Journeyman sheet metal workers under SMART Local 218 in Springfield, IL earn $42.75/hr in base wages, or $76.08/hr as a total package with fringe benefits, effective Undated.
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SMART Local 218 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 218 pay scale is $42.75 per hour for journeymen in Springfield, IL, or about $85,500 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $76.08 per hour. That is the rate in force, effective Undated.
| Local 218 journeyman hourly wage | $42.75 / hour |
|---|---|
| Total package (wage + fringe benefits) | $76.08 / hour |
| Annualized at 2,080 hours (base wage) | $85,500 / year |
| First-period apprentice (≈45–50% of scale) | $19.24–$21.38 / hour |
| Wage sheet effective | Undated |
| Classification | Journeyman (Springfield area) |
A Local 218 apprentice in Springfield, IL starts at roughly $19.24 an hour — about 45% of the $42.75 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $32.06 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 218 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
| 1st period (year 1) | 45% of scale | $19.24 / hour | $38,475 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd period (year 2) | 55% of scale | $23.51 / hour | $47,025 |
| 3rd period (year 3) | 65% of scale | $27.79 / hour | $55,575 |
| 4th period (year 4) | 75% of scale | $32.06 / hour | $64,125 |
| 5th period (year 5) | 85% of scale | $36.34 / hour | $72,675 |
| Journeyman (turned out) | 100% of scale | $42.75 / hour | $85,500 |
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Local 218 wages: $42.75 an hour on the journeyman scale, $76.08 an hour with fringe benefits added, effective Undated. That is the most recent Springfield, IL sheet we can source; rates move with each contract cycle, so confirm with the hall before quoting.
Roughly 44% of the SMART Local 218 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 International careers page for Local 218
Download the SMART Local 218 pay scale (PDF) — one-page printable rate sheet, effective Undated.
| Benefit & fringe contributions | $33.33/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 218 scale used across the Springfield, IL 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 Springfield 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 Springfield. We are a private recruiting firm — we do not dispatch, set, or negotiate Local 218 rates. For current Springfield scale, dispatch standing, or apprenticeship intake, contact the hall directly.
SMART Local 218 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall — call (217) 529-0161 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 218 represents skilled sheet metal workers across Central Illinois, centered in the Springfield market. This labor organization manages a workforce specialized in the fabrication, installation, and maintenance of HVAC systems, architectural sheet metal, and industrial ventilation. As a charter of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers, Local 218 serves as the primary labor source for signatory contractors engaged in high-stakes public works, healthcare facilities, and commercial developments. The local emphasizes technical proficiency in CNC plasma cutting, welding, and CAD/BIM coordination to meet the evolving demands of modern building codes and energy efficiency standards throughout the region.
The Central Illinois market relies on Local 218 to provide a predictable, highly trained labor force for large-scale institutional projects. Because Springfield is a hub for state government and medical services, the demand for sophisticated air handling and ductwork systems remains consistent. Membership in Local 218 provides tradespeople with collective bargaining power, ensuring that labor costs are standardized across the jurisdiction. For contractors, this creates a level playing field during the bidding process, as all signatory competitors utilize the same wage and fringe benefit schedules. The local’s commitment to the JATC training model ensures that apprentices and journeymen alike stay current with the latest safety protocols and installation techniques.
Because specific wage figures are not publicly published for the current period, members and contractors must contact the Local 218 business office in Springfield to obtain the most recent wage and benefit schedule. Typically, sheet metal agreements in this region utilize a total package model where the base hourly rate is supplemented by employer-paid fringes. Apprentices start at a set percentage of the journeyman rate—often beginning between 40% and 50%—and receive incremental raises every six to twelve months as they complete required classroom hours and on-the-job training milestones. These scheduled increases continue until the individual reaches full journeyman status, at which point they are eligible for the full prevailing wage rate and comprehensive retirement contributions defined in the collective bargaining agreement.
The jurisdiction of SMART Local 218 covers a significant portion of Central Illinois, spanning multiple counties surrounding the Springfield metropolitan area. This territory includes a mix of urban centers and rural industrial sites, requiring members to be mobile for various project locations. The charter encompasses all aspects of the sheet metal trade, from light commercial ductwork to heavy industrial lagging and architectural roofing. Work performed under this agreement is strictly defined to include the handling, layout, and installation of all materials used in HVAC systems and metal fabrication. Members dispatched from the Springfield hall are expected to adhere to the travel and subsistence rules established within the local's bylaws when working outside of the immediate headquarters zone.
The contractor landscape for SMART Local 218 is comprised of diverse signatory firms ranging from small architectural sheet metal shops to large-scale mechanical primes. These contractors operate under the terms of the collective bargaining agreement, which dictates labor costs and work rules. Many of these firms specialize in specialized sectors such as laboratory exhaust systems, hospital cleanrooms, and large-scale manufacturing ventilation. Gulfstream Strategic Placements has tracked the Illinois labor market since 2014, observing that the stability of the Springfield signatory pool is often tied to state-funded infrastructure and healthcare expansions. Hiring typically occurs through the union referral hall, though contractors maintain the ability to manage their core shop personnel according to project needs.
The apprenticeship program generally spans five years, combining 8,000 to 10,000 hours of on-the-job training with mandatory evening or weekend classroom instruction. This rigorous path ensures that every graduate is fully competent in detailing, fabrication, and installation, which is why Local 218 journeymen are highly sought after by mechanical contractors for complex builds.
Transfers are governed by the SMART Constitution and the specific bylaws of Local 218. Generally, a member in good standing must secure work in the jurisdiction first and then request a transfer card from their home local. Approval depends on the current local unemployment rate and the specific needs of signatory contractors in the Springfield market.
Yes, the training center offers AWS-certified welding programs and specialized certifications in areas like fire damper inspection, hoisting and rigging, and CAD/BIM software. These certifications are often required for work on industrial sites and large commercial projects, providing members with a competitive advantage and ensuring contractors meet project specifications.
Local 218 maintains an out-of-work list where members register when their current project concludes. Signatory contractors contact the union hall with manpower requests, and members are typically dispatched based on their position on the list and their specific skill sets. This system ensures a fair distribution of work and helps contractors quickly scale their workforce.
SMART Local 218 is seated in Springfield, Illinois (IL). We hold published wage sheets for 32 locals across Illinois — compare nearby scales before you take a call.
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We are a mechanical, plumbing and electrical construction recruiting firm serving Springfield and the rest of Illinois, including contractors signatory to SMART Local 218. 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 218 pay scale is $42.75 per hour for journeymen in Springfield, IL, or about $85,500 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $76.08 per hour. That is the rate in force, effective Undated.
Journeyman sheet metal workers under the SMART Local 218 agreement make $42.75 an hour in base wages, or $76.08 an hour counting the fringe package, per the wage sheet effective Undated. Overtime, shift premiums, and travel or subsistence pay are added on top under the local's CBA.
$42.75 per hour base wage and $76.08 per hour total package for a journeyman in Springfield, IL, effective Undated. Annualized at 2,080 hours that is roughly $85,500 before overtime.
A Local 218 apprentice in Springfield, IL starts at roughly $19.24 an hour — about 45% of the $42.75 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $32.06 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 218 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
About $19.24 an hour, or roughly $38,475 a year at 2,080 hours, based on the standard 45% first-period step of the $42.75 journeyman rate effective Undated. Apprentices also earn benefit contributions and paid classroom progression; the JATC sets the exact percentage.
Around $27.79 an hour at the standard 65% third-period step, moving to about $32.06 an hour in the fourth period and $42.75 an hour at full journeyman scale. Confirm the published step schedule with the Local 218 training center.
Local 218 wages: $42.75 an hour on the journeyman scale, $76.08 an hour with fringe benefits added, effective Undated. That is the most recent Springfield, IL sheet we can source; rates move with each contract cycle, so confirm with the hall before quoting.
Yes — a one-page printable SMART Local 218 rate sheet is available at /rate-sheets/smart-local-218-pay-scale.pdf, showing the $42.75 hourly scale, the $76.08 total package and the Undated effective date, with the source it was read from. It is a free download — no sign-up needed.
The current SMART Local 218 journeyman rate is $42.75/hour, with a total package of $76.08/hour including fringe benefits, effective Undated. At 2,080 hours that works out to roughly $85,500 per year in base wages before overtime. Rates change with each CBA cycle — confirm with the Local 218 business office before relying on the figure.
The $42.75/hour figure is the base journeyman wage that lands on the paycheck. The $76.08/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 218 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 $42.75/hour journeyman rate, a first-period apprentice would be in the $19.24–$21.38/hour range. The exact percentage schedule is set by the local's JATC.
SMART Local 218 is headquartered in Springfield, IL 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 218 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 218 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 218 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 218 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 Undated schedule; check with the Local 218 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 218 against neighboring jurisdictions and other sheet metal workers markets.
The SMART Local 218 hall is at 2855 Via Verde Springfield IL 62703, serving Springfield, IL and the surrounding jurisdiction. Hall phone: (217) 529-0161.
SMART Local 218 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall. Call the hall at (217) 529-0161 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 218 can be reached at (217) 529-0161. Contact details are imported from the union's public directory listing — confirm hours with the hall.
$42.75/hr in base wages for journeyman (springfield area), or $76.08/hr counting employer-paid benefits and fringes, effective Undated per the SMART International careers page for Local 218 wage determination.
Undated. Effective date on the source wage sheet is not machine-readable — treat this rate as directional and confirm with the local before quoting.
No — the $42.75/hr base is wages only. Employers contribute roughly $33.33/hr more per hour worked to health and welfare, pension, annuity and training funds, which is the difference between the base and the $76.08/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.
Moderate confidence — last cross-checked against the source on Sep 28, 2026 (2 days ago). Always confirm the current step with the hall before relying on it for an offer.