Becoming a signatory contractor with Local 49 has significant benefits to you as the employer:
- There are more than 14,000 members throughout Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota, and we are committed to helping your business grow.
- Local 49 members are provided with on-going training at our state-of-the-art Training Center to ensure they are constantly developing their skills and keeping up with new and evolving technology within the industry. Having highly skilled and safe employees saves contractors time and money.
- Local 49 offers nationally recognized pension and health plans for your employees. These benefits are administered by the Local 49 Fund offices.
"THERE ARE BENEFITS TO BOTH THE WORKER AND THE EMPLOYER IN BECOMING SIGNATORY WITH LOCAL 49."
Here are some of the benefits you will receive as a signatory contractor with IUOE Local 49:
The Central Pension Fund is the second largest labor-management pension fund in the United States. By partnering with Local 49 you are able to offer your employees a secure retirement package, and it provides the reassurance of knowing your employees will be taken care of in the future. Learn more about the Central Pension Fund here.
The Operating Engineers Local 49 Health and Welfare Fund is one of the top multi-employer health plans in the nation and it is the largest multi-employer health plan in Minnesota covering more than 38,000 participants. The Operating Engineers Local 49 Health Fund is a nationwide health plan that offers participants a comprehensive medical, prescription, dental, and vision benefits. The Fund is governed by a Board of Trustees made up of both labor and management who design the plan and provide families with the tools, information, and programs participants need to take control of their health. The health fund has implemented several programs to help plan participants take control of their health such as a medical advocacy program, a family assistance program, and more. Learn more about the Operating Engineers Local 49 Health Plan here.
The Training Fund is overseen by a board of Trustees made up of both labor and management. The Local 49 Training Center sits on 390 acres in Hinckley, MN where employees can operate real equipment to enhance their skills. The Training Center is free to those members whose employer pays into the Training Fund. Below is a list of some of the classes that are available.
- Excavators, Dozers, Loaders, and more
- Sewer and Water installation training
- Grades & Stake training along with Print Reading
- CCO Certifications
- OSHA 10
- OSHA 30
- MSHA
- Competent Person
Learn more about the Local 49 Training Center here.
When you become signatory with IUOE Local 49 you are gaining a partner in the construction industry. Not only are we partners with our signatory contractors, but we are advocates for them as well. We work tirelessly to ensure that there are opportunities for them to put our members to work. If you were to join this elite group of employers, we would do the same for you.
If you could see yourself becoming industry partners with IUOE Local 49 please fill out the questionnaire up above, checking all the scopes of work performed, and an agent will contact you to set up a time and place to go over the various agreements we have.
"The International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) has been supplying contractors with workers since 1896. IUOE Local 49 has been doing the same since 1927."
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS BY CONTRACTORS
We can help you increase productivity with a safe, skilled work force and decrease your administration costs for health insurance and retirement plans. We can help increase profits and savings on prevailing wage work through known labor costs, training, a stable workforce, and a hiring hall. We offer training and certification for OSHA, MSHA, Hazmat, CCO, and forklift requirements, as well as training to improve operator skills and productivity.
NO! We want to partner with you by providing a skilled labor force for your multiple jobs of any size or location. You retain the right to determine the size of your crews.
There are no association fees or costly transition fees for administration of the health care or retirement plans. You only agree to pay wage and benefit rates.
You may actually be paying more through high employee turn-over, lower productivity, higher training and safety certification costs, and unnecessary administration costs. We are in the business of helping you make money, not increasing your costs.
All contracts are renegotiated after a predetermined period of time.
Absolutely! Local 49 will include your company contact information on a list of union contractors and sub-contractors, and we promote signatory general contractors as well.
No. Wages are determined both by region and by group classifications in the agreement.
The labor agreement has set hourly rates for health and pension contributions, which are paid to the fund administrators who administer the fund. The health insurance coverage is an 80/20 plan, and is widely regarded as the best in the nation. Local 49’s pension is a “Defined Benefit” plan.
Absolutely, we can provide your company with names of numerous signatory contractors specializing in a wide range of work, which can help you remain competitive.
