Rights and Responsibilities

The United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America (the UBCJA or UBC) believes that all carpenters are entitled to decent treatment and compensation for their work. That's been the basis of our work since PJ McGuire founded the Carpenters Union in 1881. Since then we've worked to establish industry standards for wages, benefits and working conditions through collective bargaining. In addition, we believe that employers who bargain in good faith deserve employees who produce for their company. After all, carpenters can't be successful if their employer is not successful.

So the UBC has developed the Carpenters' Bill of Rights and Responsibilities to let all the men and women who put on the tools each morning know what they deserve and what they should expect to produce for their employers and communities.
We believe that all working people have a right to:
  • A good job with benefits
  • A living wage that can support a family
  • Security and dignity in work and retirement
  • A safe and secure workplace
  • Education and training to reach your full potential
With rights come responsibilities:
  • Being productive, efficient workers
  • Producing work of the highest quality--work that we stand behind
  • Improving our communities
  • Helping fellow workers achieve safety and security in the workplace
  • Being active citizens and informed voters

These rights and responsibilities are what we mean when we talk about improving standards in the industry. If you'd like to work toward these goals, call or email the Metropolitan Regional Council of Carpenters.

Carpenters; call to talk to an Organizer for the Metropolitan Regional Council Organizing Department at 215-569-1634, or e-mail us at organizers@philacarpenter.org

Contractors; call Rob Naughton, Director of Organizing at the Metropolitan Regional Council, 215-569-1634 or email Rob at organizers@philacarpenter.org