s ▁reports ▁to ▁the ▁Department ▁of ▁Labor ▁since ▁ 2 0 0 0 , ▁the ▁union ▁has ▁consist ently ▁had ▁about ▁ 9 3 % ▁members ▁in ▁" building ▁tr ades ", ▁the ▁remaining ▁ 7 % ▁in ▁" met al ▁tr ades ". ▁ ▁Out ▁of ▁the ▁total ▁membership , ▁most ▁are ▁considered ▁" j our ne ymen ", ▁with ▁about ▁ 1 2 % ▁considered ▁" app rent ices ". ▁As ▁of ▁January ▁ 1 , ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁fourth ▁and ▁fifth ▁year ▁app rent ices ▁are ▁el ig ible ▁to ▁vote ▁in ▁the ▁union . ▁ ▁Constitution ▁" The ▁objects ▁of ▁this ▁Association ▁are ▁to ▁protect ▁its ▁members ▁from ▁un just ▁and ▁inj ur ious ▁competition , ▁and ▁secure ▁through ▁unity ▁of ▁action ▁among ▁all ▁workers ▁of ▁the ▁industry ▁throughout ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁and ▁Canada , ▁claim ing , ▁as ▁we ▁do , ▁that ▁labor ▁is ▁capital , ▁and ▁is ▁the ▁only ▁capital ▁that ▁poss esses ▁power ▁to ▁reproduce ▁itself ▁or ▁in ▁other ▁words , ▁to ▁create ▁capital . ▁Labor ▁is ▁the ▁interest ▁underlying ▁all ▁other ▁interests ; ▁therefore , ▁it ▁is ▁entitled ▁to ▁and ▁should ▁receive ▁from ▁society ▁and ▁government ▁protection ▁and ▁encourag ement ." ▁ ▁External ▁links ▁▁▁ ▁Associ ations ▁and ▁Local ▁Un ions ▁associated ▁with ▁the ▁U . A . ▁ ▁U . A . ▁University ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁Category : AF L – C IO ▁Category : Build ing ▁and ▁construction ▁trade ▁un ions ▁Category : Can ad ian ▁Labour ▁Congress ▁Category :