diff --git a/cpp/src/arrow/builder.h b/cpp/src/arrow/builder.h
index cef17e5aaba..3babf4ba78e 100644
--- a/cpp/src/arrow/builder.h
+++ b/cpp/src/arrow/builder.h
@@ -130,6 +130,15 @@ class ARROW_EXPORT ArrayBuilder {
   DISALLOW_COPY_AND_ASSIGN(ArrayBuilder);
 };
 
+class ARROW_EXPORT NullArrayBuilder : public ArrayBuilder {
+ public:
+  explicit NullArrayBuilder(MemoryPool* pool, const TypePtr& type) : ArrayBuilder(pool, type) {}
+  virtual ~NullArrayBuilder() {};
+  Status Finish(std::shared_ptr<Array>* out) override {
+    return Status::OK();
+  }
+};
+
 }  // namespace arrow
 
 #endif  // ARROW_BUILDER_H_
diff --git a/cpp/src/arrow/io/CMakeLists.txt b/cpp/src/arrow/io/CMakeLists.txt
index 47bb0893863..2c562bc028d 100644
--- a/cpp/src/arrow/io/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/cpp/src/arrow/io/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -80,9 +80,11 @@ if(ARROW_HDFS)
     ${ARROW_IO_TEST_LINK_LIBS})
 endif()
 
-add_library(arrow_io SHARED
+add_library(arrow_io STATIC
   ${ARROW_IO_SRCS}
 )
+set_property(TARGET arrow_io PROPERTY POSITION_INDEPENDENT_CODE 1)
+
 target_link_libraries(arrow_io
   LINK_PUBLIC ${ARROW_IO_LINK_LIBS}
   LINK_PRIVATE ${ARROW_IO_PRIVATE_LINK_LIBS})
diff --git a/cpp/src/arrow/ipc/CMakeLists.txt b/cpp/src/arrow/ipc/CMakeLists.txt
index 6955bcb6c23..d0816c4a42b 100644
--- a/cpp/src/arrow/ipc/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/cpp/src/arrow/ipc/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -41,9 +41,10 @@ set(ARROW_IPC_SRCS
 )
 
 # TODO(wesm): SHARED and STATIC targets
-add_library(arrow_ipc SHARED
+add_library(arrow_ipc STATIC
   ${ARROW_IPC_SRCS}
 )
+set_property(TARGET arrow_ipc PROPERTY POSITION_INDEPENDENT_CODE 1)
 if(FLATBUFFERS_VENDORED)
   add_dependencies(arrow_ipc flatbuffers_ep)
 endif()
diff --git a/cpp/src/arrow/ipc/adapter.cc b/cpp/src/arrow/ipc/adapter.cc
index da718c08d54..4628ace3abf 100644
--- a/cpp/src/arrow/ipc/adapter.cc
+++ b/cpp/src/arrow/ipc/adapter.cc
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@
 #include "arrow/types/primitive.h"
 #include "arrow/types/string.h"
 #include "arrow/types/struct.h"
+#include "arrow/types/union.h"
 #include "arrow/util/bit-util.h"
 #include "arrow/util/buffer.h"
 #include "arrow/util/logging.h"
@@ -115,6 +116,13 @@ Status VisitArray(const Array* arr, std::vector<flatbuf::FieldNode>* field_nodes
       RETURN_NOT_OK(
           VisitArray(field.get(), field_nodes, buffers, max_recursion_depth - 1));
     }
+  } else if (arr->type_enum() == Type::UNION) {
+    const auto union_arr = static_cast<const UnionArray*>(arr);
+    buffers->push_back(union_arr->types());
+    buffers->push_back(union_arr->offset_buf());
+    for (auto& child_arr : union_arr->children()) {
+      RETURN_NOT_OK(VisitArray(child_arr.get(), field_nodes, buffers, max_recursion_depth - 1));
+    }
   } else {
     return Status::NotImplemented("Unrecognized type");
   }
@@ -363,6 +371,22 @@ class RecordBatchReader::RecordBatchReaderImpl {
       out->reset(new StructArray(
           type, field_meta.length, fields, field_meta.null_count, null_bitmap));
       return Status::OK();
+    } else if (type->type == Type::UNION) {
+      std::shared_ptr<Buffer> types;
+      RETURN_NOT_OK(GetBuffer(buffer_index_++, &types));
+      std::shared_ptr<Buffer> offset_buf;
+      RETURN_NOT_OK(GetBuffer(buffer_index_++, &offset_buf));
+      auto union_type = std::dynamic_pointer_cast<UnionType>(type);
+      const int num_children = union_type->num_children();
+      std::vector<ArrayPtr> results;
+      for (int child_idx = 0; child_idx < num_children; ++child_idx) {
+        std::shared_ptr<Array> result;
+        RETURN_NOT_OK(NextArray(union_type->child(child_idx).get(), max_recursion_depth - 1, &result));
+        results.push_back(result);
+      }
+      out->reset(new UnionArray(
+        type, field_meta.length, results, types, offset_buf, field_meta.null_count, null_bitmap));
+      return Status::OK();
     }
 
     return Status::NotImplemented("Non-primitive types not complete yet");
diff --git a/cpp/src/arrow/ipc/ipc-metadata-test.cc b/cpp/src/arrow/ipc/ipc-metadata-test.cc
index 1dc39692332..8d101cf586a 100644
--- a/cpp/src/arrow/ipc/ipc-metadata-test.cc
+++ b/cpp/src/arrow/ipc/ipc-metadata-test.cc
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 #include "arrow/schema.h"
 #include "arrow/test-util.h"
 #include "arrow/type.h"
+#include "arrow/types/union.h"
 #include "arrow/util/status.h"
 
 namespace arrow {
@@ -97,6 +98,22 @@ TEST_F(TestSchemaMessage, NestedFields) {
   CheckRoundtrip(&schema);
 }
 
+TEST_F(TestSchemaMessage, UnionType) {
+  auto f0 = std::make_shared<Field>("f0", TypePtr(new Int32Type()));
+  auto f1 = std::make_shared<Field>("f1", TypePtr(new Int64Type()));
+  std::vector<uint8_t> type_ids = {}; // TODO(pcm): Implement typeIds
+  auto ud = TypePtr(new UnionType(std::vector<std::shared_ptr<Field>>({f0, f1}),
+                                  type_ids, UnionMode::DENSE));
+  auto fd = std::make_shared<Field>("f", ud);
+  Schema schema_dense({fd});
+  CheckRoundtrip(&schema_dense);
+  auto us = TypePtr(new UnionType(std::vector<std::shared_ptr<Field>>({f0, f1}),
+                                  type_ids, UnionMode::SPARSE));
+  auto fs = std::make_shared<Field>("f", us);
+  Schema schema_sparse({fs});
+  CheckRoundtrip(&schema_sparse);
+}
+
 class TestFileFooter : public ::testing::Test {
  public:
   void SetUp() {}
diff --git a/cpp/src/arrow/ipc/metadata-internal.cc b/cpp/src/arrow/ipc/metadata-internal.cc
index 7102012c29a..19a810ac1c6 100644
--- a/cpp/src/arrow/ipc/metadata-internal.cc
+++ b/cpp/src/arrow/ipc/metadata-internal.cc
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 #include "arrow/ipc/Message_generated.h"
 #include "arrow/schema.h"
 #include "arrow/type.h"
+#include "arrow/types/union.h"
 #include "arrow/util/buffer.h"
 #include "arrow/util/status.h"
 
@@ -119,8 +120,20 @@ static Status TypeFromFlatbuffer(flatbuf::Type type, const void* type_data,
     case flatbuf::Type_Struct_:
       *out = std::make_shared<StructType>(children);
       return Status::OK();
-    case flatbuf::Type_Union:
-      return Status::NotImplemented("Type is not implemented");
+    case flatbuf::Type_Union: {
+        std::vector<uint8_t> type_ids = {}; // TODO(pcm): Implement typeIds
+        auto union_data = static_cast<const flatbuf::Union*>(type_data);
+        UnionMode mode;
+        if (union_data->mode() == flatbuf::UnionMode_Sparse) {
+          mode = UnionMode::SPARSE;
+        } else if (union_data->mode() == flatbuf::UnionMode_Dense) {
+          mode = UnionMode::DENSE;
+        } else {
+          return Status::Invalid("Unrecognized UnionMode");
+        }
+        *out = std::make_shared<UnionType>(children, type_ids, mode);
+      }
+      return Status::OK();
     default:
       return Status::Invalid("Unrecognized type");
   }
@@ -158,6 +171,18 @@ static Status StructToFlatbuffer(FBB& fbb, const std::shared_ptr<DataType>& type
   return Status::OK();
 }
 
+static Status UnionToFlatbuffer(FBB& fbb, const std::shared_ptr<DataType>& type,
+    std::vector<FieldOffset>* out_children, Offset* offset) {
+  auto union_type = std::dynamic_pointer_cast<UnionType>(type);
+  FieldOffset field;
+  for (int i = 0; i < union_type->num_children(); ++i) {
+    RETURN_NOT_OK(FieldToFlatbuffer(fbb, union_type->child(i), &field));
+    out_children->push_back(field);
+  }
+  *offset = flatbuf::CreateUnion(fbb).Union();
+  return Status::OK();
+}
+
 #define INT_TO_FB_CASE(BIT_WIDTH, IS_SIGNED)            \
   *out_type = flatbuf::Type_Int;                        \
   *offset = IntToFlatbuffer(fbb, BIT_WIDTH, IS_SIGNED); \
@@ -208,6 +233,9 @@ static Status TypeToFlatbuffer(FBB& fbb, const std::shared_ptr<DataType>& type,
     case Type::STRUCT:
       *out_type = flatbuf::Type_Struct_;
       return StructToFlatbuffer(fbb, type, children, offset);
+    case Type::UNION:
+      *out_type = flatbuf::Type_Union;
+      return UnionToFlatbuffer(fbb, type, children, offset);
     default:
       *out_type = flatbuf::Type_NONE;  // Make clang-tidy happy
       std::stringstream ss;
diff --git a/cpp/src/arrow/type.cc b/cpp/src/arrow/type.cc
index 589bdadb77c..e82486d0ed2 100644
--- a/cpp/src/arrow/type.cc
+++ b/cpp/src/arrow/type.cc
@@ -105,6 +105,16 @@ std::string UnionType::ToString() const {
   return s.str();
 }
 
+bool UnionType::Equals(const DataType* other) const {
+  if (!DataType::Equals(other)) {
+    return false;
+  }
+  const UnionType *union_type = dynamic_cast<const UnionType*>(other);
+  return union_type && type_id == union_type->type_id
+             && std::equal(type_ids.begin(), type_ids.end(),
+                           union_type->type_ids.begin());
+}
+
 int NullType::bit_width() const {
   return 0;
 }
diff --git a/cpp/src/arrow/type.h b/cpp/src/arrow/type.h
index 5b4d7bc42bd..e2f47f11b07 100644
--- a/cpp/src/arrow/type.h
+++ b/cpp/src/arrow/type.h
@@ -375,6 +375,11 @@ struct ARROW_EXPORT UnionType : public DataType {
   static std::string name() { return "union"; }
   Status Accept(TypeVisitor* visitor) const override;
 
+  bool Equals(const DataType* other) const override;
+  bool Equals(const std::shared_ptr<DataType>& other) const {
+    return Equals(other.get());
+  }
+
   UnionMode mode;
   std::vector<uint8_t> type_ids;
 };
diff --git a/cpp/src/arrow/types/union.cc b/cpp/src/arrow/types/union.cc
index cc2934b2e4a..2a5be998694 100644
--- a/cpp/src/arrow/types/union.cc
+++ b/cpp/src/arrow/types/union.cc
@@ -23,5 +23,50 @@
 #include <vector>
 
 #include "arrow/type.h"
+#include "arrow/util/status.h"
 
-namespace arrow {}  // namespace arrow
+namespace arrow {
+
+bool UnionArray::Equals(const std::shared_ptr<Array>& arr) const {
+  if (this == arr.get()) { return true; }
+  if (!arr) { return false; }
+  if (this->type_enum() != arr->type_enum()) { return false; }
+  if (null_count_ != arr->null_count()) { return false; }
+  return RangeEquals(0, length_, 0, arr);
+}
+
+bool UnionArray::RangeEquals(int32_t start_idx, int32_t end_idx, int32_t other_start_idx,
+      const std::shared_ptr<Array>& arr) const {
+  if (this == arr.get()) { return true; }
+  if (Type::UNION != arr->type_enum()) { return false; }
+  const auto other = static_cast<UnionArray*>(arr.get());
+  
+  // TODO(pcm): Handle sparse case here
+
+  int32_t i = start_idx;
+  int32_t o_i = other_start_idx;
+  for (size_t c = 0; c < other->children().size(); ++c) {
+    for (int32_t e = 0; e < other->children()[c]->length(); ++e) {
+      if (!children()[c]->RangeEquals(e, e + 1, e, other->children()[c])) { // FIXME(pcm): fix this
+        return false;
+      }
+      i += 1;
+      o_i += 1;
+      if (i >= end_idx) {
+        return true;
+      }
+    }
+  }
+  return false; // to make the compiler happy
+}
+
+Status UnionArray::Validate() const {
+  // TODO(pcm): what to do here?
+  return Status::OK();
+}
+
+Status UnionArray::Accept(ArrayVisitor* visitor) const {
+  return visitor->Visit(*this);
+}
+
+}  // namespace arrow
diff --git a/cpp/src/arrow/types/union.h b/cpp/src/arrow/types/union.h
index 44f39cc6994..2e56ecf2e99 100644
--- a/cpp/src/arrow/types/union.h
+++ b/cpp/src/arrow/types/union.h
@@ -24,25 +24,45 @@
 
 #include "arrow/array.h"
 #include "arrow/type.h"
+#include "arrow/types/primitive.h"
 
 namespace arrow {
 
 class Buffer;
 
-class UnionArray : public Array {
+class ARROW_EXPORT UnionArray : public Array {
+ public:
+  UnionArray(const TypePtr& type, int32_t length, std::vector<ArrayPtr>& children,
+       std::shared_ptr<Buffer> types, std::shared_ptr<Buffer> offset_buf,
+       int32_t null_count = 0, std::shared_ptr<Buffer> null_bitmap = nullptr)
+       : Array(type, length, null_count, null_bitmap), types_(types) {
+    type_ = type;
+    children_ = children;
+    offset_buf_ = offset_buf;
+  }
+
+  const std::shared_ptr<Buffer>& types() const { return types_; }
+
+  const std::vector<ArrayPtr>& children() const { return children_; }
+
+  const std::shared_ptr<Buffer>& offset_buf() const { return offset_buf_; }
+
+  Status Validate() const override;
+  
+  Status Accept(ArrayVisitor* visitor) const override;
+
+  bool Equals(const std::shared_ptr<Array>& arr) const override;
+  bool RangeEquals(int32_t start_idx, int32_t end_idx, int32_t other_start_idx,
+      const std::shared_ptr<Array>& arr) const override;
+
+  ArrayPtr  child(int32_t index) const { return children_[index]; }
  protected:
   // The data are types encoded as int16
-  Buffer* types_;
+  std::shared_ptr<Buffer> types_;
   std::vector<std::shared_ptr<Array>> children_;
+  std::shared_ptr<Buffer> offset_buf_;
 };
 
-class DenseUnionArray : public UnionArray {
- protected:
-  Buffer* offset_buf_;
-};
-
-class SparseUnionArray : public UnionArray {};
-
 }  // namespace arrow
 
 #endif  // ARROW_TYPES_UNION_H