The United Association (UA) of Plumbers, Fitters, Welders and HVAC Techs held the Tripartite Conference, entitled "Building Stronger Partnerships for a Better Future," in late September 2009 at the UA Local Union 597 Training Center in Mokena, IL. The UA is a multi-craft union whose members are engaged in the fabrication, installation and servicing of piping systems.

The tripartite is composed of union officials, contractors, and end-user business owners, coming together to discuss common interests and goals, recognize new challenges, and develop joint solutions.

"In the complex, interrelated fields of construction and energy production, progress can only be achieved when key participants come together to exchange ideas," said Stephen Lamb, Executive Director at the Mechanical Contractors Association (MCA) of Chicago, which works closely with Chicago area contractors and LU 597.

"This year's tripartite event was a big success and we plan on holding the conference annually."

The Renaissance of Nuclear Power
Guest speaker Mike Wallace, Vice-Chairman and COO of Constellation Energy and Chairman of Unistar Nuclear Energy, stated that in the near future, the nuclear power industry will experience "a renaissance that will produce a fleet of nuclear power plants not unlike what we were building 30 years ago."

He noted that nuclear energy currently provides 20 percent of the electricity in the United States. In 1973, 66 nuclear plants were under construction in America at the same time. But then, "Three-Mile Island occurred in 1979 and many of those plants stepped back or shut down," he said.

The UA is currently working with Constellation Energy to build the first new nuclear plant in America, and also to finalize a partnership that Constellation is forming with �lectricite de France (EDF) to bring French nuclear expertise to American shores.

"In France, 80 percent of their electricity comes from nuclear energy, which means no carbon emissions," Wallace said. "We need to bring that technology to America and move forward."

The Bottom Line
The bottom line, according to Wallace, is that America needs energy conservation and efficiency. "We must prepare to replace aging fossil and nuclear plants," he said.

"We need all the wind and solar that can be economically or possibly built. We need all the clean coal we can possibly get. We need nuclear power as well, because it provides a low cost, safe, secure, reliable baseload source of energy that's online 24-7."

Currently, Wallace stated, sixteen license applications for new nuclear plants have been filed with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. He added that Unistar Nuclear Energy and EDF have partnered to plan and develop four new nuclear power plants in Maryland, New York, Missouri and Pennsylvania.

The first new plant to be developed will be in Calvert Cliffs, MD. This plant has been selected to receive funds from a Department of Energy loan guaranty program.

This project will mean additional jobs for the community, Wallace stated. "Calvert County is looking into addressing the enlargement of their community infrastructure to accommodate the 4,000 new jobs to be created by the project," he said. "We expect to break ground at Calvert Cliffs next year, and it can only be done right by using craft union labor led by the UA."

New Departments and a Greener Future
In his Tripartite keynote speech, William P. Hite, General President of the United Association, announced that the UA has added three new departments to address the energy needs of the future.

The UA Department of Energy will be led by Director Jerome O'Leary. "Our new energy department will make sure we have a good, solid focus on the entire energy industry," Hite said.

Rick Terven, Sr., has been named as the Director of the new UA Department of Political and Legislative Affairs, which will serve as a liaison between the association and government offices.

Steve Allen will head the new UA Department of Sustainable Technology, which will address issues arising from green construction. Each of the UA's 300 training centers in the U.S. and Canada, Hite said, are now mandated to have at least one Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Accredited Professional (LEED AP) certified instructor on staff.

What Happens After the Baby Boomers Retire?
Hite noted that the UA is facing a huge challenge which is also a concern of the entire construction industry: an aging population of skilled workers looking forward to retirement. "Fifty percent of their members are approaching age 50," he said, "and new skilled workers will be needed to replace them."

Currently, the non-union sector represents 60 percent of the industry at large, he said, but it trains less than 15 percent of apprentices. "Project managers will be short-handed unless they use the workforce trained by the UA," Hite said.

Hite stated that the UA will encourage project managers to employ a 1-to-5 ratio of apprentices to journeymen on jobsites. "We have to get more young blood into this industry," he said. "If project managers mandated this ratio to contractors, we'd have way more people stepping up into this industry."

In recent years, the UA has employed innovative new techniques to bring underemployed sectors of the population into the UA. Hite cited the examples of the UA Veterans in Piping Program, which trains members of the armed forces for careers with the association, and also the Native American Outreach Program, which is underway at LU 597 and also at LU 469 in Phoenix, AZ. "Unemployment is as high as 50 percent on some reservations," Hite said.

"In plumbing and pipefitting alone, we invest more than $170 million in training," Hite said. "When it comes to training, we always try to stay ahead of the curve."

"Education has always been a high priority for both MCA Chicago and the UA," said Lamb, "and this year's Tripartite Conference provided a rewarding learning experience for its participants, which is especially important during a recession. The economy is now getting better, and many of the initiatives discussed at this event will lead to an even better economic picture for the United States and Canada."

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