UA executive Rick Terven retires

By CARL GREEN

Illinois Correspondent

Bloomington, IL – Rick Terven, who served as executive vice president of the United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters at the end of a 40-year career with the union, retired on Dec. 31.

Terven, from Bloomington, started as an apprentice in 1977 with Local 99. He became the local’s business manager, then was executive director of the Illinois Pipe Trades Association from 2002 to 2008.

That year, he became director of legislative and political affairs, national communications and marketing for the UA, and in 2012 he became its executive vice president.

Last Sept. 24, Terven was part of a powerful lineup of labor leaders who spoke at a rally at GCS Ball Park in Sauget to urge Labor supporters to vote. He minced no words in describing the Republican candidate for president.

“Donald Trump is the biggest phony I’ve ever met,” Terven said that day. “He is by far the worst candidate that I’ve ever seen get nominated for president. He finds no value in what we do, whatsoever.

“He talks a good game, tries to suck us in and play off the fears of those who are unemployed, but I can tell you what he does. He doesn’t pay his bills, he gets his hands in the coffers, he gets millions in grants and then he walks away and doesn’t pay the contractors who have to pay us.”

Michael Carrigan, president of the Illinois AFL-CIO, attended a retirement luncheon for Terven, saying, “We wish him well, but Rick was a strong partner to the Illinois Labor Movement and will be missed.”

Terven’s son, Rick Terven, Jr., is the legislative and political director for Illinois Pipe Trades Association.