SMART Local 177 represents sheet metal workers in Nashville, TN. Below: wage scale context, jurisdiction, apprenticeship routes, and the signatory contractors that hire from this hall.
SMART Local 177 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.
SMART Local 177 has not published a current journeyman wage sheet we can source, so no contract rate is shown for this local. For reference only, the reporting-wide average for sheet metal workers locals is $43.65/hr ($61.86 total package) — a benchmark, not this local's rate. Confirm the current rate with the hall's business office. We publish the local's own rate, package and effective date as soon as it is available.
SMART Local 177 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall — call (615) 292-0587 to confirm dispatch hours, 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 177 represents the skilled sheet metal workers, HVAC technicians, and industrial fabricators serving the Nashville metropolitan area and middle Tennessee. As an affiliate of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers (SMART), this local provides the specialized labor force necessary for the region's rapid commercial and industrial expansion. Members of Local 177 are responsible for the fabrication and installation of ductwork, architectural sheet metal, and complex ventilation systems that define the modern Nashville skyline. By maintaining rigorous training standards, the local ensures that signatory contractors have access to a workforce capable of executing high-precision mechanical projects across the state.
The Nashville market is currently a primary hub for large-scale construction, ranging from healthcare facilities and data centers to sports arenas and manufacturing plants. SMART Local 177 plays a critical role in this ecosystem by managing the labor supply for signatory mechanical firms. Because middle Tennessee is a 'Right-to-Work' environment, the union's value proposition focuses heavily on its Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (JATC) and the superior quality of its journey-level tradespeople. For contractors, partnering with Local 177 provides a scalable workforce for massive projects that exceed the capacity of non-union shops, while for workers, it offers a structured path to mastery in the sheet metal trade with clear contractual protections.
The pay scale for SMART Local 177 is governed by a collective bargaining agreement that establishes a base hourly rate and a total fringe package. While specific wage figures are not published publicly for this region and should be confirmed directly with the Nashville business office, the compensation structure follows a standard percentage-based progression for apprentices. Typically, an entry-level apprentice starts at a percentage of the journeyman rate—often around 40 to 50 percent—and receives scheduled increases every six to twelve months as they complete required classroom hours and on-the-job training milestones. By the time a member reaches journeyman status, they receive the full negotiated rate plus employer-paid contributions to health and retirement funds, which significantly increases the total value of their hourly labor beyond the base check.
The chartered jurisdiction for Local 177 covers a vast portion of Middle Tennessee, centered on Davidson County and the surrounding Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin metropolitan area. This territory includes high-growth zones along the I-24 and I-65 corridors, where industrial manufacturing and commercial office development are most prevalent. The union's dispatch handles assignments for various job sites, including architectural metal installations on downtown high-rises and heavy-gauge industrial ductwork in manufacturing facilities. Members are expected to travel within this regional footprint to fulfill manpower requests from signatory contractors, with specific travel pay or subsistence rules defined within the local agreement for projects exceeding a certain mileage from the city center.
The contractor landscape for SMART Local 177 consists of a diverse mix of signatory mechanical primes and specialized fabrication shops. These employers range from large multi-state mechanical contractors who handle massive healthcare and industrial builds to smaller, locally owned firms specializing in architectural metal or HVAC service. Hiring fluctuates based on the pipeline of large-scale commercial developments in Nashville's urban core and surrounding counties. Since 2014, Gulfstream Strategic Placements has tracked the movement of skilled labor in this market, noting that signatory firms often rely on Local 177 to man up for peak labor demands that require specialized certifications, such as AWS welding or TAB (Testing, Adjusting, and Balancing) expertise.
Because the Local 177 pay scale is subject to periodic negotiations between the union and signatory contractors, there is no single static number published here. The total package includes a base hourly wage plus employer-paid benefits like health insurance and pension. To get the most accurate, current rates for journeymen or specific apprentice years, you should contact the SMART Local 177 business office in Nashville directly.
Yes, while the core of Local 177 is sheet metal fabrication and installation, the SMART organization provides extensive training for HVAC service technicians. This includes refrigeration cycle theory, electrical troubleshooting, and controls. Members can pursue specialized certifications that allow them to work for signatory mechanical service contractors throughout the Middle Tennessee region, covering both residential and heavy commercial equipment.
Members of other SMART locals looking to transfer into Nashville must be in good standing with their home local. The process typically involves contacting the Local 177 Business Manager, presenting a valid travel card, and verifying the local work outlook. Since Nashville is a high-demand market, transfers are often welcomed, though they remain subject to current signatory contractor manpower needs and local executive board approval.
Members of Local 177 are involved in nearly every major construction project in Nashville. This includes installing architectural panels on modern office towers, building out massive HVAC systems for the city's expanding healthcare facilities, and performing industrial specialty work for the automotive and manufacturing plants located in the surrounding counties. They also handle custom fabrication in signatory shops, producing the ductwork and fittings used on these sites.
SMART Local 177 is seated in Nashville, Tennessee (TN). We hold published wage sheets for 14 locals across Tennessee — compare nearby scales before you take a call.
We are a mechanical, plumbing and electrical construction recruiting firm serving Nashville and the rest of Tennessee, including contractors signatory to SMART Local 177. Our office is in South Corona, California and we place union-scale tradespeople and field leadership nationwide.
Gulfstream Strategic Placements, 4160 Temescal Canyon Road, Suite 401, Corona, CA 92883. Phone (951) 208-7780. Email hello@gulfstreamsp.com. Monday–Friday, 7:00 AM–5:00 PM Pacific.View our verified Google Business Profile
Journeyman scales as last published by each local. Rates change every contract cycle — confirm with the hall.
SMART Local 177 is headquartered in Nashville, TN 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 177 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 177 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 177 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 177 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.
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 177 against neighboring jurisdictions and other sheet metal workers markets.
The SMART Local 177 hall is at 4709 Alabama Avenue Nashville TN 37209, serving Nashville, TN and the surrounding jurisdiction. Hall phone: (615) 292-0587.
SMART Local 177 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall. Call the hall at (615) 292-0587 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 177 can be reached at (615) 292-0587. Contact details are imported from the union's public directory listing — confirm hours with the hall.