provides regional coordination, collective bargaining support, and access to training resources across multiple states.
• United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America (UBC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal 308 is a chapter of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America, joining a national network of over 500,000 skilled men and women. The UBC provides organizational support, training curriculum, and collective bargaining resources.
• Helmets to HardhatsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational program that connects transitioning military service members, veterans, and National Guard and Reserve members with careers in the construction trades, including carpentry apprenticeship opportunities through Local 308.
• Built By ProsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMarketing partner that directs potential members and contractors to Carpenters Union Local 308. Listed as a business partner on the union website.
• Five Rivers Carpenters JATCcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerFive Rivers Carpenters Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee provides state-certified apprenticeship programs and continuing education for union members. The facility has been teaching apprentices for over 40 years with experienced training committees.
• Five Rivers Carpenters District Council Health & WelfarecoreOthersHealth and welfare benefits administrator for union members, providing health coverage (begins after accruing $3,030 per quarter), dental, life insurance, vision, temporary disability, and death benefits. Administered by Eastern Iowa Fringe Benefits Funds, Inc.
• Eastern Iowa Fringe Benefits Funds, Inc.coreOthersAdministers health and welfare benefits for Five Rivers Carpenters District Council members including health coverage, dental, life insurance, vision, temporary disability (accident and sickness), and death benefits. Located at 1831 16th Avenue SW, Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52404.
• Carpenters Pension Fund of IllinoiscoreOthersPension plan provider for union members, administered by Wilson-McShane Corporation. Located at 1431 Opus Place, Suite 350, Grove, IL 60515.
• Wilson-McShane CorporationcoreOthersAdministrator for both the Carpenters Pension Fund of Illinois and the Carpenters and Joiners Defined Contribution Plan (retirement savings plan), providing pension and retirement benefits to union members.
• Cedar Rapids/Iowa City Building TradescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal building trades council that coordinates activity among various construction unions in Cedar Rapids, including carpenters, plumbers, painters, plasterers, and other trades.
• Iowa AFL-CIOminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState federation of labor unions in Iowa, representing and coordinating activities of affiliated unions including Carpenters Union Local 308.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• United Steelworkers (USW): A large industrial and construction trade union with a similar dues-funded membership model, regional district structure, and apprenticeship/training infrastructure. Comparable as an organizational analog even though its trade mix is broader than Local 308's carpentry focus.
• United Association of Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Service Techs (UA): Another major building-trades union with an apprenticeship-driven model, local-chapter signatory agreements, and dispatch-based job placement. Highly comparable to Local 308 in operating mechanics and revenue model.
• Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC): A competing trade association representing open-shop (non-union) contractors. Serves the same contractor customer segment as Local 308's signatory contractors but offers the alternative lower-wage labor model — a direct competitive counterpart to the union model.
• International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT): Another building-trades union with the same model of local chapters, apprenticeship programs, signatory contractors, and dispatch/job-placement services. Comparable in structure, scale (hundreds of thousands of members), and revenue mechanics to Local 308.
• International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW): A major U.S. building-trades union with the same local-chapter/regional-council structure, dues-funded revenue model, apprenticeship pipeline, and signatory contractor dispatch system. Operates as a direct structural and functional analog to Local 308 in a different construction trade.
• Laborers' International Union of North America (LIUNA): Construction-trades union with local-chapter structure, apprenticeship pipeline, and signatory contractor relationships. Highly comparable in operating model and economic role to Local 308, though covering laborers rather than carpenters specifically.
• North Central States Regional Council of Carpenters: The regional parent body that coordinates Local 308 alongside other UBC locals across multiple states. Operates the same apprenticeship and training infrastructure model, making it the most structurally comparable peer (it is in fact the local's direct regional affiliate).

Broad incumbents

• AFL-CIO: The national federation of labor unions of which Local 308 is an affiliate. Operates broadly across all trade unions with advocacy and policy focus, providing the macro-industry context that shapes Local 308's operating environment.
• National Association of Home Builders (NAHB): A broad construction industry trade association representing residential and commercial builders. Adjacent rather than direct — it represents the demand-side employers rather than labor — but operates in the same Cedar Rapids-region construction ecosystem that drives Local 308's member employment.
• United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America: The national union of which Local 308 is a chapter, with 500,000+ members, 16 training centers, and standardized curriculum. Operates broadly in the same trade and category as Local 308 but at national scale and with portfolio-level governance rather than local-chapter focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/CarpentersLocal308
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/carpenters-union-local-308

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Carpenters Union Local 308