ANN ARBOR, Mich. — During Industry Day at the Great Lakes Regional Training Center at Washtenaw Community College, the United Association of Plumbers and Pipe Fitters (UA) of North America and the Plumbing Trades Employees Union (PTEU) of Australia, signed an affiliation agreement (http://bit.ly/SizgFg) for joint skills training and employment initiatives in the United States, Canada, and Australia. According to the UA, this is a first between two unions and its major initiatives are to help streamline the building industry, reduce the shortage of skilled workers, and bolster the efforts to address global climate change.
Representing each of the unions was William P. Hite, UA general president (http://bit.ly/TxhNMp) and Earl Setches, PTEU state secretary (http://bit.ly/VfwDcs). Both sides bring specific expertise to the agreement table and each leader offered that expertise to help the other.