Journeyman sheet metal workers under SMART Local 28 in New York, NY earn $57.08/hr in base wages, or $117.78/hr as a total package with fringe benefits, effective Jul 2026.
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SMART Local 28 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 28 pay scale for 2026 is $57.08 per hour for journeymen in New York, NY, or about $114,160 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $117.78 per hour. That is the rate in force for 2026, effective 7/1/26.
| Local 28 journeyman hourly wage | $57.08 / hour |
|---|---|
| Total package (wage + fringe benefits) | $117.78 / hour |
| Annualized at 2,080 hours (base wage) | $114,160 / year |
| First-period apprentice (≈45–50% of scale) | $25.69–$28.54 / hour |
| Wage sheet effective | 7/1/26 |
| Classification | Sheetmetal Worker (NYC prevailing wage) |
A Local 28 apprentice in New York, NY starts at roughly $25.69 an hour — about 45% of the $57.08 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $42.81 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 28 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
| 1st period (year 1) | 45% of scale | $25.69 / hour | $51,372 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd period (year 2) | 55% of scale | $31.39 / hour | $62,788 |
| 3rd period (year 3) | 65% of scale | $37.10 / hour | $74,204 |
| 4th period (year 4) | 75% of scale | $42.81 / hour | $85,620 |
| 5th period (year 5) | 85% of scale | $48.52 / hour | $97,036 |
| Journeyman (turned out) | 100% of scale | $57.08 / hour | $114,160 |
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Local 28 wages: $57.08 an hour on the journeyman scale, $117.78 an hour with fringe benefits added, effective 7/1/26. That is the most recent New York, NY sheet we can source; rates move with each contract cycle, so confirm with the hall before quoting.
Roughly 52% of the SMART Local 28 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 28 — Know Your Wages
Download the SMART Local 28 pay scale (PDF) — one-page printable rate sheet, effective July 1, 2026.
| Benefit & fringe contributions | $60.70/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 28 scale used across the New York, NY 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 New York 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 New York. We are a private recruiting firm — we do not dispatch, set, or negotiate Local 28 rates. For current New York scale, dispatch standing, or apprenticeship intake, contact the hall directly.
SMART Local 28 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall — call (212) 941-7700 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 28 represents the premier sheet metal workers across New York City and surrounding regions, covering a trade territory that is among the most complex in the world. As a chartered member of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers, this local manages the labor force responsible for the fabrication and installation of HVAC ductwork, architectural sheet metal, and specialized ventilation systems. The presence of Local 28 in the New York City market is foundational to the skyscraper skyline, as their members handle the precision metalwork required for high-rise commercial ventilation, fire life safety systems, and sophisticated hospital air filtration environments.
The New York City market operates under rigorous building codes and demanding project timelines, making the skilled labor supplied by Local 28 essential for signatory contractors. Beyond traditional ductwork, the local oversees members specialized in testing, adjusting, and balancing (TAB) of environmental systems, ensuring that large-scale mechanical infrastructures perform to design specifications. For sheet metal professionals, this market represents the highest tier of technical difficulty and regulatory oversight. The local maintains a strong presence through its training centers and business offices, serving as the central hub for dispatching qualified journey-level workers to significant public and private infrastructure projects throughout the five boroughs and Nassau and Suffolk counties.
The Local 28 pay scale is structured around a base hourly wage supplemented by a robust fringe benefit package, together forming the total taxable compensation. While specific journeyman salary figures are subject to semi-annual adjustments and are not published publicly here, the scale reflects the high cost of living and technical requirements of the NYC metro area. Apprentices enter the trade at a percentage of the journeyman rate, typically starting around 35-40% and increasing 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 journey-level status. To obtain the exact current hourly rate, including the breakdown of the taxable base versus fringe contributions, tradespeople should contact the Local 28 business office directly to request the latest wage and benefit schedule.
The jurisdiction of SMART Local 28 is primarily centered on the five boroughs of New York City, extending throughout Long Island. This charter covers the vast majority of sheet metal work in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island, along with Nassau and Suffolk Counties. The work scope under this jurisdiction includes the fabrication, assembly, and installation of all sheet metal products, ranging from industrial blowpipe systems to high-end architectural copper and stainless steel finishes. Members are dispatched from the local's headquarters to job sites across this densely populated corridor, where they operate under the terms of the collective bargaining agreement that governs work rules, travel pay, and shift differentials within these specific geographic boundaries.
The contractor landscape for Local 28 is characterized by high-capacity signatory mechanical primes and specialized sheet metal fabrication shops. These contractors range from large-scale mechanical firms that manage multi-million dollar HVAC contracts to boutique architectural metal shops focused on high-end exterior finishes. The hiring environment is driven largely by the cycle of major commercial developments, public school renovations, and healthcare facility upgrades. Signatory contractors rely on the union's hiring hall to scale their workforces rapidly for large projects, ensuring that every worker on-site has completed the mandatory safety and technical training required to operate in the NYC building environment since 2014.
No, Local 28 jurisdiction is focused on the five boroughs of New York City and Long Island (Nassau and Suffolk). Work in Greenwich, CT, typically falls under the jurisdiction of SMART Local 38, which covers Southeastern New York and Western Connecticut. Contractors and members should verify the exact boundary lines with the respective local business offices before bidding or accepting dispatch.
The official Local 28 pay scale is not publicly posted as it is subject to frequent updates through the collective bargaining process. Members and signatory contractors can access the full wage and fringe benefit schedule by contacting the Local 28 business office directly or through the member portal. This schedule details the base hourly rate, total package, and specific fringe allocations.
The SMART Local 28 apprenticeship program is a five-year commitment. During this period, apprentices complete thousands of hours of on-the-job training alongside mandatory classroom instruction at the JATC facility. As apprentices progress through each year, their pay increases incrementally as a percentage of the journeyman rate, provided they meet all educational and work-hour requirements.
Yes, through the JATC, Local 28 provides training and certification in several specialized areas including AWS welding, hoisting and rigging, fire damper inspection, and TAB (Testing, Adjusting, and Balancing). These certifications are often required for work on high-profile New York City projects and allow members to maintain a competitive edge in the regional labor market.
SMART Local 28 is seated in New York, New York (NY). We hold published wage sheets for 31 locals across New York — compare nearby scales before you take a call.
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Journeyman scales as last published by each local. Rates change every contract cycle — confirm with the hall.
The Local 28 pay scale for 2026 is $57.08 per hour for journeymen in New York, NY, or about $114,160 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $117.78 per hour. That is the rate in force for 2026, effective 7/1/26.
Journeyman sheet metal workers under the SMART Local 28 agreement make $57.08 an hour in base wages, or $117.78 an hour counting the fringe package, per the wage sheet effective 7/1/26. Overtime, shift premiums, and travel or subsistence pay are added on top under the local's CBA.
$57.08 per hour base wage and $117.78 per hour total package for a journeyman in New York, NY, effective 7/1/26. Annualized at 2,080 hours that is roughly $114,160 before overtime.
A Local 28 apprentice in New York, NY starts at roughly $25.69 an hour — about 45% of the $57.08 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $42.81 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 28 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
About $25.69 an hour, or roughly $51,372 a year at 2,080 hours, based on the standard 45% first-period step of the $57.08 journeyman rate effective 7/1/26. Apprentices also earn benefit contributions and paid classroom progression; the JATC sets the exact percentage.
Around $37.10 an hour at the standard 65% third-period step, moving to about $42.81 an hour in the fourth period and $57.08 an hour at full journeyman scale. Confirm the published step schedule with the Local 28 training center.
Local 28 wages: $57.08 an hour on the journeyman scale, $117.78 an hour with fringe benefits added, effective 7/1/26. That is the most recent New York, NY sheet we can source; rates move with each contract cycle, so confirm with the hall before quoting.
The current published SMART Local 28 journeyman rate is $57.08 an hour ($117.78 total package), effective 7/1/26 — roughly $114,160 a year at 2,080 hours before overtime. Confirm the effective agreement with the local.
Yes — a one-page printable SMART Local 28 rate sheet is available at /rate-sheets/smart-local-28-pay-scale.pdf, showing the $57.08 hourly scale, the $117.78 total package and the 7/1/26 effective date, with the source it was read from. It is a free download — no sign-up needed.
The current SMART Local 28 journeyman rate is $57.08/hour, with a total package of $117.78/hour including fringe benefits, effective 7/1/26. At 2,080 hours that works out to roughly $114,160 per year in base wages before overtime. Rates change with each CBA cycle — confirm with the Local 28 business office before relying on the figure.
The $57.08/hour figure is the base journeyman wage that lands on the paycheck. The $117.78/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 28 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 $57.08/hour journeyman rate, a first-period apprentice would be in the $25.69–$28.54/hour range. The exact percentage schedule is set by the local's JATC.
SMART Local 28 is headquartered in New York, NY 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 28 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 28 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 28 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 28 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 7/1/26 schedule; check with the Local 28 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 28 against neighboring jurisdictions and other sheet metal workers markets.
The SMART Local 28 hall is at 500 Greenwich St 5th Floor New York NY 10013, serving New York, NY and the surrounding jurisdiction. Hall phone: (212) 941-7700.
SMART Local 28 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall. Call the hall at (212) 941-7700 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 28 can be reached at (212) 941-7700. Contact details are imported from the union's public directory listing — confirm hours with the hall.
$57.08/hr in base wages for sheetmetal worker (nyc prevailing wage), or $117.78/hr counting employer-paid benefits and fringes, effective July 1, 2026 per the SMART Local 28 — Know Your Wages wage determination.
July 1, 2026. Read directly from the primary source (SMART Local 28 — Know Your Wages) and cross-checked at build time. Highest confidence for offer benchmarking.
No — the $57.08/hr base is wages only. Employers contribute roughly $60.70/hr more per hour worked to health and welfare, pension, annuity and training funds, which is the difference between the base and the $117.78/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 4, 2026 (26 days ago). Always confirm the current step with the hall before relying on it for an offer.