SMART Local 398 represents sheet metal workers in San Diego, CA. Below: wage scale context, jurisdiction, apprenticeship routes, and the signatory contractors that hire from this hall.
SMART Local 398 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 398 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 398 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall — call None 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 398 represents the sheet metal workers of San Diego and Imperial Counties, operating as a critical labor partner for the region's diverse construction economy. This local union oversees the training and dispatch of skilled craftspeople specializing in HVAC ductwork installation, architectural sheet metal, industrial fabrication, and testing and balancing. Since 2014, Gulfstream Strategic Placements has monitored the San Diego market, observing how Local 398 members support large-scale commercial developments, biotech facilities, and military infrastructure projects. The union's presence ensures that high-precision metal work meets stringent California building codes while providing a stable, highly skilled workforce for signatory mechanical and sheet metal contractors.
The San Diego market is unique due to its heavy concentration of life science labs, healthcare facilities, and naval installations, all of which require specialized air handling and exhaust systems. SMART Local 398 addresses these needs through its Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (JATC), which produces journeymen capable of handling complex CAD/BIM layouts and precision field installations. By maintaining a centralized dispatch and standardized labor agreement, the local provides a level of predictability for project labor costs that is essential for both public works and private commercial tenders. This stability is a cornerstone of the regional construction industry, allowing for the successful completion of sophisticated mechanical systems in one of California's most active building corridors.
Because specific wage figures are subject to frequent adjustments based on Collective Bargaining Agreement cycles, applicants and contractors should contact the SMART Local 398 business office directly for the current wage and fringe benefit schedule. Generally, the compensation structure consists of a base hourly rate plus a comprehensive fringe package that includes health insurance and multiple retirement funds. Apprentices start at a percentage of the journeyman rate, typically beginning around 40-50% and increasing in 5-10% increments every six months or 1,000 hours worked. To reach full journeyman scale, an apprentice must complete a multi-year program consisting of both classroom instruction and documented on-the-job training hours, ensuring they have mastered the technical requirements of the sheet metal trade.
The jurisdiction of SMART Local 398 covers the entirety of San Diego County and Imperial County in the southernmost region of California. This territory includes major urban centers like San Diego, Chula Vista, and Oceanside, extending eastward to the agricultural and industrial hubs of El Centro. The charter grants Local 398 members the exclusive right to perform work related to the fabrication, assembly, and installation of all sheet metal products under the SMART international constitution. This includes everything from residential HVAC and commercial ducting to specialized stainless steel work in laboratories and heavy-gauge industrial applications. Workers dispatched within this jurisdiction are subject to the specific travel and subsistence rules outlined in the local's master labor agreement.
The signatory contractor landscape for SMART Local 398 is comprised of a mix of large-scale mechanical primes and specialized architectural sheet metal firms. These employers range from multi-state mechanical giants that handle massive cooling plant installations to local family-owned shops focusing on custom fabrication and service. The hiring environment is driven largely by the sector-specific demands of the San Diego market, particularly in the healthcare and education sectors. Signatory contractors benefit from a flexible labor pool that can scale up or down based on project needs, ensuring that even the largest industrial projects have access to qualified sheet metal journeymen and registered apprentices.
Members are frequently deployed to high-profile sites including naval base infrastructure, biotechnology research laboratories in Torrey Pines, and large-scale healthcare expansions. They also handle the installation of architectural metal facades for commercial high-rises and the complex ductwork required for the region's diverse educational campuses and public works projects.
Transfers are generally governed by the SMART International Constitution and the specific travel or transfer rules of Local 398. Journeymen in good standing must usually obtain a travel card from their home local and report to the San Diego business manager to determine work availability and the specific requirements for depositing their card.
Yes, through the JATC, members can obtain certifications in advanced welding, TAB (Testing, Adjusting, and Balancing), fire life safety, and BIM/detailing. These certifications are often required by signatory contractors for specialized roles and can enhance a member's employability across different sectors of the sheet metal industry.
Local 398 utilizes an out-of-work list system where members are dispatched to signatory contractors based on their skills, certifications, and position on the list. This ensures a fair and transparent hiring process, allowing contractors to request specific skills while ensuring members have equitable access to available work opportunities in the jurisdiction.
SMART Local 398 is seated in San Diego, California (CA). We hold published wage sheets for 46 locals across California — compare nearby scales before you take a call.
We are a mechanical, plumbing and electrical construction recruiting firm serving San Diego and the rest of California, including contractors signatory to SMART Local 398. 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 398 is headquartered in San Diego, CA 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 398 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 398 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 398 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 398 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 398 against neighboring jurisdictions and other sheet metal workers markets.
The SMART Local 398 hall is at 5715 Baltimore Drive #27 La Mesa CA 91842, serving San Diego, CA and the surrounding jurisdiction. Hall phone: None.
SMART Local 398 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall. Call the hall at None 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 398 can be reached at None. Contact details are imported from the union's public directory listing — confirm hours with the hall.