Pipe Up! With The General President

UA General President Mark McManus and Administrative Assistant to the General President Anthony Gallagher answer questions submitted by members at the United Association’s 41st General Convention in San Diego.

The conversation covers organizing, welcoming new members, and growing the UA while maintaining its training standards and union heritage. They address concerns about “selling books,” discuss how training departments and organizers can work together, and explain why bringing more skilled workers into the union matters for wages, benefits, retirement security and keeping UA work.

They also reflect on members’ personal stories from the convention, the work of Pipe PALS, and looking out for brothers and sisters facing mental health and substance use challenges.

UA General President Mark McManus and General Secretary-Treasurer Kualapai answer questions submitted by members at the 41st General Convention in San Diego.

The conversation covers preparing members for new work, strengthening training, securing long-term union jobs, and barriers to working across the U.S.–Canada border. They also discuss organizing, apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeship programs as ways to meet the growing demand for skilled union members.

Administrative Assistant to the General President Chris Haslinger turns the tables on General President Mark McManus in this special edition of Pipe Up!

Answering questions recorded live from UA members at the 41st General Convention, GP McManus discusses his journey through the trades, apprenticeship training, mental health and recovery initiatives, the future of the UA, and more.

Have a question for a future episode? Email [email protected] and include your name, local union, craft, and years of membership.

Coming to you from the UA’s Instructor Training Program in Ann Arbor, GP Mark McManus sits down with Jacob Panovich of UA Local 62 and Sean Billings of UA Local 190.

As members of the inaugural Future Leaders class—and the first group from the program to graduate from ITP—Jacob and Sean reflect on what drew them to teaching, how the program shaped their paths, and why preparing the next generation goes far beyond technical skills.

They also discuss mentorship, mental health, supporting apprentices from every background, and the important role instructors play in building the UA’s future.

Where is the work—and what will it take to make sure UA members are ready for it?

In this episode, General President Mark McManus sits down with UA International Representatives Lance Albin, Russell “Corby” Shelton and Price Dobernick for a wide-ranging conversation about the work ahead across North America. They discuss major opportunities in data centers and other growing sectors, organizing, apprenticeship growth, manpower, market share, training and what it takes to protect UA work.

For the first time, Pipe Up! is available as a full video podcast. Watch the conversation on Spotify or YouTube—or listen on Apple Podcasts and everywhere you already get Pipe Up! It is the same podcast and the same feed; video is simply a new way to join the conversation.

In a special Independence Day episode, Pipe Up! highlights a young UA member preparing to represent both the United States and the United Association on the world stage.

General President Mark McManus sits down with 19-year-old UA Local 777 apprentice Charlie Goede, who will travel to Shanghai this September as Team USA’s competitor in plumbing and heating at the 2026 WorldSkills Competition — often called the Olympics of the skilled trades.

Charles discusses his journey from a Connecticut technical high school and SkillsUSA to becoming the first UA member selected to compete at WorldSkills, the intensive training underway ahead of the competition, and what it means to carry the hopes of his local, his family, and more than 400,000 UA members into an international arena.

From apprenticeship and mentorship to fishing, moose hunting, and plans to someday teach the next generation of UA members, this episode is a reminder that the future of the skilled trades is already hard at work.

The United Association has reached a historic milestone: more than 400,000 members strong. In this special episode, General President Mark McManus is joined by UA Director of Organizing and Recruitment Brian Fisher to reflect on the growth that made it possible and the opportunities it creates for members across North America.  

They discuss the organizing strategies, training investments, contractor partnerships, and local union leadership that helped the UA grow by more than 60,000 members in just five years. The conversation also explores why growth matters—not just for membership numbers, but for market share, job opportunities, retirement security, and the long-term strength of the United Association.  

This is a celebration of what the UA has accomplished together—and a look ahead at the work still to come as the fight for 500,000 members begins.  

As AI and digital infrastructure continue to expand across North America, data centers have become one of the fastest-growing sectors of UA work—and one of the most misunderstood.

In this episode, General President Mark McManus sits down with UA International Representative Chris Madello to discuss the rise of data centers, the myths and misinformation surrounding them, and why these projects are critical to the future of modern infrastructure and skilled trades jobs.  

The conversation also highlights the massive opportunities data centers are creating for UA members through apprenticeship growth, training, service work, and long-term market share.  

From Washington to job sites across the country, the policies being debated right now have a direct impact on UA members and the work ahead.

In this episode, General President Mark McManus sits down with UA Director of Legislative and Political Affairs Russ Breckenridge to break down the current political landscape, the importance of bipartisan engagement, and why issues like permitting reform and infrastructure investment are critical to keeping UA members on the job.  

They also discuss the UA’s role in politics, how members can stay engaged, and what it takes to turn policy into real job opportunities across North America.

Recorded during the 2026 UA Pipeline Conference, General President Mark McManus sits down with UA Director of Pipeline and Gas Distribution Chad Gilbert and UA Local 798 Business Manager Justin Wallace to discuss the state of the pipeline industry and the work ahead.

They break down the growing demand for pipeline infrastructure, the massive projects on the horizon, and how the UA is preparing its workforce through training, organizing, and new apprenticeship programs. The conversation also highlights the importance of market share, strong contractor partnerships, and ensuring the next generation of skilled pipeline workers is ready to meet the moment.

It’s a look at an industry on the rise—and the opportunities it creates for UA members across North America.