Journeyman sheet metal workers under SMART Local 17 in Eastern, MA earn $63.27/hr in base wages, or $116.34/hr as a total package with fringe benefits, effective Aug 2026.
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SMART Local 17 runs its own dispatch and out-of-work list — call the hall to confirm hours, books and what to bring. Gulfstream is a private recruiter and does not control hall referral.
The Local 17 pay scale for 2026 is $63.27 per hour for journeymen in Eastern, MA, or about $126,540 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $116.34 per hour. That is the rate in force for 2026, effective 8/1/26.
| Local 17 journeyman hourly wage | $63.27 / hour |
|---|---|
| Total package (wage + fringe benefits) | $116.34 / hour |
| Annualized at 2,080 hours (base wage) | $126,540 / year |
| First-period apprentice (≈45–50% of scale) | $28.47–$31.64 / hour |
| Wage sheet effective | 8/1/26 |
| Classification | Journeyman Sheet Metal Worker — Boston |
A Local 17 apprentice in Eastern, MA starts at roughly $28.47 an hour — about 45% of the $63.27 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $47.45 an hour by the fourth year and full scale on turning out. These are the standard percentage steps of scale, not a wage sheet Local 17 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
| 1st period (year 1) | 45% of scale | $28.47 / hour | $56,943 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd period (year 2) | 55% of scale | $34.80 / hour | $69,597 |
| 3rd period (year 3) | 65% of scale | $41.13 / hour | $82,251 |
| 4th period (year 4) | 75% of scale | $47.45 / hour | $94,905 |
| 5th period (year 5) | 85% of scale | $53.78 / hour | $107,559 |
| Journeyman (turned out) | 100% of scale | $63.27 / hour | $126,540 |
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Local 17 wages: $63.27 an hour on the journeyman scale, $116.34 an hour with fringe benefits added, effective 8/1/26. That is the most recent Eastern, MA sheet we can source; rates move with each contract cycle, so confirm with the hall before quoting.
Roughly 46% of the SMART Local 17 package is employer-paid benefits and fringes rather than wages, which is why the package figure and a take-home hourly rate are not the same number.
Verified from official source: SMART Local 17 Boston journeyman wage package sheet, effective August 1, 2026 (Contracts & Wage Sheets page)
Download the SMART Local 17 pay scale (PDF) — one-page printable rate sheet, effective August 1, 2026.
| Benefit & fringe contributions | $53.07/hr | Derived: total package minus base wage. This is the employer's combined hourly contribution to the funds, not take-home pay. |
|---|---|---|
| What the contributions fund | Health & welfare, pension, annuity, training and industry funds | Standard fund categories in mechanical and electrical agreements. The exact split between funds is set in the local's agreement — the hall or fund office publishes the schedule. |
| Paid on | Every hour worked | Fringe contributions are made per hour worked, so they scale with dispatched hours and are paid to the funds rather than to the member. |
The rates above are the SMART Local 17 scale used across the Eastern, MA area. Members dispatched out of this hall work commercial HVAC sheet metal, duct fabrication and installation, architectural sheet metal and test and balance for signatory contractors throughout the Eastern metro, so a sheet metal wage quoted locally is normally this scale plus the fringe package shown in the table.
Gulfstream recruits sheet metal talent for commercial mechanical, plumbing, piping, sheet metal and building automation contractors in and around Eastern. We are a private recruiting firm — we do not dispatch, set, or negotiate Local 17 rates. For current Eastern scale, dispatch standing, or apprenticeship intake, contact the hall directly.
SMART Local 17 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall — call (617) 296-1680 to confirm dispatch procedure, required documents (union card, certifications, ID) and current list standing before traveling in. Contact details are imported from the UA, SMART and IBEW public directories. Gulfstream is a private recruiting firm, is not affiliated with the local, and does not control hall dispatch.
SMART Local 17 represents skilled sheet metal workers across Eastern Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island. As one of the most prominent building trades organizations in New England, this local provides the specialized labor force necessary for high-density commercial construction and institutional infrastructure. The membership is divided into various specialties, including architectural sheet metal, HVAC installation, and precision fabrication. Because the Boston metropolitan area remains a global hub for biotechnology and higher education, the demand for high-performance ventilation systems and laboratory-grade ductwork maintains a steady work pipeline for signatory contractors and their union employees.
The market served by Local 17 is characterized by rigorous building codes and a strong emphasis on indoor air quality and energy efficiency. Members undergo extensive training at the JATC facilities to master computerized plasma cutting, welding, and building information modeling. This technical proficiency is essential for the complex mechanical systems required in modern medical centers and high-rise developments throughout the Eastern Massachusetts corridor. For the tradesperson, this local offers a structured path to middle-class stability, while providing signatory contractors with a scalable workforce capable of meeting strict project deadlines and complex engineering specifications in a highly competitive regional economy.
Based on the schedule effective October 21, 2022, a Journeyman in SMART Local 17 earns a taxable hourly rate of $46.05. When accounting for the full fringe benefit package, the total compensation reaches $72.27 per hour. This total package includes employer contributions to health insurance, pensions, and training funds. Apprentices enter the program at a percentage of the journeyman rate, typically starting around 40% to 50% and receiving incremental raises every six months to a year as they complete required classroom hours and on-the-job training milestones. These scheduled increases reflect the apprentice's growing proficiency in shop fabrication and field installation. By the fifth year of the program, apprentices are generally earning a significant majority of the full scale before testing out for their journeyman credentials.
SMART Local 17 maintains a broad geographic jurisdiction that covers all of Eastern Massachusetts, including the Greater Boston area, the North Shore, and the South Shore. The charter also extends to cover the states of Maine, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island, though specific wage rates may vary by zone or state addendum. The work covered under this jurisdiction includes the fabrication, assembly, and installation of all HVAC ductwork, architectural metal roofing, siding, and industrial exhaust systems. Members are dispatched to job sites ranging from municipal schools to private commercial developments, ensuring that all sheet metal components meet the standards outlined in the collective bargaining agreement between the local and regional contractor associations.
The signatory contractor landscape for Local 17 is comprised of a diverse mix of large-scale mechanical primes and specialized fabrication shops. Many of these firms operate their own state-of-the-art production facilities, where sheet metal is pre-fabricated for rapid assembly on-site. The market includes contractors focused on heavy industrial ventilation, precision architectural cladding, and commercial HVAC service. While large-scale institutional projects often drive the majority of man-hours, a significant number of smaller signatory shops handle retail build-outs and local municipal renovations. This balance provides members with varied work environments, from controlled shop settings to active outdoor construction sites across the Eastern Massachusetts region.
The Journeyman rate of $46.05 is the base hourly wage reflected on your paycheck before taxes. The total package of $72.27 includes an additional $26.22 per hour in employer-paid benefits like health insurance and retirement. These benefits are not deducted from your hourly wage; they are paid by the contractor on top of your hourly pay, providing a comprehensive compensation structure.
Yes, Local 17 has a large regional footprint that includes Rhode Island, New Hampshire, and Maine. While the headquarters is in Eastern Massachusetts, members may be dispatched to projects throughout these states depending on the contractor's needs and project location. Workers should always verify the specific zone rates or travel pay provisions in the current CBA when working outside the immediate Boston area.
Transfers, or 'traveling,' are governed by the SMART International Constitution. Generally, a member in good standing from another local can seek work in Local 17's jurisdiction by contacting the Business Manager. For a permanent transfer of membership, the individual typically needs to secure employment with a local signatory contractor and meet the residency or service requirements specified by the Local 17 executive board.
Members are primary contributors to Boston's skyline, working on major hospital expansions, university laboratory buildings, and large-scale residential towers. They also handle the intricate architectural metalwork on historic renovations and the heavy industrial ductwork required for manufacturing facilities. The local's jurisdiction covers any project requiring the movement of air or the installation of sheet metal components in commercial and industrial settings.
SMART Local 17 is seated in Eastern, Massachusetts (MA). We hold published wage sheets for 10 locals across Massachusetts — compare nearby scales before you take a call.
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We are a mechanical, plumbing and electrical construction recruiting firm serving Eastern and the rest of Massachusetts, including contractors signatory to SMART Local 17. Our office is in South Corona, California and we place union-scale tradespeople and field leadership nationwide.
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Journeyman scales as last published by each local. Rates change every contract cycle — confirm with the hall.
The Local 17 pay scale for 2026 is $63.27 per hour for journeymen in Eastern, MA, or about $126,540 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $116.34 per hour. That is the rate in force for 2026, effective 8/1/26.
Journeyman sheet metal workers under the SMART Local 17 agreement make $63.27 an hour in base wages, or $116.34 an hour counting the fringe package, per the wage sheet effective 8/1/26. Overtime, shift premiums, and travel or subsistence pay are added on top under the local's CBA.
$63.27 per hour base wage and $116.34 per hour total package for a journeyman in Eastern, MA, effective 8/1/26. Annualized at 2,080 hours that is roughly $126,540 before overtime.
A Local 17 apprentice in Eastern, MA starts at roughly $28.47 an hour — about 45% of the $63.27 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $47.45 an hour by the fourth year and full scale on turning out. These are the standard percentage steps of scale, not a wage sheet Local 17 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
About $28.47 an hour, or roughly $56,943 a year at 2,080 hours, based on the standard 45% first-period step of the $63.27 journeyman rate effective 8/1/26. Apprentices also earn benefit contributions and paid classroom progression; the JATC sets the exact percentage.
Around $41.13 an hour at the standard 65% third-period step, moving to about $47.45 an hour in the fourth period and $63.27 an hour at full journeyman scale. Confirm the published step schedule with the Local 17 training center.
Local 17 wages: $63.27 an hour on the journeyman scale, $116.34 an hour with fringe benefits added, effective 8/1/26. That is the most recent Eastern, MA sheet we can source; rates move with each contract cycle, so confirm with the hall before quoting.
The current published SMART Local 17 journeyman rate is $63.27 an hour ($116.34 total package), effective 8/1/26 — roughly $126,540 a year at 2,080 hours before overtime. Confirm the effective agreement with the local.
Yes — a one-page printable SMART Local 17 rate sheet is available at /rate-sheets/smart-local-17-pay-scale.pdf, showing the $63.27 hourly scale, the $116.34 total package and the 8/1/26 effective date, with the source it was read from. It is a free download — no sign-up needed.
The current SMART Local 17 journeyman rate is $63.27/hour, with a total package of $116.34/hour including fringe benefits, effective 8/1/26. At 2,080 hours that works out to roughly $126,540 per year in base wages before overtime. Rates change with each CBA cycle — confirm with the Local 17 business office before relying on the figure.
The $63.27/hour figure is the base journeyman wage that lands on the paycheck. The $116.34/hour total package adds employer-paid fringes — health and welfare, pension, annuity, apprenticeship training, and industry funds. Contractors bid work off the total package, so that is the number that matters when comparing sheet metal workers labor costs across locals.
Apprentices under the SMART Local 17 agreement are paid a graduated percentage of the journeyman rate, typically starting near 40–50% in the first period and stepping up each six-month or annual period until reaching 100% at turnout. Against the current $63.27/hour journeyman rate, a first-period apprentice would be in the $28.47–$31.64/hour range. The exact percentage schedule is set by the local's JATC.
SMART Local 17 is headquartered in Eastern, MA and dispatches sheet metal workers manpower throughout its chartered jurisdiction. Work performed inside that territory falls under the local's collective bargaining agreement and wage schedule, even when the contractor is based elsewhere and travels in.
Most locals require applicants to be at least 18, legally able to work in the U.S., hold a high school diploma or GED, pass a basic math/aptitude assessment and a drug screen, and be physically able to perform sheet metal workers work. Some Local 17 programs give preference to applicants inside the jurisdiction or to veterans. Eligibility rules are set by the local's Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (JATC), so confirm the current criteria with the hall before applying.
Apprenticeship applications go through the SMART Local 17 JATC, not through a contractor or a recruiter. Applications typically open in defined intake windows each year: you submit the application with proof of age, education, and residency, sit for an aptitude test, and then interview. Ranked applicants are placed on an eligibility list and indentured as signatory contractors call for apprentices. Gulfstream Strategic Placements does not process apprenticeship applications — contact the Local 17 training center directly.
Sheet Metal Workers apprenticeships generally run four to five years — roughly 8,000–10,000 hours of on-the-job training plus several hundred classroom hours per year. Apprentices earn a paycheck the entire time, stepping up through the wage periods until they turn out as journeymen at 100% of scale.
Signatory contractors hire through the local's hiring hall, so working under the SMART Local 17 agreement generally means being a member or being organized in through the local's process. Journeymen from other locals can travel in by signing the out-of-work book, subject to the local's referral rules and manpower needs. Non-union sheet metal workers professionals are usually placed with open-shop contractors instead — we recruit for both.
Rates move with the collective bargaining agreement, typically on a fixed anniversary date each year of a three- to five-year contract, with negotiated increases split between the base wage and the fringe package. The figures on this page reflect the 8/1/26 schedule; check with the Local 17 business office for any increase that has taken effect since.
Wage rates vary widely by local and market. Use the Union Pay Scale Explorer to sort every UA and SMART local by hourly wage, total package, and annualized pay so you can benchmark Local 17 against neighboring jurisdictions and other sheet metal workers markets.
The SMART Local 17 hall is at 1157 Adams Street Dorchester MA 02124, serving Eastern, MA and the surrounding jurisdiction. Hall phone: (617) 296-1680.
SMART Local 17 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall. Call the hall at (617) 296-1680 to confirm dispatch hours, required documents (union card, certifications, ID) and current list standing before traveling in — Gulfstream does not control hall dispatch.
SMART Local 17 can be reached at (617) 296-1680. Contact details are imported from the union's public directory listing — confirm hours with the hall.
$63.27/hr in base wages for journeyman sheet metal worker — boston, or $116.34/hr counting employer-paid benefits and fringes, effective August 1, 2026 per the SMART Local 17 Boston journeyman wage package sheet, effective August 1, 2026 (Contracts & Wage Sheets page) wage determination.
August 1, 2026. Read directly from the primary source (SMART Local 17 Boston journeyman wage package sheet, effective August 1, 2026 (Contracts & Wage Sheets page)) and cross-checked at build time. Highest confidence for offer benchmarking.
No — the $63.27/hr base is wages only. Employers contribute roughly $53.07/hr more per hour worked to health and welfare, pension, annuity and training funds, which is the difference between the base and the $116.34/hr package.
No. Gulfstream Strategic Placements is a private mechanical construction recruiting firm. We are not affiliated with the local, we do not run dispatch, and we do not set or negotiate union rates. We publish the local's own sourced figures as a reference for members and contractors.
High confidence — last cross-checked against the source on Sep 18, 2026 (12 days ago). Always confirm the current step with the hall before relying on it for an offer.