Chicago Journeymen Plumbers Local 130

What Chicago Journeymen Plumbers Local 130 does

Chicago Journeymen Plumbers Local 130 (Plumbers Local 130 UA) is a chartered local of the United Association (UA) International Union, founded in 1895 and headquartered at 1340 West Washington Boulevard in Chicago, Illinois. The organization represents over 6,100 journeyman plumbers and, since 1962, technical engineers across the Chicagoland construction industry, making it one of the largest straight-line plumbing locals within the UA's network of 350,000+ building tradesmen. Its core functional purpose is collective bargaining on behalf of members, administering apprenticeship and continuing education programs, and operating benefit funds (healthcare, pension, savings) on the membership's behalf.

The union's core products are its training programs: the Plumbers JAC apprenticeship and journeyman curriculum delivered across three training centers (Chicago, Joliet, Volo), the Technical Engineers apprenticeship and education program, and continuing education offerings including four-hour Illinois CEU courses, Journeyman Night School, and a specialized Lead Service Line Replacement curriculum that has generated over 63,000 manhours. Underlying technology consists of a centralized Local 130 Data Center for benefit fund and payroll deferral administration, an online apprenticeship application portal (apply.jac130.org), and a member benefits portal (ualocal130funds.com) running on the Bookeo registration platform. Operational footprint spans four locations across Illinois, with collective bargaining agreements extending to contractors in Indiana and Northern Illinois through partnerships with MARBA and NWICA.

The business model is membership-dues based (specific dues are not publicly disclosed), supplemented by training fund revenue from the Joint Apprenticeship Committee and Technical Engineers Education Fund, modest apprenticeship application fees ($50 non-refundable), and administrative services to signatory contractors (wage rate publications, bond forms, data center services). Go-to-market is direct: skilled tradespeople enter through apprenticeship intake or journeyman transfer, while plumbing and technical engineering contractors access union labor through collective bargaining agreements. The customer base is therefore bipartite — individual members on the supply side and construction contractors on the demand side — with member benefits, training access, and labor dispatch forming the primary value proposition across both audiences.

Name

Chicago Journeymen Plumbers Local 130

Legal name

Chicago Journeymen Plumbers Local Union 130 UA

Website

https://plumberslu130ua.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1895

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Chicago-based chartered local of the United Association representing over 6,100 plumbers and technical engineers across Chicagoland, providing apprenticeship training, collective bargaining, continuing education, and benefit fund administration through four Illinois offices.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Labor Union Services and Skilled Trades Training

NAICS

Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors (23822), Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors (238220)

SIC

Construction - Special Trade Contractors (1700)

akta.pro primary industry

Plumbing & Pipefitting Contracting (IMAFALAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Pipefitting & Steamfitting (EDAOACAB), Pipe Welding & Industrial Piping Fabrication Training (EDAOADAB)

Keywords

• Labor union representation
• Plumbing apprenticeship training
• Collective bargaining services
• Journeyman continuing education
• Technical engineer training

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Chicago Journeymen Plumbers Local 130 UA is a chartered labor union that represents over 6,100 plumbers and technical engineers in the Chicagoland region, providing collective bargaining representation, apprenticeship and journeyman training programs, continuing education/CEU courses, member benefits administration (healthcare, pension, savings), and skilled workforce supply to signatory plumbing and technical engineering contractors under collective bargaining agreements.

Product overview

Chicago Journeymen Plumbers Local 130 UA is a labor union offering membership services to over 6,100 plumbers and technical engineers in the Chicago area. The organization's core offerings include apprenticeship training programs for both plumbers (Plumbers JAC Training Program) and technical engineers (Technical Engineers Training Program), with training facilities in Chicago, Joliet, and Volo. The union provides continuing education through journeyman night school classes, four-hour CEU courses for state licensure, and specialized training such as lead service line replacement and city exam preparation. Additional member services include a benefits portal, hall reservations, contractor resources with wage rates and bonding information, and a data center for benefit fund administration. The organization has been operating since 1895 and is affiliated with the United Association representing 350,000+ building tradesmen.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Plumbers JAC Training Program Apprenticeship and journeyman training program for plumbers combining classroom instruction, hands-on training at three training centers (Chicago, Joliet, Volo), and continuing education courses for UA Local 130 members and apprentices.
• Technical Engineers Training Program Training program for technical engineers providing horizontal and vertical control points to General Contractors and trades on construction sites throughout Chicagoland since 1962, including apprenticeship and continuing education paths.
• Plumbing Apprenticeship Program Online application-based apprenticeship program accepting applications annually in November at apply.jac130.org, requiring completion of application, valid driver's license, birth certificate or passport, and proof of high school completion or GED, with a $50 non-refundable application fee.
• Four-Hour Continuing Education Courses Illinois state-required four-hour continuing education courses for licensed plumbers offered at Chicago, Joliet, and Volo locations with online registration.
• Journeyman Night School and Continuing Education Calendar Evening continuing education classes for journeymen including Plumbing Code, Trade Related Math, Open Shop, and Welding courses with online registration available via Bookeo platform.
• Lead Service Line Replacement Night School Specialized evening classes for lead service line replacement offered at the Chicago Training Center on Thursday evenings, generating over 63,000 manhours for Local 130 members.
• City of Chicago Plumbing Exam Scheduling Service Plumbing license exam scheduling service for City of Chicago written and practical exams, providing exam dates, deadlines, and application information to apprentices and journeymen.
• CCCDI Certification Classes CCCDI (cross-connection control device inspector) certification classes offered to Local 130 members for professional certification.
• Contractor Workforce Supply and Resources Workforce supply and administrative resources for plumbing and technical engineering contractors, including access to union journeymen, wage rates, CBA information, data center services, pay deferral forms, and bonding requirements under collective bargaining agreements.
• Member Benefits Portal Member-only portal hosted at ualocal130funds.com providing access to online dues payment, job openings, member information, and benefits management for Local 130 members.
• Hall Reservations Reservation system for union hall facilities at the Chicago Union Hall available to Local 130 members for meetings and events.
• Local 130 Data Center Service Data center service for benefit fund administration located at 1340 W Washington Boulevard, Suite 302, Chicago, managing member benefit information, payroll deferral, and benefit tracking for Local 130 members and their funds.
• Scholarship Program Scholarship program providing educational financial support to Local 130 members and their families.
• Veteran Career Transition Program (Helmet To Hardhats) Veteran career transition program connecting military veterans with skilled building trades careers, including plumbing and technical engineering apprenticeships, via partnership with Helmet To Hardhats.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• United Association (UA)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent international union representing 350,000+ building tradesmen across the United States and Canada. Local 130 operates as a chartered local within the UA structure, benefiting from national collective bargaining frameworks, training standards, and political advocacy programs.
• MARBA (Midwest Regional Builders Association)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional builders association with collective bargaining agreements covering Technical Engineers. MARBA represents contractors in the Midwest and establishes wage rates, bond requirements, and working conditions for tech engineers under the NWICA agreement.
• NWICA (Northern Wisconsin and Illinois Construction Association)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional construction industry association establishing collective bargaining agreements for Technical Engineers working in Indiana and Northern Illinois areas. Provides bond forms and wage rate frameworks for member contractors.
• UA Political PipelinecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPolitical advocacy program connecting UA locals with political engagement opportunities. Local 130 participates in political action initiatives to support legislation favorable to the building trades and union workforce.
• Helmet To HardhatsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProgram connecting military veterans with careers in the building trades. Local 130 participates to help veterans transition to skilled plumbing and technical engineering careers.
• The Union Boot ProsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLoyalty rewards program providing exclusive pricing on work boots and gear to union members. Local 130 participates in the program to provide member benefits and discounts.
• JAC Fund (Joint Apprenticeship Committee)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTraining fund for apprentice and journeymen education, providing standards-compliant apprenticeship programs registered with the Department of Labor. Operates training centers in Chicago, Joliet, and Volo.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• United Association International Union (UA): Parent international union representing 350,000+ building tradesmen across the U.S. and Canada. Local 130 is a chartered local under the UA; not a direct peer but the governing body that frames its collective bargaining, training standards, and political advocacy.

Direct peers

• Steamfitters Local 638 (New York City): UA-affiliated steamfitters, refrigeration, and HVAC local in NYC. Comparable in scope of mechanical trades, apprenticeship programs, and contractor relations, with strong overlap in covered work categories.
• Plumbers Local Union No. 1 (New York City): Plumbers Local 1 is one of the largest UA-affiliated plumbing locals in the U.S., serving the NYC metro with comparable apprenticeship training, member benefits, and CBA-driven contractor relationships. Direct comparability in scale, trades, and UA structure.
• Plumbers Local 27 (Philadelphia): Philadelphia-area UA plumbing local providing apprenticeship training, journeyman services, and contractor CBAs. Direct peer in business model, training infrastructure, and member benefits delivery.

Regional players

• Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters: Chicago-area carpenters union providing apprenticeship training and CBA-based contractor access. Comparable as a major Chicago building trades local with similar training and labor supply infrastructure.
• IBEW Local 134 (Chicago Electrical Workers): Chicago-based IBEW electrical workers local. Comparable as a major Chicago building trades union with apprenticeship training, member benefits, and contractor CBAs, but serves electricians rather than plumbers.
• Sheet Metal Workers Local 73 (Chicago): Chicago-area sheet metal workers local. Comparable as a fellow Chicago/Midwest building trades local with apprenticeship training and CBA infrastructure, focused on HVAC and architectural sheet metal.
• UA Local 343 (San Francisco): San Francisco-based UA plumbing and pipefitting local serving Northern California with similar apprenticeship programs and member service offerings. Comparable in trades and UA institutional structure, but operates in a different geographic market.
• Plumbers & Pipefitters Local 525 (Houston): Houston-based UA plumbers and pipefitters local; comparable in covered trades (plumbing + pipefitting) and training delivery, but serves the Gulf Coast industrial and commercial market rather than the Midwest urban market.
• International Union of Operating Engineers Local 150: Heavy equipment operators union serving Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin. Comparable as a major Midwest building trades local with apprenticeship training and CBA infrastructure, but covers operating engineers rather than plumbing.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/chicago-journeymen-plumbers-local-130

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 Chicago Journeymen Plumbers Local 130