Operating Engineers Local Union No.3

Highly Engaged Employees

Operating Engineers Local Union No. 3 is the largest construction trades local union in the United States, representing over 37,000 members across a four-state jurisdiction encompassing California, Hawaii, Nevada, and Utah. The organization serves a diverse membership that includes heavy equipment operators, mechanics, surveyors, construction inspe... ctors, highway maintenance workers, police officers, and other public employees who perform essential work across construction and government sectors. Operating Engineers Local 3 maintains a substantial Public Employees Division that provides professional labor representation to more than 6,800 workers employed by cities, counties, and special government districts throughout Northern California, Northern Nevada, and Utah, while also representing thousands of California state employees working in craft and maintenance classifications across facilities ranging from state prisons to landscape maintenance operations. The union's membership operates and maintains the heavy equipment and infrastructure visible throughout the region's major construction projects, from freeway maintenance equipment to cranes on high-rise developments, positioning the organization as a critical workforce partner for large-scale construction and public works initiatives. Operating Engineers Local 3 also represents a substantial surveying workforce that has been part of the union since its inception; these professionals provide project-critical data collection services including pre-construction surveys, construction staking, and as-built documentation that often precedes heavy equipment mobilization on jobsites. The union's inspector members serve as quality assurance representatives across the four-state jurisdiction, functioning as the eyes and ears for architects, engineers, and building officials to ensure projects meet required standards and specifications. Through its comprehensive representation of skilled trades workers, public sector employees, and specialized professionals, ...Read More