Journeyman railroad mechanical workers under SMART Local 484 in Chicago, IL earn $39.26/hr in base wages, effective Jul 2024.
The Local 484 pay scale is $39.26 per hour for journeymen in Chicago, IL, or about $78,520 a year at 2,080 hours. That is the rate in force, effective 7/1/24.
| Local 484 journeyman hourly wage | $39.26 / hour |
|---|---|
| Annualized at 2,080 hours (base wage) | $78,520 / year |
| First-period apprentice (≈45–50% of scale) | $17.67–$19.63 / hour |
| Wage sheet effective | 7/1/24 |
| Classification | Journeyman Sheet Metal Worker — Amtrak wage scale |
Apply now — Gulfstream places railroad mechanical workers candidates with mechanical contractors. These are direct-hire contractor roles, not union dispatch.
A Local 484 apprentice in Chicago, IL starts at roughly $17.67 an hour — about 45% of the $39.26 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $29.45 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 484 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
| 1st period (year 1) | 45% of scale | $17.67 / hour | $35,334 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd period (year 2) | 55% of scale | $21.59 / hour | $43,186 |
| 3rd period (year 3) | 65% of scale | $25.52 / hour | $51,038 |
| 4th period (year 4) | 75% of scale | $29.45 / hour | $58,890 |
| 5th period (year 5) | 85% of scale | $33.37 / hour | $66,742 |
| Journeyman (turned out) | 100% of scale | $39.26 / hour | $78,520 |
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SMART Local 484 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 484 does not post an online application we could verify; contact the hall by phone for dispatch or apprenticeship. To be considered for direct-hire roles with mechanical, electrical and sheet metal contractors in this area, apply to Gulfstream. This is not an application to the union.
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Local 484 wages: $39.26 an hour on the journeyman scale, effective 7/1/24. That is the most recent Chicago, IL sheet we can source; rates move with each contract cycle, so confirm with the hall before quoting.
SMART Local 484's published wage determination does not break out fringes, so we show only the wage figures it prints.
Verified from official source: Amtrak/SMART ratified agreement wage scale, rate effective 7/1/2024
Download the SMART Local 484 pay scale (PDF) — one-page printable rate sheet, effective July 1, 2024.
| Benefit & fringe contributions | Not published | The wage determination does not separate fringes for this local. |
|---|---|---|
| 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 484 scale used across the Chicago, IL area. Members dispatched out of this hall work commercial construction and mechanical service and retrofit work for signatory contractors throughout the Chicago metro, so a railroad mechanical workers wage quoted locally is normally this scale plus the fringe package shown in the table.
Gulfstream recruits railroad mechanical workers talent for commercial mechanical, plumbing, piping, sheet metal and building automation contractors in and around Chicago. We are a private recruiting firm — we do not dispatch, set, or negotiate Local 484 rates. For current Chicago scale, dispatch standing, or apprenticeship intake, contact the hall directly.
SMART Local 484 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall — call (708) 925-2767 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 484 represents skilled sheet metal professionals across a critical jurisdiction within the broader Illinois market. Since 2014, Gulfstream Strategic Placements has monitored the regional labor landscape where these craftsmen provide specialized services in architectural sheet metal, HVAC system fabrication, and industrial ventilation. As a member of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers, this local ensures that mechanical contractors in the region have access to a highly trained workforce capable of meeting complex building codes and rigorous safety standards required for modern commercial infrastructure.
The sheet metal trade in this region is distinct from general mechanical work due to the specialized nature of precision fabrication and onsite installation. Local 484 members operate in various environments including high-rise commercial developments, healthcare facilities, and industrial manufacturing plants. The union manages the relationship between labor and signatory contractors, ensuring that projects remain staffed with qualified journey-level workers. For contractors benchmarking costs or tradespeople looking to transition into the organized sector, understanding the local's specific work rules and apprenticeship structure is essential for navigating the Chicago-area construction economy.
Because specific wage figures for SMART Local 484 were not provided for this summary, individuals must contact the local business office directly to obtain the current taxable hourly rate and total package valuation. In a standard SMART agreement, the total package includes the base hourly wage plus employer-paid fringes such as health insurance and pension contributions. Apprentices typically begin their careers at a percentage of the journeyman rate—often starting 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 apprentice reaches 100% of the journeyman scale upon graduation from the JATC program.
The jurisdiction of SMART Local 484 covers specific territories within the greater Chicago metropolitan area and surrounding Illinois counties. The union's charter grants it authority over all aspects of sheet metal work, including the drafting, fabrication, and installation of air handling systems, metal roofing, siding, and kitchen equipment. Members are dispatched to job sites across the chartered region, and the local maintains strict oversight of work hours and jurisdictional boundaries to ensure all signatory work is performed by qualified labor. Travel pay or subsistence may apply depending on the distance from the headquarters to the specific project site, as defined in the current collective bargaining agreement.
The contractor landscape for SMART Local 484 consists of a diverse mix of signatory employers ranging from large-scale mechanical primes to specialized architectural metal shops. These companies rely on the union to provide a steady stream of manpower for large commercial build-outs and long-term industrial maintenance contracts. Hiring typically follows the demand of the regional construction cycle, with peaks during major infrastructure initiatives or seasonal HVAC retrofitting periods. Signatory contractors benefit from a centralized training system, ensuring that all workers dispatched through the hall possess standardized certifications in welding, rigging, and safety protocols required by modern general contractors and facility owners.
A SMART union pay scale is determined locally based on the cost of living and market share in a specific jurisdiction. While a local like 105 in Southern California will have a different rate than Local 484 in Illinois, both follow a structured percentage-based progression for apprentices. To find the exact hourly rate for this area, you should request the current wage sheet from the Local 484 business manager.
Members generally pay two types of dues: monthly window dues and working dues. Working dues are typically a percentage of gross pay deducted by the employer and remitted to the union. Monthly window dues are paid directly by the member to the local office, often through an online portal or in-person, to maintain 'good standing' and eligibility for dispatch and benefits.
Transferring requires a travel card or a permanent transfer request. You must be a member in good standing with your current local and seek approval from the Local 484 Business Manager. The acceptance of transfers often depends on the current local unemployment rate and the availability of work for existing members within the Illinois jurisdiction.
Yes, through the Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (JATC), members have access to certifications in AWS welding, CAD/BIM detailing, and TAB (Testing, Adjusting, and Balancing). These certifications are funded by the fringe benefit contributions from signatory contractors, allowing members to upskill without out-of-pocket tuition costs, which increases their marketability to specialized mechanical employers.
SMART Local 484 is seated in Chicago, Illinois (IL). We hold published wage sheets for 42 locals across Illinois — compare nearby scales before you take a call.
Gulfstream Strategic Placements recruits mechanical construction and service staff for contractors nationwide, union and open shop. These are markets where we run the most searches: Orange County mechanical recruiter · Seattle mechanical recruiter · Inland Empire mechanical recruiter · Portland mechanical recruiter. Post a role.
We are a commercial mechanical construction recruiting firm serving Chicago and the rest of Illinois, including contractors signatory to SMART Local 484. 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 484 pay scale is $39.26 per hour for journeymen in Chicago, IL, or about $78,520 a year at 2,080 hours. That is the rate in force, effective 7/1/24.
SMART Local 484 wages: journeyman Railroad Mechanical Workers rate of $39.26 per hour in Chicago, IL, effective 7/1/24. Apprentices are paid a graduated percentage of that rate. Confirm any increase since 7/1/24 with the SMART Local 484 business office.
The SMART Local 484 wage sheet on this page lists the journeyman scale of $39.26 per hour, effective 7/1/24, plus the apprentice percentage steps. The official sheet is published by the SMART Local 484 business office; figures here come from that published schedule, so confirm any increase dated after 7/1/24 with the hall.
Local 484 apprentices earn a graduated percentage of the $39.26 per hour journeyman rate — typically starting near 40–50% ($17.67–$19.63 per hour) in the first period and stepping up each period to 100% at turnout. The exact percentage schedule is set by the SMART Local 484 JATC, so confirm the current apprentice sheet with the training center.
Journeyman railroad mechanical workers under the SMART Local 484 agreement make $39.26 an hour in base wages, per the wage sheet effective 7/1/24. Overtime, shift premiums, and travel or subsistence pay are added on top under the local's CBA.
$39.26 per hour base wage for a journeyman in Chicago, IL, effective 7/1/24. Annualized at 2,080 hours that is roughly $78,520 before overtime.
A Local 484 apprentice in Chicago, IL starts at roughly $17.67 an hour — about 45% of the $39.26 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $29.45 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 484 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
About $17.67 an hour, or roughly $35,334 a year at 2,080 hours, based on the standard 45% first-period step of the $39.26 journeyman rate effective 7/1/24. Apprentices also earn benefit contributions and paid classroom progression; the JATC sets the exact percentage.
Around $25.52 an hour at the standard 65% third-period step, moving to about $29.45 an hour in the fourth period and $39.26 an hour at full journeyman scale. Confirm the published step schedule with the Local 484 training center.
Local 484 wages: $39.26 an hour on the journeyman scale, effective 7/1/24. That is the most recent Chicago, 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 484 rate sheet is available at /rate-sheets/smart-local-484-pay-scale.pdf, showing the $39.26 hourly scale and the 7/1/24 effective date, with the source it was read from. It is a free download — no sign-up needed.
The current SMART Local 484 journeyman rate is $39.26/hour, effective 7/1/24. At 2,080 hours that works out to roughly $78,520 per year in base wages before overtime. Rates change with each CBA cycle — confirm with the Local 484 business office before relying on the figure.
Apprentices under the SMART Local 484 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 $39.26/hour journeyman rate, a first-period apprentice would be in the $17.67–$19.63/hour range. The exact percentage schedule is set by the local's JATC.
SMART Local 484 is headquartered in Chicago, IL and dispatches railroad mechanical 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 railroad mechanical workers work. Some Local 484 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 484 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 484 training center directly.
Railroad Mechanical 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 484 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 railroad mechanical 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 7/1/24 schedule; check with the Local 484 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 484 against neighboring jurisdictions and other railroad mechanical workers markets.
Yes — the openings section on this page lists current railroad mechanical workers roles near Chicago, IL, and you can apply directly through the apply form on this page. These are direct-hire positions with mechanical contractors that Gulfstream recruits for, not union dispatch or hall referrals. For the hall's out-of-work list, contact the Local 484 business office.
The SMART Local 484 hall is at 1109 East Division Street, Unit 2c Lockport IL 60441, serving Chicago, IL and the surrounding jurisdiction. Hall phone: (708) 925-2767.
SMART Local 484 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall. Call the hall at (708) 925-2767 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 484 can be reached at (708) 925-2767. Contact details are imported from the union's public directory listing — confirm hours with the hall.
Apply through the local's joint apprenticeship training committee (JATC). Most programs open applications on a set schedule and require an aptitude test and interview. For SMART Local 484's current application window and requirements, contact the hall at (708) 925-2767.
Each Railroad Mechanical Workers local sets its own intake process, and it varies. The common paths: apprenticeship through the JATC; organizing in as an experienced worker, since journeymen and technicians already working in the trade can usually apply directly to the hall for membership; or transferring from another local of the same international with a transfer card from your current hall. For fees and requirements, contact the hall at (708) 925-2767.
We haven't found an official source for SMART Local 484's dues or membership rules. To confirm, contact the hall at (708) 925-2767.
We haven't found an official source for SMART Local 484's member benefits. To confirm, contact the hall at (708) 925-2767.
SMART Local 484's sourced journeyman sheet metal worker — amtrak wage scale union rate is $39.26/hr in base wages, effective July 1, 2024. The rate applies to the listed classification and source area; apprentice, foreman and specialty classifications may differ.
$39.26/hr in base wages for journeyman sheet metal worker — amtrak wage scale, effective July 1, 2024 per the Amtrak/SMART ratified agreement wage scale, rate effective 7/1/2024 wage determination.
July 1, 2024. The negotiated rate on this primary source (Amtrak/SMART ratified agreement wage scale, rate effective 7/1/2024) is dated more than 18 months back, so a mid-term raise may already be in effect. Confirm the current step with the local's business office before extending an offer.
The published wage determination for this local prints wages without a separate fringe line, so we do not show a benefit figure. The hall's fund office can provide the contribution schedule.
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 Oct 11, 2026 (8 days ago). Always confirm the current step with the hall before relying on it for an offer.