International Union of Operating Engineers Local 139

What International Union of Operating Engineers Local 139 does

International Union of Operating Engineers Local 139 is a private, nonprofit labor union local headquartered in Pewaukee, Wisconsin, representing approximately 9,500 working members across the state — primarily heavy-equipment operators in the construction industry, plus public-sector employees in towns, counties, villages, and cities. Founded in 1902 and affiliated with the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE), the local operates through four district offices (Pewaukee headquarters, Madison, Appleton, Altoona) and the Joseph J. Goetz Jr. Training Center in Coloma, delivering apprenticeship and continuing-education programs covering dozers, graders, excavators, cranes, asphalt pavers, directional drills, and Topcon/Trimble machine-control systems alongside OSHA, MSHA, NCCCO, and CDL certifications. The Combat to Construction (C2C) program, a 9-week accelerated pathway run jointly with the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, channels veterans and active National Guard/Reserves into the trade.

The business model rests on recurring member dues (subscription-style, processed through a PCI-compliant portal backed by Elavon and Verisign) supplemented by training-related revenue, including a $20/day per diem for Coloma courses. Ancillary service entities include the Operating Engineers Local 139 Health Benefit Fund and the Central Pension Fund, which administer member health and retirement benefits. Go-to-market is community-led: member acquisition runs through apprenticeship intake, veteran outreach, and organizing campaigns; retention is anchored by the integrated benefits-plus-training-plus-pension stack. Member and contractor portals serve as digital channels alongside four physical union halls, while a contractor-portal layer coordinates workforce dispatch with signatory employers and associations such as the Associated General Contractors of Wisconsin and the Associated Earth Movers Association.

The local is governed under U.S. labor law with Terry McGowan serving as President/Business Manager and IUOE General Vice President. Strategic posture combines defensive regulatory action (federal challenges to Wisconsin Act 10 and the state right-to-work law, NLRB enforcement against non-union contractors) with offensive growth in training scope, veteran recruitment, and building-trades coalition building (including the first union American Legion post in the U.S. and formation of the statewide Wisconsin Building Trades Council). Member-facing communications run through the website, member portal, Facebook, X, Building Wisconsin TV, and quarterly district meetings.

Name

International Union of Operating Engineers Local 139

Legal name

International Union of Operating Engineers Local 139

Website

https://iuoe139.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1902

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

International Union of Operating Engineers Local 139 is a Wisconsin labor union representing approximately 9,500 heavy-equipment operators and public-sector workers, delivering collective bargaining, apprenticeship training at its Coloma Training Center, and health/pension benefits administration.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Labor Union Representation

NAICS

Apprenticeship Training (611513), Building Equipment Contractors (2382)

SIC

Services-Employment Agencies (7361), Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Construction - Special Trade Contractors (1700)

akta.pro primary industry

Skilled Trades (Electricians/Plumbers/HVAC/Carpenters) Staffing (BPACAEAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Construction & General Labor Staffing (BPACAEAA), Welding Codes, Safety & Compliance Training (AWS/ASME/OSHA) (EDAOADAG), Workforce Mobilization, Training & Construction Support Services (EUAKAAAN)

Keywords

• Labor union representation
• Heavy equipment operator training
• Collective bargaining services
• Construction apprenticeship programs
• Trade union benefits administration

Headquarters

HQ city

Pewaukee, Wisconsin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Union Dues: Members pay periodic dues for union representation, collective bargaining, training access, health benefits, and pension contributions. Dues processed online through member portal with secure payment processing via Elavon.
2. Training Services: Training center provides courses for members with $20/day per diem for courses at the Coloma Training Center. Revenue from training-related activities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

International Union of Operating Engineers Local 139 is a labor union representing approximately 9,500 working men and women in Wisconsin, primarily employed as heavy equipment operators in the construction industry, as well as public sector employees in towns, counties, villages, and cities. The union delivers collective bargaining representation, apprenticeship and skills training via the Joseph J. Goetz Jr. Training Center in Coloma, health benefit and pension fund administration, member portal services, and workforce dispatch to contractors.

Product overview

IUOE Local 139 is a labor union representing approximately 9,500 working men and women in Wisconsin, primarily employed as heavy equipment operators in the construction industry. The union offers a unified member services platform comprising an online Member Portal for dues payment and member management, a Contractor Portal for industry partners, and a state-of-the-art Coloma Training Center providing apprenticeship programs and skilled trades training including Combat to Construction for veterans. Supporting programs include Health Benefit Fund and Central Pension Fund management, an online merchandise store (139 Engineer Gear), and various member events and resources. The organization also coordinates with Wisconsin Building Trades and Construction Business Group for industry advocacy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Member Portal

Quantifiable outcome

• Journey worker salary and benefits exceed $50 per hour upon completion of Combat to Construction program
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Wisconsin Department of Workforce DevelopmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Wisconsin DWD to coordinate Combat to Construction (C2C), a 9-week program designed for veterans and active National Guard and Reserves. The program provides training and career pathways into Operating Engineers trade.
• Associated Earth Movers AssociationcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLabor association representing earth moving contractors. Local 139 negotiates collective bargaining agreements and conducts ratification meetings with this contractor group.
• Associated General Contractors of WisconsincoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAGC of Wisconsin partnered with IUOE Local 139 Negotiating Committee to reach tentative agreement for Area II Building Heavy and Municipal/Utilities Construction Master Agreement.
• Hogs for Heroes Inc.majorGTM or Marketing PartnerWisconsin branch of national veteran motorcycle organization. Local 139's annual golf outings raise funds for Hogs for Heroes to help veterans struggling with personal hardships, with donations supporting motorcycle purchases for therapeutic purposes.
• Camp American LegionminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVeteran recreation facility where IUOE Local 139 members have built handicap-accessible nature trails for veterans, featured on Building Wisconsin TV.
• Veterans Outreach of Wisconsin (VOW)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerOrganization helping struggling veterans. Local 139 and Legion Post 139 support VOW's James A. Peterson Veteran Village and SC Johnson Community Center in Racine.
• Wisconsin Building Trades CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide Building Trades Council that Local 139 participates in. Hosted the 11th Annual Construction Workers Memorial and presented $100,000 to Big Step for Gateway Technical College-Racine Campus.
• Building Trades Council of South Central WisconsinminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional building trades council affiliation providing coordination for construction workforce in south central Wisconsin region.
• Milwaukee Building & Construction TradesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional building trades council affiliation for Milwaukee area construction workforce coordination.
• Northeast Wisconsin Building & Construction TradesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional building trades council affiliation for northeast Wisconsin construction workforce coordination.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• International Union of Operating Engineers Local 103: IUOE local covering Indiana, Kentucky, and parts of surrounding states. Directly comparable as a fellow operating engineers local with nearly identical apprenticeship, training, and labor agreement functions.
• International Union of Operating Engineers Local 150: Adjacent IUOE local representing heavy equipment operators in Illinois and Indiana. Directly comparable as a sister construction union local with similar training, apprenticeship, and collective bargaining functions but serving a larger multi-state territory.
• International Union of Operating Engineers Local 49: IUOE local representing heavy equipment operators across Minnesota and North Dakota. Directly comparable as a multi-district operating engineers local with analogous training center and apprenticeship programs.

Emerging players

• National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER): National standardized craft training and credentialing organization whose certifications are commonly used across construction training. Comparable as a parallel construction training entity whose curriculum Local 139's training center aligns with.

Broad incumbents

• Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC): National construction trade association that is a structural counter-party to IUOE locals. Comparable as a major construction workforce industry organization competing for the same skilled labor market.
• International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) International: National parent organization of which Local 139 is an affiliate. Directly comparable as the umbrella entity governing Local 139's operations, training standards, and master agreements.
• Laborers' International Union of North America (LIUNA): National labor union representing construction laborers. Adjacent comparable as a large building trades union with similar collective bargaining, training, and apprenticeship functions but covering a different segment of the construction workforce.

Others

• Associated General Contractors of Wisconsin: Industry association of construction contractors that Local 139 negotiates with. Comparable as a Wisconsin construction industry counterpart — represents demand-side of the operating engineer labor market that Local 139 supplies.
• Wisconsin Building Trades Council: Statewide council of building trades unions of which Local 139 is a member. Directly comparable as a coordinated union umbrella that operates in the same Wisconsin construction labor market and partners with Local 139 on training and advocacy.

Regional players

• Milwaukee Building & Construction Trades Council: Regional building trades council for the Milwaukee area. Comparable as a regional Wisconsin construction labor coordination body that Local 139 actively participates in and partner with on workforce initiatives.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/IUOELocal139
• Facebookfacebook.com/OperatorEngineersLocal139
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/international-union-of-operating-engineers-local-139

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Operating Engineers Local 139