Member Advantages

Enjoy member advantages. By joining Sheet Metal Workers Local #24, you become part of a proud and highly-trained group of individuals who look out for each other on and off the job.

Workers earn a higher income through the collective bargaining process than those who work for non-union construction companies. Besides greater pay, union workers also receive better healthcare and retirement benefits, plus justice at work.

Hourly Wages and Benefits

The gap between collective bargaining and non-union salary and benefits is large. Union members are able to secure a better life for themselves through their Unions.

Sheet Metal Worker apprentices earn a starting rate, on average, of over $13.50 per hour and receive wage increases each year in the apprenticeship program to well over $20 per hour.

Journeymen earn more than $25 per hour, which is more than in the non-union industry. Furthermore, few college graduates earn this amount coming out of college.

The difference is not limited to just hourly wage. Union members have better health care coverage and strong retirement plans when compared to non-union workers.

Affordable health care coverage is one of the most important issues affecting most Americans today. Union members and employers have the benefit of pooling their resources in order to negotiate better deals for their members and provide better value in terms of quality health care.

Better Protected Against Catastrophic Loss

Union members are far more likely to have life insurance coverage than their non-union counterparts. Studies have shown nearly 82% of all union members have some type of life insurance coverage while only half of non-union workers have coverage.

Job Security

With many Americans living paycheck to paycheck, job security is critical to you and your family’s well-being. Union contracts establish strict rules about job security and the conditions under which layoffs or reductions in the workforce can take place.

Career Advancement

Union members are afforded opportunities to improve and upgrade their skills through union-sponsored education and training programs, which can lead to higher wages and responsibilities.

Grievance Procedure

Members of the building trades have a clear set of rights which are outlined in detail in their collective bargaining agreements.

A Voice at Work

Being in a union gives workers a voice on the job, and their collective voice makes them more forceful and influential with management than any individual voice.

A Right to Health and Safety on the Job

Our members have built-in mechanisms to monitor and even correct the work environment, to ensure any health or safety concerns are addressed. The safety of our members is always our top concern and they receive OSHA and trade specific training to keep them safe.