Retirement may end your daily commute to the job, but being part of a union can keep you on the road to security, support, and a stronger voice long after you’ve hung up your work boots.
That’s true for most trade unions, and it’s definitely true for retiring members of the United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry of the United States and Canada – commonly referred to as UA. As an actively registered member of UA Local 800, every individual from apprentice to journeyman is enrolled in a pension plan that will continue to build equity as their career progresses. That’s not something every union member thinks of at the start of their career as a tradesperson, but it becomes vitally important once they decide to transition into retirement.
“When you have a pension plan and a welfare plan that’s going to put money away for you down the road, you’re glad in the end that you were part of a union and put money into your plan,” said John Derosbie, a retired Businesses Agent and trustee for UA Local 800.
As a lifelong union member who just received his 50-year gold card with UA Local 800 (previously Local 508), Derosbie knows the value of union membership when it comes to helping members with a variety of initiatives. That includes financial planning, educational pension resources pre and post-retirement, and easing into second careers with part-time work with the Local.
For members just starting to think about the first step to retirement, accessing support services from UA Local 800 is easy.
“Let’s use the Sault Ste Marie local as an example,” said Derosbie. “What we sometimes do is, if there are members of the union looking for retirement advice and resources, we’ll usually send out a letter letting them know we’ll be sending a manager to Sault Ste. Marie who will be advising them on how to access their union pension, their Canada pension, and their Old Age pension. We’ll provide education to those who are about to enter retirement.”
For members who find they miss the comradery and physical activity of the job once they retire, UA Local 800 also helps with the transition by offering them opportunities for occasional employment if they want it.
“What happens in many Locals is a member if he chooses can go back out to work for their Local as a retiree,” said Derosbie. “If you go back to work, they money you would have normally paid into your pension can be put on your cheque. A lot of guys in Sault Ste. Marie for example go back to work when Algoma Steel has a two- or three-day shutdown that requires a lot of bodies. Retirees often come out to see the guys while making some extra money during their retirement.”
In his role with UA Local 800 Derosbie said he often talks to young tradespeople about the lifelong benefits of being a union member. That includes finding work in other areas when your Local is lean on assignments.
“I tell young tradespeople that if there is no work in their own Local they have the opportunity to travel in Canada to work for other Locals and send their money back home. That helps them to continue to build up their pension and welfare plans.”
Ultimately, having a cache of union resources to help educate and inform members considering their retirement options is one of the biggest services UA Local 800 provides to some of its senior members. Anyone thinking of joining the trades or looking for work in the industry should reach out to the union to discuss the various benefits and pension plans offered through the Local.
For more information, visit United Local 800 online here.