Journeyman sheet metal workers under SMART Local 2 in Kansas City, MO earn $48.68/hr in base wages, or $72.71/hr as a total package with fringe benefits, effective Oct 2022. This sheet is more than 2 years old, so confirm the current rate with the hall before quoting it.
SMART Local 2 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 2 pay scale is $48.68 per hour for journeymen in Kansas City, MO, or about $97,360 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $72.71 per hour. That is the last wage sheet we can source for this local — confirm the current rate with the hall.
| Local 2 journeyman hourly wage | $48.68 / hour |
|---|---|
| Total package (wage + fringe benefits) | $72.71 / hour |
| Annualized at 2,080 hours (base wage) | $97,360 / year |
| First-period apprentice (≈45–50% of scale) | $21.91–$24.34 / hour |
| Wage sheet effective | 10/21/22 |
A Local 2 apprentice in Kansas City, MO starts at roughly $21.91 an hour — about 45% of the $48.68 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $36.51 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 2 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
| 1st period (year 1) | 45% of scale | $21.91 / hour | $43,812 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd period (year 2) | 55% of scale | $26.77 / hour | $53,548 |
| 3rd period (year 3) | 65% of scale | $31.64 / hour | $63,284 |
| 4th period (year 4) | 75% of scale | $36.51 / hour | $73,020 |
| 5th period (year 5) | 85% of scale | $41.38 / hour | $82,756 |
| Journeyman (turned out) | 100% of scale | $48.68 / hour | $97,360 |
SMART Local 2 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall — call (816) 254-8021 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 2 represents highly skilled sheet metal workers across a sprawling jurisdiction centered in Kansas City, Missouri. Since 2014, our recruitment efforts have tracked the significant impact this local has on the regional skyline and industrial infrastructure. The union covers a diverse range of specialties including HVAC fabrication, architectural sheet metal, industrial ventilation, and testing, adjusting, and balancing (TAB). Members work under a collective bargaining agreement that ensures high standards of craftsmanship and safety, making this local a cornerstone of the Midwest construction industry for both commercial development and heavy industrial maintenance.
The Kansas City market serves as a critical hub for sheet metal production and installation due to the high density of healthcare facilities, data centers, and manufacturing plants in the region. Local 2 maintains a robust training center that prepares apprentices to meet the technical demands of modern BIM-driven projects and complex air handling systems. For contractors, the local provides a reliable pipeline of journey-level talent capable of executing large-scale mechanical contracts. For the tradesperson, it offers a structured career path with industry-leading compensation and benefits that reflect the specialized nature of the sheet metal and air conditioning trade.
Based on the data effective October 21, 2022, the journeyman hourly rate for SMART Local 2 is $48.68. When accounting for the full fringe benefit package, the total compensation reaches $72.71 per hour. Apprentices typically begin their training at a percentage of the journeyman rate, often starting around 40% to 50% and receiving incremental raises every six to twelve months as they meet specific on-the-job hour requirements and classroom benchmarks. These step increases are designed to mirror the apprentice's growing technical proficiency in areas such as CAD drafting, welding, and field installation. By the final year of the five-year program, an apprentice's wage closely approximates the full journey-level scale, ensuring a seamless transition into the senior workforce.
The chartered jurisdiction for SMART Local 2 encompasses a broad area surrounding the Kansas City metropolitan region, spanning multiple counties in both Missouri and Kansas. This territory includes major urban centers, suburban developments, and outlying industrial zones where sheet metal work is prevalent. The jurisdiction covers all aspects of the trade, from the fabrication of ductwork in signatory shops to the installation of metal roofing and siding on job sites. Members are dispatched through a centralized system to ensure that signatory contractors have access to the necessary manpower for projects ranging from high-rise commercial towers to essential municipal infrastructure and energy production facilities.
The contractor landscape within Local 2's jurisdiction is characterized by a mix of large-scale mechanical primes and specialized fabrication shops. Signatory contractors in this market frequently handle massive design-build projects for the region's expanding logistics and pharmaceutical sectors. There is also a strong presence of architectural sheet metal firms that focus on high-end exterior finishes and specialized roofing systems. Hiring typically follows the ebbs and flows of major capital projects, with steady demand for service-oriented technicians and shop-based fabricators who can operate advanced CNC machinery. This diverse base provides members with varied work opportunities across commercial, industrial, and institutional sectors.
Shop work involves the fabrication of components using shears, brakes, and CNC plasma cutters in a controlled environment. Field work focuses on the installation of those components, including hanging ductwork, setting air handling units, and installing architectural panels on building exteriors. Most members gain experience in both environments during their apprenticeship to become well-rounded mechanics.
Yes, many job sites require AWS certifications for MIG, TIG, or Stick welding, particularly on industrial and structural sheet metal projects. The JATC provides training and testing facilities for members to earn and maintain these certifications, which are often a prerequisite for being dispatched to high-spec industrial projects or specialized fabrication shops.
Travel and subsistence pay are governed by the specific language in the Collective Bargaining Agreement. When members are dispatched to projects beyond a certain mileage radius from the city center or their home, they may be eligible for daily travel pay or per diem to cover lodging and meals, depending on the contract terms.
Experienced tradespeople can often join through a process called 'organizing' or by taking a journeyman exam to prove their competency. A business representative will evaluate the applicant's prior experience, hours worked in the trade, and specific skill sets to determine if they meet the criteria for full journeyman status or if they require some supplemental training.
SMART Local 2 is seated in Kansas City, Missouri (MO). We hold published wage sheets for 13 locals across Missouri — compare nearby scales before you take a call.
We are a mechanical, plumbing and electrical construction recruiting firm serving Kansas City and the rest of Missouri, including contractors signatory to SMART Local 2. 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.
The Local 2 pay scale is $48.68 per hour for journeymen in Kansas City, MO, or about $97,360 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $72.71 per hour. That is the last wage sheet we can source for this local — confirm the current rate with the hall.
Journeyman sheet metal workers under the SMART Local 2 agreement make $48.68 an hour in base wages, or $72.71 an hour counting the fringe package, per the wage sheet effective 10/21/22. Overtime, shift premiums, and travel or subsistence pay are added on top under the local's CBA.
$48.68 per hour base wage and $72.71 per hour total package for a journeyman in Kansas City, MO, effective 10/21/22. Annualized at 2,080 hours that is roughly $97,360 before overtime.
A Local 2 apprentice in Kansas City, MO starts at roughly $21.91 an hour — about 45% of the $48.68 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $36.51 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 2 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
About $21.91 an hour, or roughly $43,812 a year at 2,080 hours, based on the standard 45% first-period step of the $48.68 journeyman rate effective 10/21/22. Apprentices also earn benefit contributions and paid classroom progression; the JATC sets the exact percentage.
Around $31.64 an hour at the standard 65% third-period step, moving to about $36.51 an hour in the fourth period and $48.68 an hour at full journeyman scale. Confirm the published step schedule with the Local 2 training center.
The current SMART Local 2 journeyman rate is $48.68/hour, with a total package of $72.71/hour including fringe benefits, effective 10/21/22. At 2,080 hours that works out to roughly $97,360 per year in base wages before overtime. Rates change with each CBA cycle — confirm with the Local 2 business office before relying on the figure.
The $48.68/hour figure is the base journeyman wage that lands on the paycheck. The $72.71/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 2 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 $48.68/hour journeyman rate, a first-period apprentice would be in the $21.91–$24.34/hour range. The exact percentage schedule is set by the local's JATC.
SMART Local 2 is headquartered in Kansas City, MO 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 2 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 2 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 2 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 2 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 10/21/22 schedule; check with the Local 2 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 2 against neighboring jurisdictions and other sheet metal workers markets.
The SMART Local 2 hall is at Po Box 300378 Kansas City MO 64130, serving Kansas City, MO and the surrounding jurisdiction. Hall phone: (816) 254-8021.
SMART Local 2 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall. Call the hall at (816) 254-8021 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 2 can be reached at (816) 254-8021. Contact details are imported from the union's public directory listing — confirm hours with the hall.