UA Local 601 - Steamfitters

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Milwaukee, WI
UA Local 601 - Steamfitters

More than 100 years old, we are union HVAC, refrigeration techs, pipe welders, and fitters.

We are the union HVAC and refrigeration techs, the pipe welders, and fitters - installing comfort heating and cooling systems, grocery store refrigeration, gas line pumps, food & beverage piping, pharmaceutical and chemical systems, compressed air and gases, hydraulic, and fuel oil systems. We install and maintain the pipelines that deliver oil to refineries and gasoline from them as well as natur

al gas to your homes. The high pressure steam systems we install at power plants help produce the electricity that powers home and businesses. We install and service the temperature controls and instrumentation systems that allow all of these systems to function safely and efficiently year after year. Our members work in homes, hospitals, schools, offices and manufacturing plants. You’ll find us at Miller Brewery and Harley Davidson, to the University of Wisconsin, and the State Capital. We’re 2400 members strong performing our work throughout 14 counties in Southeastern Wisconsin. We encourage you to use this website to learn more about what we do, how we work and how we train.

09/03/2026

We sat down with four of our 3rd year apprentices this back-to-school season to find out exactly what they'd tell the first years just getting started. Turns out it's not just about the trade, it's mindset, money, and taking ownership of your career.

What advice would you give to our first year apprentices? 👀

If you're thinking about joining the trades, learn more about our steamfitter apprenticeship program at https://bit.ly/4x8Hms9.

08/31/2026

Looking for Labor Day plans? South Central Federation of Labor is hosting Labor Fest '26 on Monday, September 7th at the Madison Labor Temple, and we want to see our Local 601 family there!

Live music, food carts, kids activities, and a Solidarity Roll Call at 2 PM. This is what union community looks like outside the job site.

They're also running a Labor Day collection for local families: $25 gift cards, backpacks for high schoolers, school supplies, and hair care products. If you're headed down, consider bringing something to give.

Get more info at scfl.org.

07/31/2026

Mike Unger left Local 601 for a non-union shop. The pay looked fine at first. Then his wife got pregnant with twins.

The non-union company had promised solid healthcare coverage. But the high-risk pregnancy meant frequent doctor visits and mounting bills, and when the bills came, what had been promised simply became unavailable.

That's when Mike realized something he hadn't known before: as a Local 601 member, he'd had options all along.

A lot of people don't realize unions like Local 601 are a resource during a work crisis, whether it's losing a job or something else life throws at you. Learn more about why Mike came back to Local 601 at https://bit.ly/4fFMm0O.

07/29/2026

Brotherhood, sisterhood, and people who have your back. That's what six years in the union means to Michael Gray, a service steamfitter with Air Temperature Services who just made journeyman.

That's what Local 601 is built on. Good benefits, good hours, good wages, and people who genuinely look out for each other.

Curious what being a union steamfitter could look like for you? Start here 👇
https://bit.ly/becoming-a-steamfitter

07/23/2026

For many general contractors, the idea of unionizing feels like giving up control, flexibility or margin. Randy Lenover, owner of Merchants Refrigeration and Mechanical, initially felt the same way.

What changed his mind wasn't an argument, it was experience. Since partnering with Local 601, he's had access to trained workers, stronger benefits, and the flexibility to scale up or down, and grown his team from 3 technicians to 10 in under two years.

If you're a non-union contractor who's been on the fence, here's his advice: stop leaving those advantages on the table.

Interested in learning more about what Local 601 membership could mean for your business? Visit https://shorturl.at/a3VjZ.

07/20/2026

Overhead welding isn't something you can fake your way through. It takes control, patience, and reps, the kind of skill you only build with your hands, not from a textbook.

This is what apprenticeship looks like in real time: real tools, real welds, real progress. If you're looking for a career where you earn while you learn, steamfitting might be the trade for you.

Learn more about Local 601 and our apprenticeship opportunities at https://shorturl.at/VWI3l.

07/15/2026

Dave has been a steamfitter since 1991. He joined Local 601 because he wanted fair pay, equal benefits, and to stop cleaning up mistakes made by people earning more than him. The result? A raise every single year, even through the Great Recession, when most people weren't seeing a dime. This is what union membership does. 💪

Thinking about joining a union? Learn more about Local 601 at https://bit.ly/4ydtU8c.

07/10/2026

We're dedicated to educating the next generation about how they can become skilled tradespeople. Recently, high school students with the WRTP / BIG STEP Summer Trades Academy visited Local 601 to get a firsthand look at what it's like to be a Steamfitter.

With a morning class and an afternoon class each day, our training instructors walked students through hands-on projects — including welding their own name plates — giving them a real taste of the skills behind the trade and where our apprenticeship can take them.

Learn more about our apprenticeship program at https://bit.ly/44m2aRb.

07/04/2026

Happy Fourth of July from Local 601!

Address

3300 S. 103rd Street
Milwaukee, WI
53227

Telephone

(414) 543-0601

Website

http://steam601.org/contact.aspx

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