Pipe Up! With The General President

Pipe Up! is the official podcast of the UA General President. Join us monthly as we explore the stories, skills, and lives of our diverse membership—from apprentices and seasoned mechanics to veterans and instructors. Dive into plumbing, sprinkler fitting, welding, training, HVAC, and more. Tune in for insights, interviews, and discussions on topics vital to our members and the trade. Have ideas, questions, or want to join an episode? Email us at generalpresident@uanet.org with your local union number, book number, and details about your question or topic.

Pipe Up! With The General President is a business podcast hosted by United Association, with 23 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

United Association hosts Pipe Up! With The General President, a business show with 23 episodes published.

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  Pipe Up! With The General President

  #23 From Future Leaders to Training the Future with Jacob Panovich and Sean Billings

  Aug 10, 202644 min

  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.

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  Pipe Up! With The General President

  #22 Where the Work Is – With Lance Albin, Russell “Corby” Shelton, & Price Dobernick

  Jul 27, 202651 min

  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.

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  Pipe Up! With The General President

  #21 Representing America at WorldSkills – With Charlie Goede

  Jul 6, 202644 min

  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. Charlie 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.

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  Pipe Up! With The General President

  #20 400,000 Members Strong – With Brian Fisher

  Jun 15, 202640 min

  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.

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  Pipe Up! With The General President

  #19 Data Centers – With Chris Madello

  May 26, 202650 minS0

  <p>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.</p><p>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.  </p><p>The conversation also highlights the massive opportunities data centers are creating for UA members through apprenticeship growth, training, service work, and long-term mar...

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