Journeyman sheet metal workers under SMART Local 359 in Phoenix, AZ earn $52.89/hr in base wages, or $52.89/hr as a total package with fringe benefits, effective Aug 2026.
SMART Local 359 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 359 pay scale for 2026 is $52.89 per hour for journeymen in Phoenix, AZ, or about $105,780 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $52.89 per hour. That is the rate in force for 2026, effective 8/14/26.
| Local 359 journeyman hourly wage | $52.89 / hour |
|---|---|
| Total package (wage + fringe benefits) | $52.89 / hour |
| Annualized at 2,080 hours (base wage) | $105,780 / year |
| First-period apprentice (≈45–50% of scale) | $23.80–$26.45 / hour |
| Wage sheet effective | 8/14/26 |
| Classification | Sheet Metal Journeyman |
A Local 359 apprentice in Phoenix, AZ starts at roughly $23.80 an hour — about 45% of the $52.89 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $39.67 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 359 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
| 1st period (year 1) | 45% of scale | $23.80 / hour | $47,601 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd period (year 2) | 55% of scale | $29.09 / hour | $58,179 |
| 3rd period (year 3) | 65% of scale | $34.38 / hour | $68,757 |
| 4th period (year 4) | 75% of scale | $39.67 / hour | $79,335 |
| 5th period (year 5) | 85% of scale | $44.96 / hour | $89,913 |
| Journeyman (turned out) | 100% of scale | $52.89 / hour | $105,780 |
SMART Local 359 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall — call (602) 273-1388 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 359 represents skilled sheet metal workers throughout Arizona, centered in the Phoenix metropolitan hub. As the primary labor organization for the architectural, HVAC, and industrial sheet metal sectors in the region, Local 359 provides a standardized workforce for signatory contractors executing large-scale commercial and industrial builds. The Phoenix market has seen significant expansion in recent years, particularly within high-tech manufacturing and data center construction, which has increased the demand for precision ductwork, specialized ventilation systems, and complex metal fabrication. Local 359 members are trained to handle the entire lifecycle of sheet metal, from shop detailing and automated fabrication to field installation and system commissioning.
The role of Local 359 extends beyond simple installation, serving as a critical infrastructure partner for the Southwest's cooling-dependent economy. Because the Arizona climate necessitates high-performance HVAC systems, the technical proficiency required of these tradespeople is exceptionally high. The local operates a robust training infrastructure designed to produce journey-level workers capable of meeting rigorous building codes and environmental standards. For contractors, partnering with this local ensures access to a scalable pool of labor that has undergone standardized safety training and technical schooling. For the worker, the union provides a collective bargaining framework that establishes transparent wage scales and protects workplace safety in one of the fastest-growing construction markets in the United States.
Based on current data, the journeyman hourly rate for SMART Local 359 is $49.39. It is important to note that the total package reported here matches the hourly rate, suggesting the figure represents a trade-wide average or a specific base scale; workers should verify the full fringe benefit load—including health and pension contributions—directly with the Local 359 business office. Apprentices enter the trade at a percentage of the journeyman rate, typically starting around 40% to 50% for first-year students. These rates increase in fixed increments as the apprentice completes classroom hours and on-the-job training milestones over a five-year period. Full journey status and the associated top-scale pay are awarded only after passing the final certification exams and completing the required 8,000 to 10,000 hours of field experience.
SMART Local 359 holds a wide chartered territory that encompasses the entirety of Arizona, with its primary dispatch operations managed out of Phoenix. The jurisdiction covers diverse environments, from the dense urban commercial cores of Maricopa County to industrial mining sites and remote utility installations across the state. The work governed by the Local 359 agreement includes the fabrication and installation of HVAC ductwork, architectural metal roofing, siding, and industrial blowpipe systems. Members may be dispatched to various project sites throughout the state, and the agreement typically includes provisions for travel pay or subsistence when work occurs outside a specific radius from the dispatch hall or the member's residence, ensuring labor mobility for large-scale infrastructure projects.
The signatory landscape for SMART Local 359 is comprised of a diverse mix of mechanical primes and specialized sheet metal firms. These range from large-scale mechanical contractors who manage multi-million dollar HVAC packages for hospitals and semi-conductor plants to smaller, specialized shops focused on architectural metal and custom fabrication. Hiring in the Phoenix market is often driven by the heavy industrial and high-tech sectors, where signatory contractors utilize the local's dispatch to man up for massive, fast-track projects. This environment requires contractors to maintain high standards of quality control and allows members to gain experience in both shop environments and complex field installations across the Arizona desert.
The Local 359 JATC provides training in CAD/BIM detailing, CNC plasma operation, advanced welding (TIG/MIG), and architectural metal installation. Members also receive certification in Testing, Adjusting, and Balancing (TAB) and Fire Life Safety, which are critical for maintaining the high-performance HVAC systems required by Arizona’s strict building codes and extreme temperatures.
Yes, SMART members in good standing can generally request a transfer or work as a traveler within Local 359's jurisdiction. This process requires a travel card from the member's home local and approval from the Local 359 business agent, depending on current manning levels and project demand in the Phoenix market.
While the standard work week is 40 hours, the extreme heat in Phoenix often results in 'summer hours' where shifts begin earlier in the morning to avoid peak afternoon temperatures. Large-scale industrial projects may also offer overtime opportunities, though these are dependent on the specific project schedule and the signatory contractor's requirements.
Safety is a primary focus for Local 359, especially regarding heat stress prevention. The union and its signatory contractors adhere to strict OSHA guidelines and often implement additional protocols for hydration, shade, and rest breaks to ensure members remain safe while working on rooftop units or in unconditioned job sites during the Arizona summer.
SMART Local 359 is seated in Phoenix, Arizona (AZ). We hold published wage sheets for 6 locals across Arizona — compare nearby scales before you take a call.
We are a mechanical, plumbing and electrical construction recruiting firm serving Phoenix and the rest of Arizona, including contractors signatory to SMART Local 359. 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 359 pay scale for 2026 is $52.89 per hour for journeymen in Phoenix, AZ, or about $105,780 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $52.89 per hour. That is the rate in force for 2026, effective 8/14/26.
Journeyman sheet metal workers under the SMART Local 359 agreement make $52.89 an hour in base wages, or $52.89 an hour counting the fringe package, per the wage sheet effective 8/14/26. Overtime, shift premiums, and travel or subsistence pay are added on top under the local's CBA.
$52.89 per hour base wage and $52.89 per hour total package for a journeyman in Phoenix, AZ, effective 8/14/26. Annualized at 2,080 hours that is roughly $105,780 before overtime.
A Local 359 apprentice in Phoenix, AZ starts at roughly $23.80 an hour — about 45% of the $52.89 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $39.67 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 359 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
About $23.80 an hour, or roughly $47,601 a year at 2,080 hours, based on the standard 45% first-period step of the $52.89 journeyman rate effective 8/14/26. Apprentices also earn benefit contributions and paid classroom progression; the JATC sets the exact percentage.
Around $34.38 an hour at the standard 65% third-period step, moving to about $39.67 an hour in the fourth period and $52.89 an hour at full journeyman scale. Confirm the published step schedule with the Local 359 training center.
The current SMART Local 359 journeyman rate is $52.89/hour, with a total package of $52.89/hour including fringe benefits, effective 8/14/26. At 2,080 hours that works out to roughly $105,780 per year in base wages before overtime. Rates change with each CBA cycle — confirm with the Local 359 business office before relying on the figure.
The $52.89/hour figure is the base journeyman wage that lands on the paycheck. The $52.89/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 359 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 $52.89/hour journeyman rate, a first-period apprentice would be in the $23.80–$26.45/hour range. The exact percentage schedule is set by the local's JATC.
SMART Local 359 is headquartered in Phoenix, AZ 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 359 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 359 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 359 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 359 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 8/14/26 schedule; check with the Local 359 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 359 against neighboring jurisdictions and other sheet metal workers markets.
The SMART Local 359 hall is at 2604 E. Adams Street Phoenix AZ 85034, serving Phoenix, AZ and the surrounding jurisdiction. Hall phone: (602) 273-1388.
SMART Local 359 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall. Call the hall at (602) 273-1388 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 359 can be reached at (602) 273-1388. Contact details are imported from the union's public directory listing — confirm hours with the hall.