International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Asbestos Workers
Encyclopedia
The International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers (AWIU or Insulators) is a trade union
in the United States
and Canada
. It is affiliated with the AFL–CIO and the Canadian Labour Congress
.
The union was formerly known as the International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Asbestos Workers, but the name was changed to reflect a symbolic new direction away from the hazards of exposure to asbestos
. One of the major jobs of the members of the union has long been the safe removal of hazardous asbestos-containing materials, which were previously used in many construction products, such as insulation
, adhesive
s, caulks
, and flooring
tile
s.
38°57′4"N 76°50′20"W
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It is affiliated with the AFL–CIO and the Canadian Labour Congress
Canadian Labour Congress
The Canadian Labour Congress, or CLC is a national trade union centre, the central labour body in English Canada to which most Canadian labour unions are affiliated.- Formation :...
.
The union was formerly known as the International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Asbestos Workers, but the name was changed to reflect a symbolic new direction away from the hazards of exposure to asbestos
Asbestos
Asbestos is a set of six naturally occurring silicate minerals used commercially for their desirable physical properties. They all have in common their eponymous, asbestiform habit: long, thin fibrous crystals...
. One of the major jobs of the members of the union has long been the safe removal of hazardous asbestos-containing materials, which were previously used in many construction products, such as insulation
Building insulation
building insulation refers broadly to any object in a building used as insulation for any purpose. While the majority of insulation in buildings is for thermal purposes, the term also applies to acoustic insulation, fire insulation, and impact insulation...
, adhesive
Adhesive
An adhesive, or glue, is a mixture in a liquid or semi-liquid state that adheres or bonds items together. Adhesives may come from either natural or synthetic sources. The types of materials that can be bonded are vast but they are especially useful for bonding thin materials...
s, caulks
Caulking
Caulking is one of several different processes to seal joints or seams in various structures and certain types of piping. The oldest form of caulking is used to make the seams in wooden boats or ships watertight, by driving fibrous materials into the wedge-shaped seams between planks...
, and flooring
Flooring
Flooring is the general term for a permanent covering of a floor, or for the work of installing such a floor covering. Floor covering is a term to generically describe any finish material applied over a floor structure to provide a walking surface...
tile
Tile
A tile is a manufactured piece of hard-wearing material such as ceramic, stone, metal, or even glass. Tiles are generally used for covering roofs, floors, walls, showers, or other objects such as tabletops...
s.
External links
38°57′4"N 76°50′20"W