Bill Bailey Jr. is a leader in our Local and our industry.

“When I think about being a union member, Brother Bailey comes to mind,” said Business Manager Bill Guthrie. “He can always be counted on to help with a precinct walk or rally community leaders. He understands our union’s strength comes from our skills. And he is committed to ensuring our union’s power continues to grow.”   

In sixth grade, UA Local Union 393 retiree Bill Bailey Jr. decided he would one day follow in his father’s footsteps as a union steamfitter/pipefitter. Both Brother Bailey’s father and uncle were proud union steamfitters with the UA, and now his son is a proud member. In 1963, he got started in the craft. He joined the Navy, and began learning to be a pipefitter at base school on his way to Vietnam. When Brother Bailey got out of the Navy, he came home and completed his apprenticeship.

Since then, he has been dedicated to our Local. He became an instructor in 1978, doing so for free, and says that his biggest passion is teaching. Brother Bailey is proud to say that he taught most of the current 393 leadership and to this day continues to instruct the next generation of 393 members at our Pipe Trades Training Center.

He is also widely recognized for his skills as a UA craftsperson and his knowledge of our trade.  In 1972, Brother Bailey successfully took 2nd place in pipe welding at the UA’s National Apprenticeship Contest — making our Local incredibly proud at the time. Brother Bailey also built a steam instructional trainer in 1986 that is still being used to this day to teach UA members on how steam systems work, having been brought to UA Training Centers across the country.