Journeyman sheet metal workers under SMART Local 9 in Denver, CO earn $43.05/hr in base wages, or $52.96/hr as a total package with fringe benefits, effective May 2026.
SMART Local 9 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 9 pay scale for 2026 is $43.05 per hour for journeymen in Denver, CO, or about $86,100 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $52.96 per hour. That is the rate in force for 2026, effective 5/8/26.
| Local 9 journeyman hourly wage | $43.05 / hour |
|---|---|
| Total package (wage + fringe benefits) | $52.96 / hour |
| Annualized at 2,080 hours (base wage) | $86,100 / year |
| First-period apprentice (≈45–50% of scale) | $19.37–$21.53 / hour |
| Wage sheet effective | 5/8/26 |
A Local 9 apprentice in Denver, CO starts at roughly $19.37 an hour — about 45% of the $43.05 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $32.29 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 9 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
| 1st period (year 1) | 45% of scale | $19.37 / hour | $38,745 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd period (year 2) | 55% of scale | $23.68 / hour | $47,355 |
| 3rd period (year 3) | 65% of scale | $27.98 / hour | $55,965 |
| 4th period (year 4) | 75% of scale | $32.29 / hour | $64,575 |
| 5th period (year 5) | 85% of scale | $36.59 / hour | $73,185 |
| Journeyman (turned out) | 100% of scale | $43.05 / hour | $86,100 |
SMART Local 9 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall — call (303) 922-1213 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 9 represents the skilled sheet metal workers across Colorado, maintaining a strong presence in the Denver metropolitan area and the Front Range. As a charter of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers, this local provides the specialized labor force required for complex HVAC ductwork, architectural sheet metal, and industrial ventilation. The organization operates a centralized training infrastructure that ensures journey-level members are proficient in the latest building automation, fabrication technologies, and specialized welding techniques necessary for high-performance commercial construction throughout the Rocky Mountain region.
The market for sheet metal in Colorado is driven by significant infrastructure investments, healthcare expansions, and the rise of mission-critical data center projects. SMART Local 9 facilitates the relationship between skilled craftspeople and signatory contractors, ensuring that large-scale mechanical projects meet rigorous standards for indoor air quality and structural integrity. Because the jurisdiction covers diverse climates—from the high plains to the mountain corridors—the trade requirements often involve unique specifications for snow load, high-altitude venting, and extreme temperature fluctuations. This makes the local a critical partner for developers and mechanical engineers focused on the Colorado built environment.
The wage schedule for SMART Local 9 establishes a journeyman hourly rate of $43.05, contributing to a total package of $52.96 effective May 8, 2026. This package includes the base check and all employer-paid fringes. Apprentices typically enter the program at a percentage of the journeyman rate, often starting around 40-50% and receiving incremental raises every six to twelve months as they complete required classroom hours and on-the-job training milestones. By the final year of the five-year apprenticeship, workers generally earn roughly 80-90% of the full scale. This progression ensures that labor costs remain predictable for signatory contractors while providing a clear career ladder for those entering the trade in the Denver market.
The jurisdiction for SMART Local 9 is expansive, covering the entire state of Colorado with its primary dispatch and administrative operations centered in Denver. The scope of work under the collective bargaining agreement includes the fabrication, assembly, and installation of all ductwork for heating, venting, and air conditioning systems. It further encompasses architectural sheet metal, such as metal roofing and wall panels, as well as specialized industrial applications like blowpipe systems and commercial kitchen equipment. Members are dispatched to project sites ranging from municipal buildings in the metro core to remote industrial facilities and mountain resort developments, requiring a flexible and mobile workforce capable of adhering to regional building codes.
The signatory landscape for SMART Local 9 consists of a diverse mix of mechanical primes and specialized fabrication shops. These include large-scale mechanical contractors who handle multi-million dollar commercial projects, as well as boutique architectural sheet metal firms specializing in high-end finishes. Many of these contractors operate their own computerized fabrication shops, allowing them to produce custom ductwork and components locally. The hiring environment is largely project-driven, with significant manpower demands coming from the healthcare, education, and public infrastructure sectors. Gulfstream Strategic Placements has monitored this specific contractor ecosystem since 2014 to track labor demand and talent movement across the Front Range.
The journeyman hourly rate of $43.05 is the taxable amount paid directly on the member's paycheck. The total package of $52.96 includes an additional $9.91 per hour in employer-paid benefits such as health insurance, pension contributions, and training funds. These fringes are paid by the contractor over and above the hourly wage and are not deducted from the worker's base pay.
While SMART Local 9 primarily focuses on commercial, industrial, and institutional projects, some signatory contractors may perform high-density residential or specialized residential work. However, the building trades scale typically applies to commercial and industrial project sites. Workers interested in light residential work should inquire if a separate residential addendum or lower-tier agreement is currently in effect for those specific projects.
Yes, SMART Local 9 provides extensive welding training through its JATC. Members can obtain AWS certifications in various processes, including MIG, TIG, and Stick welding, which are often required for industrial ductwork and heavy gauge metal fabrication. Maintaining these certifications is essential for members wishing to work on specialized industrial sites or architectural projects requiring high-aesthetic weld finishes.
Journeyman members of other SMART locals can generally request a travel card or initiate a permanent transfer if work is available in the Denver jurisdiction. This process requires approval from both the home local and the Local 9 business manager. Incoming travelers must adhere to the local collective bargaining agreement and may need to demonstrate proficiency in specific regional codes or specialized equipment used in Colorado.
SMART Local 9 is seated in Denver, Colorado (CO). We hold published wage sheets for 7 locals across Colorado — compare nearby scales before you take a call.
We are a mechanical, plumbing and electrical construction recruiting firm serving Denver and the rest of Colorado, including contractors signatory to SMART Local 9. 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 9 pay scale for 2026 is $43.05 per hour for journeymen in Denver, CO, or about $86,100 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $52.96 per hour. That is the rate in force for 2026, effective 5/8/26.
Journeyman sheet metal workers under the SMART Local 9 agreement make $43.05 an hour in base wages, or $52.96 an hour counting the fringe package, per the wage sheet effective 5/8/26. Overtime, shift premiums, and travel or subsistence pay are added on top under the local's CBA.
$43.05 per hour base wage and $52.96 per hour total package for a journeyman in Denver, CO, effective 5/8/26. Annualized at 2,080 hours that is roughly $86,100 before overtime.
A Local 9 apprentice in Denver, CO starts at roughly $19.37 an hour — about 45% of the $43.05 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $32.29 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 9 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
About $19.37 an hour, or roughly $38,745 a year at 2,080 hours, based on the standard 45% first-period step of the $43.05 journeyman rate effective 5/8/26. Apprentices also earn benefit contributions and paid classroom progression; the JATC sets the exact percentage.
Around $27.98 an hour at the standard 65% third-period step, moving to about $32.29 an hour in the fourth period and $43.05 an hour at full journeyman scale. Confirm the published step schedule with the Local 9 training center.
The current SMART Local 9 journeyman rate is $43.05/hour, with a total package of $52.96/hour including fringe benefits, effective 5/8/26. At 2,080 hours that works out to roughly $86,100 per year in base wages before overtime. Rates change with each CBA cycle — confirm with the Local 9 business office before relying on the figure.
The $43.05/hour figure is the base journeyman wage that lands on the paycheck. The $52.96/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 9 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 $43.05/hour journeyman rate, a first-period apprentice would be in the $19.37–$21.53/hour range. The exact percentage schedule is set by the local's JATC.
SMART Local 9 is headquartered in Denver, CO 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 9 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 9 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 9 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 9 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 5/8/26 schedule; check with the Local 9 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 9 against neighboring jurisdictions and other sheet metal workers markets.
The SMART Local 9 hall is at P O Box 11040 Denver CO 80211, serving Denver, CO and the surrounding jurisdiction. Hall phone: (303) 922-1213.
SMART Local 9 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall. Call the hall at (303) 922-1213 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 9 can be reached at (303) 922-1213. Contact details are imported from the union's public directory listing — confirm hours with the hall.