Millions of Americans have lost their jobs in the recession that began more than two years ago, but skilled union workers are faring better than many of their fellow workers — at least in the Shoals.

Area labor union officials say their members are finding work throughout the region, though some are having to travel out of state for their jobs. Overall, unionized craftsmen still are bringing home good paychecks, according to officials.

“It's been real slow until recently,” said Gary Dalrymple, business manager of Local 320 of the Operating Engineers. Dalrymple credits the Tennessee Valley Authority's budget emphasis on environmental issues and its nuclear power program for his local divisions being near full employment.

“We have about 530 members, and all but 10 or 11 are working,” he said.

TVA has appropriated $248 million to rehabilitate its idled Bellefonte nuclear plant in northeast Alabama, and Wise Alloys recently landed a contract with Anheuser-Busch InBev to produce can stock for Budweiser products, which Dalrymple said has provided his members with jobs.

What TVA hasn't funded yet is new scrubber equipment at Colbert steam plant. If that comes through, he said, more union craftsmen will find jobs at home.

The operating engineers are heavy equipment operators, which puts them in demand at construction sites and heavy manufacturing facilities.

Steve Stutts, the union's Southeastern representative, said TVA-related work will require the importation of operating engineers from the West Coast and the Northeast to fill job openings.

There also is talk among union officials that TVA could build cooling towers at Browns Ferry nuclear plant, which has been forced to curtail electricity generation because the water it releases from reactors is too warm for the summer-heated Tennessee River. State regulations prevent heated water from being released into the river if the river's water temperature reaches a certain level, which has happened several times in the past three years.

“(TVA) has learned its lesson on cooling towers to control the temperature better,” Dalrymple said.

The allure of union membership has not lost its appeal for many in the Shoals. Justin McAfee, a student at Northwest-Shoals Community College, is studying welding and just last week passed a test that certifies him for skilled welding jobs. The test also has created an opening for him with the boilermakers' union, where he expects to become a journeyman in early 2011.

“This is really exciting,” the Nevada native said. “I've got wonderful instructors here. They've helped me out a lot and kept me motivated. I took that test with confidence because of them.

“It's real comforting to know I've got a good job waiting for me at the first of the year,” McAfee said. “I work another job right now and I go to school full time, so I get little sleep. But passing this test made me feel really good about myself.”

He recommends anyone interested in welding talk to instructors Roger Garner and Lin Liles.

Finding jobs close to home has not been easy for members of Local 760 of the Plumbers and Steamfitters Union. Business manager Keith Huntley said about 250 of his members are working outside the local's jurisdiction — many of them around Chattanooga, where Watts Bar nuclear plant has provided work, along with construction of a major Volkswagen assembly plant.

“Work around the country has been sustaining us,” Huntley said. “But the economy of the country is so disastrous there are only five hot spots sustaining the whole ... country.

“We need to see industry come into this area,” he said. “And when it does come, it needs to be performed by local contractors, even if they are not union contractors. At least then, we would have the opportunity to bid on it.”

Union jobs are somewhat unique in the overall labor market because of the strict work rules negotiated by unions and employers. Pete Williams, professor of economics at the University of North Alabama, said those rules can have an adverse effect on nonunion workers.

“Union rules require specific jobs be performed by union members,” he said.

“At Wise Alloys, for example, instead of Wise having the option of hiring a general skill person for certain jobs, if the union sets rules requiring those same jobs be performed only by a union member, then it's likely to be a union job. It only metes out as a benefit to union members.”

But those with the highest skill levels, whether union or nonunion, will have the lowest risk of unemployment, Williams said.

The uptick in skilled labor jobs is reflected at Northwest-Shoals, where the welding program has a waiting list to enroll.

“We have placed several students this fall with local unions,” said welding instructor Roger Garner. “We send people to the Ironworkers, Boilermakers, Pipefitters — all the unions that weld. All those are very high-wage jobs.”

Huntley said his local members earn more than $1,300 a week on many of their jobs.

Garner said the call for skilled labor jobs appears to be growing. “And you always must replace piping, so you've got to have good welders for that.”

Robert Palmer can be reached at 256-740-5720 or robert.palmer@TimesDaily.com.