Welcome!

Thank you for visiting the Minnesota Pipe Trades Association Web site. We represent nine thousand Plumbers, Pipefitters, Sprinklerfitters, Gasfitters, HVAC and Service Technicians throughout the state of Minnesota. We have members working in all areas of the plumbing, pipefitting, mechanical and fire protection industry, including residential, commercial and institutional facilities.

Our work also involves the building and maintenance of coal, gas and nuclear power plants, oil refineries, renewable fuel facilities, research/ bioscience projects, hospitals, sports stadiums and water treatment facilities. The members of the Minnesota Pipe Trades Association work hard everyday to ensure that safe, high quality projects are delivered on time and on budget.

To learn more about the Minnesota Pipe Trades Association, please watch this informational video.

Fraternally,

Carl Crimmins, President
Minnesota Pipe Trades Association

News and Information

Waters Off 2009

Even with High Unemployment Plumbers Volunteer

The Minnesota Water's Off event has always had a large number of union plumbers volunteer their time to repair plumbing for the low-income, elderly and disabled homeowners but this year was a surprise; a pleasant surprise. With unemployment in the Minnesota plumbing trade at nearly 30%, the expectation was that there would be fewer volunteers. But instead, we had one of the highest turnouts in the event's history. The March 21, 2009, Water's Off event had 226 volunteers which included 40 volunteers who hadn't signed up but decided to volunteer when they saw the need for extra help.

The Water's Off event is held each spring with volunteers from Minneapolis/St. Cloud Plumbers Local 15, St. Paul/Mankato Plumbers Local 34, and Rochester Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 6, who this year serviced 125 homes at an estimated cost of $113,000.

Contractors from the Minnesota Mechanical Contractors Association and the Metro Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors Association donated the use of their service trucks and the material for all the necessary repairs and the work is completely free to homeowners who qualify through their local Community Action Programs.

"The number of volunteers this year surprised me," said Carl Crimmins, Minnesota Pipe Trades President. "Water's Off is a great event, but with the hard times we weren't expecting this many volunteers. Today was a demonstration of the compassion and the character that each of these plumbers brings to their community."

Their efforts didn't go unnoticed. Local television stations looking for positive news in this down economy reported on the volunteer work the unions and their contractors were doing and carried the story in their 5, 6, and 10 o'clock news with one doing several live shots from the breakfast at the University of Minnesota's Continuing Education conference center.

The event was well attended including; United States Congressman Keith Ellison, United States Congresswoman Betty McCollum, and a representative from United States Senator Amy Klobuchar's office, Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson, State Representative Tim Mahoney, a U/A Local 455 member, State Representative Joe Mullery and several elected municipal officials.

We also had County Commissioner Janice Redman, who has attended every Water's Off breakfast since 1994.

Water's Off was established here in the Twin Cities in 1994, and is now a nation wide program, with the Twin Cities still having the largest participation. Community action programs in Minneapolis, Ramsey/Washington Counties, St. Cloud, Mankato, and Olmsted counties supply the Water's Off committee with the names of people who meet their guidelines, which ensures that the people needing the help will receive it.

The help homeowners receive can greatly reduce their water consumption which lowers water bills and at the same time conserves one of our greatest natural resources.

The 2009 Minnesota Apprenticeship Contest

The Minnesota Pipe Trades would like to congratulate the following members who participated in the Minnesota State Apprenticeship Contest:

Jeremy Stewart - Local 11 HVAC 01
Andy Miller - Local 455 HVAC 02
Joe Novotny - Local 6 Pipefitter 01
Greg Vieth - Local 455 Pipefitter 02
Andy Campeau - Local 11 Pipefitter 03
Chad Jacobsen - Local 539 Pipefitter 04
Scott Yarwood - Local 15 Plumber 01
Karl Dodge - Local 34 Plumber 02
Danny Seely - Local 11 Plumber 03
Todd Stineman - Local 6 Welder 01
Nathan Fladeboe - Local 455 Welder 02
Jeff Hemenway - Local 417 Sprinklerfitter
Ben Nagel - Local 417 Sprinklerfitter

We'd also like to wish the apprentices ( in bold ) that will be competing in the Fourth District Regional Contest in Chicago the week of June 8th the best of luck.

2009 Minnesota Pipe Trades Scholarship Information

There will be two Scholarships drawn in memory of Brother Elmer Walls, each shall be in an amount of "up to $1000.00" and shall be presented to the son or daughter of any United Association member in good standing whose Local Union is affiliated with the Minnesota Pipe Trades Association.

The recipients of these scholarships shall be selected by means of a lottery and must have obtained a C+ or better average in their last school year and must attend an accredited Trade School, Junior College, College or University as a full-time student.

Each United Association member in good standing may submit ONE application only. Documentation verifying a C+ or higher average in the applicant's last school year must be submitted with the Scholarship application form.

All applications must be received in the Minnesota Pipe Trades Association Secretary's office no later July 31st:

Minnesota Pipe Trades Association
4402 Airpark Blvd
Duluth, Minnesota 55811

The winner will be selected on August 20th.

All applications must be signed by the Business Manager verifying member submitting application is a member in good standing, and application must bear the United Association seal.

Checks for Scholarships will be issued in two payments - checks will be made out jointly to the recipient and the school selected for attendance.

Download and print the application

Heat's On Offers CO Detectors

St. Paul Pipefitters Local #455 and the Minneapolis Pipefitters Local #539 along with the Minnesota Mechanical Contractors Association (MMCA) held the 22nd Annual Heat's On event in the Minneapolis, St. Paul, Mankato, and St. Cloud areas on Saturday, September 22.

This year 300 pipefitter volunteers cleaned, inspected, and serviced 261 low-income elderly and disabled homeowners and has serviced 6,211 homes, donated 24,893 hours of service, at an estimated value of over $2,744,700 since 1986. One change to the longest running Heat's On in the nation was to provide the needy with Carbon Monoxide/smoke detectors. Heat's On had installed smoke detectors in previous years but this year installed the combination detectors to draw attention to one of Minnesota's new laws requiring Carbon Monoxide/smoke detectors which went into effect in 2008.

Last year MMCA and the pipefitter unions started up, with the help of the community action programs, a Heat's On Furnace Fund. This fund was set up so that community members who wanted to donate money for furnace replacement but also wanted to keep the money in their community could do so. Last year Locals #455 and #539, and MMCA donated $20,000 to start up the furnace fund which helped replace 14 furnaces around the state.