Our Affiliates
LATEST News
Metal Trades Department Condemns Extension of Jones Act Waiver
Statement from Dale M. Troll, President, Metal Trades Department, AFL-CIO The Metal Trades Department strongly objects...
House Armed Services Committee Takes Important Step to Protect American Shipbuilding
The Metal Trades Department, AFL-CIO, applauds Representative Jared Golden (D-ME) and the members of the House Armed...
Join Us for the 72nd Metal Trades Department Convention
Join Us for the 72nd Convention of the Metal Trades Department, AFL-CIO October 19-22, 2026 • Planet Hollywood Hotel...
ABOUT THE MTD
FOR MORE THAN A CENTURY THE MTD HAS WORKED FOR WORKING FAMILIES
The MTD is a department of the AFL-CIO. It was chartered in 1908 to coordinate the negotiations, organizing, and legislative efforts of its affiliated metalworking and related crafts and trade unions. Seventeen national and international unions are affiliated with the MTD today. Workers in private industry and federal establishments work under contracts negotiated by MTD Councils. As a member of a Metal Trades Council and its affiliated union, you have the full force of the department, its international affiliates, and the AFL-CIO behind you.
Why you should join your Metal Trades Council Local Union
By joining together to negotiate, Metal Trades Councils give their affiliated local unions the power to elevate their voices. But true power comes from the members’ support and activism. Your membership is key!
Unions improve the well-being of workers across trades and set safety and health standards and expectations
Union members have better protections against abuses in the workplace
Union members are less likely to get hurt on the job
Union members have better job security
We are ready to help
contact the metal trades
Address
815 16th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20006
Phone
202-508-3705
Dale Troll
President
dtroll@metaltrades.org
Mobile: 240-687-5193
Lisa Johnson
Operations Director
ljohnson@metaltrades.org
Mobile: 301-752-8411
Alana Schaeffer
Federal Representative
aschaeffer@metaltrades.org
Mobile: 603-923-8495
Where We Work
Metal Trades Councils across North America work at some of the most dangerous jobs from nuclear and petrochemical plants to Naval and Coast Guard shipyards.
We are proud to help keep America and Canada safe.
We work in Private and Public Shipyards in the U.S. and Canada
Metal Trades workers and their skills are displayed each day in government and private shipyards throughout the United States and Canada. Metal Trades members can be found building ferries or repairing Coast Guard ice breakers in Victoria, BC, Vancouver Island, Seattle, WA or Portland, OR,. Metal Trades workers are busy building the latest class of Navy warships in the Gulf Coast region of the United States, new submarines in Groton, CT. or double hulled tankers in Philadelphia, PA. In fact, this patriotic workforce may be found working anywhere, at any time, around the world performing and fulfilling their duty whenever their skills are required by either the United States Navy or the Fleet of the Canadian Royal Navy.
We work in our nation's nuclear facilities and petrochemical plants
Metal Trades workers are an essential part of a specialized team of professionals that produce and maintain the systems and processes needed to develop, build, dismantle, inspect, maintain and cleanup America’s nuclear arsenal. They work at Department of Energy sites around the country including Hanford, Pantex, Lawerence Livermore National Laboratory, Y-12, Fernald, and other DOE owned nuclear facilities.
National Security
In addition to shipbuilding and repair, Metal Trades workers fabricate and repair aircraft, vehicles, weapons systems, and other equipment in federal facilities and Department of Defense (DoD) facilities across the country. Metal Trades workers make up a large part of DoD’s more than 700,000-person workforce.
Heavy Manufacturing and Other Trades
Many of the members of the Metal Trades work at government installations, from the National Bureau of Standards to the National Institutes of Health to military sites and dockyards with the Navy and Coast Guard. They also perform utility work for both private and public industries.
We need you to Join Your Union Today
Metal Trades Councils are stronger when we are all working together. We need you to join your union today!
Step
01
Join Your Local Union
Join your local union and attend union meetings.
Step
02
Attend Council Meetings
Metal Trades Councils hold monthly meetings to discuss policies, contract updates, and issues affecting workers. Make sure your voice is heard, attend Council meetings and get involved.
Step
03
Get Active
Become active in your local union and Metal Trades Council. Talk to your coworkers about why they should join the union. You can only vote on your contract if your are a union member.
The Union Difference
Union members work together to negotiate and enforce a contract with management that guarantees the things you care about like decent raises, affordable health care, job security, and a stable schedule.
Highter Wages
$191 per week than their nonunion counterparts.
Better Benefits
Safer Workplace
Voice on the Job
Union College Benefit Program
The Metal Trades Department has partnered with the Employee Benefit Systems Union College Benefit Program.
Union members and their families can earn a certificate, associate, bachelors’, or masters’ degree while attending school part-time or full-time. EBS has a network of colleges and universities offering programs in a myriad of studies.
Programs include business administration, criminal justice, human resources management, organizational leadership and management, and more.
The EBS Union College Benefit is part of the EBS family of benefits. The benefit is powered by through EDUTrust Network, a system of carefully selected colleges and universities. The program has been crafted for adult students and offers more than 50 online programs. Upon enrollment, all students will receive a personal admissions experience with a college or university admissions counselor, career counseling, financial aid counseling, and more. Veterans interested in utilizing the program will work with the dedicated Veteran Team at the college or university to ensure that they select a program at which they can use Veteran benefits.
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