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Join UA Local 636

Union Membership is about empowering people and changing lives

Are you currently working in the industry and want information about how to join Local 636? Click here to fill out our membership inquiry form. Our Organizer will follow up with you soon.

For more information, please visit michiganpipetrades.com/organize

After the union’s election victory is officially certified by the National Labor Relations Board, your employer is legally required to negotiate in “good faith” with the union on a written contract covering wages, hours, and other working conditions.

  • Under Section 8 of the National Labor Relations Act, your employer cannot legally punish or discriminate against any worker because of union activity.

    • For example, your employer cannot legally do the following:

    • Threaten to or actually fire, layoff, discipline, harass, transfer, or reassign employees because they support the union.

    • Favor employees who don’t support the union over those who do in promotions, job assignments, wages, hours, enforcement of rules, or any other working condition.

    • Shut down the work site or take away any benefits or privileges employees already enjoy in order to discourage union activity.

    • Promise employees a pay increase, promotion, benefit, or special favor if they oppose the union.

  • To establish a union in a workplace, a majority of employees must express support for the union.

  • In most situations, the employees prove majority support through a secret-ballot election conducted by the National Labor Relations Board.

The common term for a group of workers looking to join a union is “Organizing.” Workers organize for various reasons, be it to improve their working conditions, increase their pay or benefits, and/or to create a better working environment. We encourage you to read more about us to see if joining our union is right for you and/or your coworkers.

  • The rights afforded to you by the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA).

    • You have the legal right under Section 7 of the National Labor Relations Act to join or support a union and to:

    • Attend meetings to discuss joining a union.

    • Read, distribute, and discuss union literature (as long as you do this in non-work areas during non-work times, such as during breaks or lunch hours).

    • Wear union buttons, t-shirts, stickers, hats, or other items on the job.

    • Sign a card asking your employer to recognize and bargain with the union.

    • Sign petitions or file grievances related to wages, hours, working conditions, or other job issues, ask other employees to support the union, to sign union cards or petitions, or to file grievances.


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