IUOE Local 132 represents operating engineers in Charleston, West Virginia, supporting the heavy equipment operators, mechanics, and operations and maintenance personnel who keep construction and industrial projects moving across the region. Like other IUOE locals committed to advancing their members, Local 132 emphasizes training, safety, and professionalism, and continues to modernize the tools its staff rely on behind the scenes.

Local 132's dispatchers play a central role in connecting members with job opportunities, linking skilled operators to the contractors who depend on them. To keep members working and ensure employers have access to a job-ready workforce, Local 132 needed modern tools that streamlined membership administration and dispatch while giving the union, not a vendor, ownership of its data.

To achieve this, the local turned to eMembership's integrated union dispatch software, which unifies data, reduces manual effort, and supports proactive communication with members.

Two legacy systems, and no single source of truth

Before adopting eMembership, IUOE Local 132 relied on two outdated legacy systems: one for membership administration and dues tracking, and a separate system for dispatch. The split created friction across nearly every workflow.

Key operational challenges included:

• Siloed data. Membership changes such as delinquent dues had to be manually updated in the dispatch system.
• Outdated, slow software. The membership system performed poorly, while the dispatch system lacked flexibility.
• Inconsistent contact information. Dispatchers often had more accurate phone numbers than the membership system, preventing a single source of truth.
• Limited document sharing. Records could not move easily between systems.
• Vendor-controlled exports. One system charged additional fees each time Local 132 requested a data export, limiting how often they could access their own information.

Local 132 needed an integrated platform that would centralize member and dispatch data, improve member outreach, keep the union in full control of its information, and modernize both systems without disrupting daily operations.

A unified platform with modern union dispatch software

Local 132 selected eMembership to replace both legacy systems with a single platform supporting membership administration, dispatch, communications, and engagement. The result was an integrated union dispatch system aligned with Local 132's local-specific processes.

Phase 1: Migrating to a modern membership system

Because Local 132 was eager to retire its legacy membership system before the next dues cycle, eMembership first delivered a modern platform for membership and dues management.

• Member records, statuses, and dues history were migrated into eMembership.
• Staff tested changes in a preview environment prior to launch.
• After the final data cut, eMembership became the unified source of truth.

Phase 2: Integrated dispatch tailored to Local 132

Next, Local 132 partnered with the implementation team to modernize dispatch. The result was a unified union dispatch software solution that reflected both standard IUOE practices and Local 132's unique rules.

• Union-specific dispatch rules. Customized workflows aligned to Local 132's priorities.
• SMS-based dispatch alerts. Members receive timely job notifications directly via text.
• Unified contact and status data. Dispatchers and administrators now work from one synchronized system.
• Centralized work history and member profiles. Better insight into member availability and past assignments.

One platform, built for the whole operation

In addition to dispatch modernization, Local 132 now uses a range of integrated tools within eMembership:

• Bulk email and SMS union communications for targeted outreach
• Union meetings and event management with attendance tracking
• Union surveys for gathering timely feedback from members
• Union electronic signatures and online applications that streamline intake
• Field union organizing software to support member engagement
• Integrated dues management tied to each member's classification
• A union member portal and online payments (in progress)
• Online merchandise store (in progress)

Centralized data, reduced workload, modernized dispatch

With eMembership's integrated union dispatch system, IUOE Local 132 has replaced outdated tools with a unified platform that improves both operations and member support.

• Centralized data. Membership, dues, and dispatch information now live in one system.
• Stronger dispatch operations. Local 132's dispatch reflects its unique workflows, with added SMS job alerts.
• Improved member outreach. Staff can communicate directly from eMembership without external tools.
• Full control of union data. No more vendor lock-in.
• Future-ready member experience. Online payments, member self-service, and more are underway.