International Union of Operating Engineers

Who We Are

We are builders. Whether it’s the roads you travel on, the bridges you cross, the subway systems you ride, or the buildings where you work, receive medical care, view sporting events, or the dams, pipelines, and oil refineries you rely on for water and energy needs, it’s a good bet they were built, operated, and serviced by members of the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE).

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What We Do

We operate the bulldozers, the motor graders, the backhoes, the cranes helping to form and shape the infrastructure and skylines. We work the mines, we dig the wells. We operate the boilers, the generators and the heating and cooling systems, as well as maintain the buildings and grounds, that help make you comfortable at work and play.

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Why It Matters

Operating Engineers are the first on a construction job and the last off. When it involves a commercial or industrial complex, stationary engineers are there long after the construction is finished, operating and maintaining the completed facility.

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But Wait... I have to be an engineer?

The IUOE was founded back in 1896 by what were then called 'Steam Engineers', who operated the steam engines for locomotives. While if you join the union, you will be called an Operating Engineer, this is different than 'engineering' as you may think about it.

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