plumbers local 8

What plumbers local 8 does

Plumbers & Gasfitters Local 8 is a non-profit labor union founded in 1890 that represents plumbers and gasfitters across the Kansas City, Missouri metropolitan area. It serves three primary constituencies: journeymen and apprentice members; residential property owners and commercial contractors seeking licensed plumbing labor; and partner contractors that employ Local 8 members on residential and commercial new construction and service work available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The union's go-to-market is community-led, combining a five-year registered apprenticeship program (the only program of its kind in the Kansas City area) with outreach to experienced licensed plumbers via a membership pathway and recruitment partnerships such as Helmets to Hardhats.

The union's core operational asset is its apprenticeship and training infrastructure, including the Local 8 Training Center, which combines classroom instruction with on-the-job project-site experience and culminates in licensing examinations and ongoing continuing education for journeymen. Member-facing technology is limited to a website, member login portal, and social media presence; there is no mobile app, API, or disclosed software platform. Distribution of labor to end customers is mediated by the Plumbers 911 referral network and direct relationships with partner contractors, while member benefits administration (wages, insurance, mental health resources, and telehealth via Blue KC Virtual Care) is delivered through internal resources pages and third-party benefit providers.

Plumbers Local 8 generates revenue primarily through recurring membership dues paid by journeymen and apprentices, with additional ancillary revenue from member events such as the annual golf tournament. The organization is led by Business Manager Matt Harris and Business Agent/Organizers Pat Wiese, Brian McDaniel, and Geary Lesh, and operates as an independent local entity affiliated with the broader United Association (UA) union network. No external ownership, private equity backing, or parent holding company structure is disclosed, and no financial figures (revenue, dues levels, member counts) are publicly available.

Name

plumbers local 8

Legal name

Plumbers & Gasfitters Local 8

Website

https://ualocal8.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1890

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Plumbers & Gasfitters Local 8 is a Kansas City labor union founded in 1890 that represents licensed plumbers and gasfitters, operating a five-year apprenticeship program and routing union labor to residential and commercial customers through partner contractors and the Plumbers 911 referral network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trade Union Services

NAICS

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

akta.pro primary industry

Gas Piping & Fuel Systems (EDAOACAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Pipefitting & Steamfitting (EDAOACAB), Plumbing & Pipefitting Contracting (IMAFALAC), Pipe Installation, Repair & Repiping (HSAOAAAB)

Keywords

• Labor union services
• Plumbing apprenticeship training
• Trade union membership
• Union contractor referral
• Skilled trades training

Headquarters

HQ city

North Kansas City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Union Membership Dues: Plumbers Local 8 operates as a labor union representing skilled plumbers and gasfitters. The organization collects membership dues from its members (journeymen and apprentices) in exchange for representation, training, benefits administration, and access to union contractors.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Plumbers & Gasfitters Local 8 is a labor union representing skilled plumbers and gasfitters in the Kansas City metropolitan area since 1890. The union operates a five-year apprenticeship program combining classroom instruction with hands-on work experience, administers journeyman licensing support, provides member benefits (including health insurance via Blue KC and mental health resources), and connects union members to partner contractors through the Plumbers 911 referral network for residential and commercial work available 24/7.

Product overview

Plumbers & Gasfitters Local 8 is a labor union organization providing a network of highly skilled, licensed plumbers and gasfitters for Kansas City. The organization operates through its core membership base of Journeymen trained via a five-year apprenticeship program, offering contractor referral services (via Plumbers 911) for residential and commercial construction and service needs 24/7. Member services include benefits, wages, insurance information, mental health resources, and telehealth access through Blue KC. The union also provides pathways for experienced plumbers to join and organizes member events such as golf tournaments.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Apprenticeship Program

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• United Association (UA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPlumbers Local 8 is affiliated with the United Association, a global union representing plumbers, pipefitters, sprinkler fitters, and HVAC technicians. UA provides resources, political and legislative affairs support, and organizational standards for member unions.
• Plumbers 911coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPlumbers 911 is a referral network that connects customers with qualified Local 8 plumbers in Kansas City for both residential and commercial plumbing needs. The partnership enables customers to find union-certified contractors 24/7.
• Local 8 Training CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Local 8 Training Center provides apprenticeship and continuing education programs for union members, supporting the five-year training program and ongoing skill development for licensed journeymen.
• Helmets to HardhatsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHelmets to Hardhats is a program that helps military veterans transition into skilled trades careers. Local 8 participates by accepting eligible veterans into the apprenticeship program.
• Blue KC (Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City)minorOthersBlue KC provides health insurance benefits to Local 8 members. The partnership offers expanded telehealth services through the Blue KC Virtual Care app, providing members access to virtual healthcare consultations.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• Helmets to Hardhats: National non-profit coordinating military-veteran transitions into union construction trades including plumbing; relevant as a recruitment partner that feeds Local 8's apprenticeship pipeline.
• Local 8 Training Center: Locally-operated training centre that delivers Local 8's apprenticeship and continuing education curriculum; internal partner rather than a peer, but materially relevant as the operational training infrastructure supporting the union's talent moat.
• Mechanical Contractors Association of America (MCAA): National trade association representing mechanical contractors, including union signatory contractors who employ Local 8 members; relevant as the demand-side counterpart to Local 8's labour-supply function.

Direct peers

• Plumbers Local 1 (Washington, DC): UA-affiliated local union representing plumbers and gasfitters in the Washington, DC metro area; operates its own apprenticeship and journeyman training programs, making it the closest functional analogue to Local 8 in a different geography.
• Plumbers & Pipefitters Local 178: UA-affiliated local representing plumbers, pipefitters, and HVAC service technicians with a registered apprenticeship program and member services, comparable in mandate to Local 8.
• Plumbers Local 690 (Philadelphia): UA local covering the Philadelphia region with a registered apprenticeship, journeyman upgrade training, and signatory contractor network for residential and commercial plumbing work.
• Plumbers Local 130 (Chicago): Long-standing UA local union serving the Chicago area with apprenticeship training, member benefits, and contractor referral services for residential and commercial plumbing and gasfitting work.
• UA Local 469 (Houston): UA local serving the Houston area with plumber, pipefitter, and HVAC service technician apprenticeship training and member benefits, structurally comparable to Local 8 in a different regional market.
• Plumbers Local 12 (Boston): Historic UA local (founded 1890) representing plumbers and gasfitters in the Boston area with apprenticeship programs and contractor referral services; mirrors Local 8's founding-era positioning and member services model.

Broad incumbents

• United Association (UA): National parent union to which Local 8 is directly affiliated; UA sets training standards, provides political/legislative support, and represents the broader trade at a national level, making it the umbrella organisation for all local plumbing/gasfitter unions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/UALocal8
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/plumbers-local-8

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 plumbers local 8