I Build Ohio. I am Local 18.
I am Local 18 is a campaign created by the International Union of Operating Engineers to promote unions and bring awareness to the benefits of joining a union.

See What It Means
To Say “I Am Local 18.”

Operating engineer union members build Ohio, one road at a time. Each year, tradesmen and women work on as many as 1,000 projects throughout Ohio. From bridges and roads to factories and buildings, union members do it all.

In addition to providing exciting and valuable job opportunities, unions offer job security, legal support, higher wages and more benefits for employees. There is no greater pride than being able to say, “I am a union member. I am Local 18.”

Why Join A Union?
It’s All in the Numbers.
Union Members Make an Average of 30% More.
Joining a union means earning a competitive salary.
90% of Union Members Have Health Care Coverage.
Only 68% of non-union members have coverage.
Union Members are 25% More Likely to Have a Pension.
Joining a union is an investment in your future.
“This is the biggest sandbox I’ve ever played in — and it’s awesome!”
– Toni
“I get paid to play. The world is my sandbox.”
– Ben
“This is a brother and sisterhood…I love the camaraderie of everybody. Everybody works together for a common goal and to get a job done.”
– Rachel
“There is a motto that we go by: Together We Train, Together We Gain. I believe that 110% because we are a team here.”
– Chrisean
“It makes you feel good to say ‘Hey, that street that you’re on — I made that, I paved that.’ You just know that you are building America.”
– Rashanna
“Every day is a different challenge. You never know what you’re going to get into.
– Bernie
“Besides Marine Corps this has been the next best journey, being a part of I Am Local 18.”
– Cortrell
Frequently Asked Questions

Ohio’s labor unions provide support for workers’ rights, wages and safety, and fight to sustain those important rights, improve our workplaces and make communities stronger. Local 18 is the premier union in Ohio, supporting operating engineers and their career ambitions.

About 15 million workers, from teachers to carpenters to police and public safety employees, are members of a union in this country, with protected wages, working conditions and quality of life.

Local 18 members are operating engineers, running the heavy equipment to build Ohio’s roads, bridges and buildings all across the state. From front loaders and bulldozers, to pavers and cranes on construction sites, operating engineers work in private industry and areas of public employment. Local 18 members build Ohio!

In addition to protecting workers’ rights and safety, unions often provide for affordable member and family health coverage and higher wages. In fact, without unions, we wouldn’t have a minimum wage.

Local 18 provides guaranteed pensions, industry-leading apprenticeships and free training as well.

The heavy construction industry has weathered the storm of COVID-19, as it is considered an essential business to keep our state’s infrastructure up-to-date and operational. With new safeguards in place and following state and CDC guidelines, operating engineers are able to work safely and efficiently in the face of this pandemic.

It depends on the trade, as well as your experience, but in general union members earn an average of 30% more than non-union members.

It depends on the union, of course, but unionized employees are 19% more likely to have employer-provided health coverage than nonunion employees. Local 18’s health benefits rival those offered by the Ohio’s leading employers.

Our local district offices can provide you with up-to-date information. Or contact our Director of Organizing at (614) 486-5281 or (800) 762-4070.

You can apply in person at a training site during an annual two-week period, usually the last week of January and the first week of February. Click here for current dates, times and application locations.

Union Member Benefits

  • Competitive Pay

  • Apprenticeship Training Program

  • Scholarships

  • Health Care Benefits

  • Pensions

  • Legislative Representation

Learn More About Member Benefits

Suggested Social Media Posts

Use our suggested posts to spread the word on union benefits and the excellent work being done by union members every day.

Did you know that 90% of union members have job-related health coverage? That’s just one of the benefits of being a union member. Follow @IamLocal18 or visit IamLocal18.org to learn more. #IamLocal18

Unions provide job security, legal support, higher wages and more benefits for employees. Follow @IamLocal18 or visit IamLocal18.org to learn more. #IamLocal18

Union members enjoy good pay, great benefits and state-of-the-art training. Visit IamLocal18.org to learn more about the benefits of joining a union. #IamLocal18

Joining a union is the path to fun, rewarding and good-paying careers, as well as free training and apprenticeships. Learn more at IamLocal18.org and start your career today! #IamLocal18

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Are You Ready to Say, “I am Local 18”?

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