Journeyman pipefitters under UA Local 1 in New York, NY earn $76.30/hr in base wages, or $76.30/hr as a total package with fringe benefits, effective Aug 2025.
UA Local 1 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 1 pay scale for 2026 is $76.30 per hour for journeymen in New York, NY, or about $152,600 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $76.30 per hour. That is the rate in force for 2026, effective 8/31/25.
| Local 1 journeyman hourly wage | $76.30 / hour |
|---|---|
| Total package (wage + fringe benefits) | $76.30 / hour |
| Annualized at 2,080 hours (base wage) | $152,600 / year |
| First-period apprentice (≈45–50% of scale) | $34.34–$38.15 / hour |
| Wage sheet effective | 8/31/25 |
| Classification | Plumbers |
A Local 1 apprentice in New York, NY starts at roughly $34.34 an hour — about 45% of the $76.30 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $57.22 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 1 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
| 1st period (year 1) | 45% of scale | $34.34 / hour | $68,670 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd period (year 2) | 55% of scale | $41.97 / hour | $83,930 |
| 3rd period (year 3) | 65% of scale | $49.60 / hour | $99,190 |
| 4th period (year 4) | 75% of scale | $57.22 / hour | $114,450 |
| 5th period (year 5) | 85% of scale | $64.85 / hour | $129,710 |
| Journeyman (turned out) | 100% of scale | $76.30 / hour | $152,600 |
UA Local 1 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall — call 718-738-7500 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.
UA Local 1 represents the plumbing industry across the five boroughs of New York City, serving as one of the most influential labor organizations in the United States. Since 2014, Gulfstream Strategic Placements has monitored this high-density market where Local 1 members install and maintain the complex piping systems that support the city's vertical infrastructure. The local provides a skilled workforce for high-rise residential towers, commercial office space, and critical institutional facilities. Given the density and regulatory complexity of NYC plumbing codes, Local 1 maintains rigorous standards for its journeymen and apprentices to ensure compliance with municipal safety and health standards.
The New York City market is characterized by high-volume commercial construction and a massive base of existing infrastructure requiring constant renovation and service. Local 1 members are essential to the city's growth, working on everything from massive transit hubs to luxury residential developments. Because NYC has unique licensing requirements and a specific plumbing code that differs from national standards, the training provided by Local 1 is specifically tailored to this geography. For contractors and tradespeople, understanding the specific wage scales and fringe benefit structures of Local 1 is vital for accurate project bidding and career planning in this Tier 1 labor market.
The journeyman hourly rate for UA Local 1 is established at $76.30 effective August 31, 2025. This figure represents the base taxable wage that skilled plumbers receive for work performed under the standard building trades agreement. While the total package figure is often cited as a single rate of $76.30 in early projections, the full economic package typically includes significant additional contributions for healthcare and retirement which are negotiated on a multi-year cycle. Apprentices begin at a percentage of the journeyman rate, usually starting around 35% to 40% and increasing annually as they complete their five-year training program. Each advancement depends on the successful completion of both on-the-job hours and classroom instruction at the JATC facility.
The chartered jurisdiction for UA Local 1 covers all five boroughs of New York City. This includes all plumbing work performed within Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island. Work governed by the Local 1 agreement includes the installation of potable water systems, sanitary drainage, storm piping, medical gas systems, and specialized piping for industrial and commercial applications. Because the jurisdiction is confined to the city limits, travel and dispatch are generally managed within the five-borough radius. Members are expected to be familiar with the various logistics of urban job sites, including high-rise hoisting and tight-site delivery coordination common to the NYC landscape.
The contractor landscape for Local 1 is dominated by large, sophisticated mechanical and plumbing firms capable of handling the logistical demands of New York City construction. These include major mechanical primes that specialize in core-and-shell office builds and large-scale residential developers who sign signatory agreements for specific project labor agreements. Additionally, a significant portion of the signatory base consists of specialized service and repair contractors who manage the maintenance of the city's aging infrastructure. Hiring typically follows the traditional hiring hall model, though many contractors maintain steady 'shop' hands for long-term service contracts and large-scale, multi-year redevelopment projects across the five boroughs.
UA Local 1 specifically represents plumbers who focus on potable water, drainage, and gas piping within buildings. In the New York City market, steamfitters are typically represented by a separate local, UA Local 638, which handles high-pressure steam, HVAC, and fire protection systems. While both are part of the United Association, their work scopes and collective bargaining agreements are distinct.
Individual journeymen in Local 1 are not required to hold a Master Plumber License to work, but they must work under the supervision of a licensed Master Plumber employed by a signatory contractor. However, journeymen are encouraged to obtain their NYC Journeyman Plumber Registration through the Department of Buildings, which Local 1 training helps members qualify for after completing their apprenticeship.
Wage increases are determined by the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) negotiated between the union and the contractors' association. These increases usually occur annually or semi-annually. The 8/31/25 rate of $76.30 reflects the scheduled progression for that period. Members should check their union dues book or the official wage schedule for the exact dates of future step increases.
Transfers, or 'traveling,' are governed by the United Association's Constitution and Local 1's specific bylaws. Due to the high demand and specific licensing requirements in New York City, transfers usually require a letter of introduction from the member's home local and approval from the Local 1 Business Manager, often depending on current man-power needs and the member's specific skill sets.
UA Local 1 is seated in New York, New York (NY). We hold published wage sheets for 27 locals across New York — compare nearby scales before you take a call.
We are a mechanical, plumbing and electrical construction recruiting firm serving New York and the rest of New York, including contractors signatory to UA Local 1. 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 1 pay scale for 2026 is $76.30 per hour for journeymen in New York, NY, or about $152,600 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $76.30 per hour. That is the rate in force for 2026, effective 8/31/25.
Journeyman pipefitters under the UA Local 1 agreement make $76.30 an hour in base wages, or $76.30 an hour counting the fringe package, per the wage sheet effective 8/31/25. Overtime, shift premiums, and travel or subsistence pay are added on top under the local's CBA.
$76.30 per hour base wage and $76.30 per hour total package for a journeyman in New York, NY, effective 8/31/25. Annualized at 2,080 hours that is roughly $152,600 before overtime.
A Local 1 apprentice in New York, NY starts at roughly $34.34 an hour — about 45% of the $76.30 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $57.22 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 1 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
About $34.34 an hour, or roughly $68,670 a year at 2,080 hours, based on the standard 45% first-period step of the $76.30 journeyman rate effective 8/31/25. Apprentices also earn benefit contributions and paid classroom progression; the JATC sets the exact percentage.
Around $49.60 an hour at the standard 65% third-period step, moving to about $57.22 an hour in the fourth period and $76.30 an hour at full journeyman scale. Confirm the published step schedule with the Local 1 training center.
The current UA Local 1 journeyman rate is $76.30/hour, with a total package of $76.30/hour including fringe benefits, effective 8/31/25. At 2,080 hours that works out to roughly $152,600 per year in base wages before overtime. Rates change with each CBA cycle — confirm with the Local 1 business office before relying on the figure.
The $76.30/hour figure is the base journeyman wage that lands on the paycheck. The $76.30/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 plumbers & pipefitters labor costs across locals.
Apprentices under the UA Local 1 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 $76.30/hour journeyman rate, a first-period apprentice would be in the $34.34–$38.15/hour range. The exact percentage schedule is set by the local's JATC.
UA Local 1 is headquartered in New York, NY and dispatches plumbers & pipefitters 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 plumbers & pipefitters work. Some Local 1 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 UA Local 1 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 1 training center directly.
Plumbers & Pipefitters 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 UA Local 1 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 plumbers & pipefitters 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 8/31/25 schedule; check with the Local 1 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 1 against neighboring jurisdictions and other plumbers & pipefitters markets.
The UA Local 1 hall is at 50-02 5th St 2nd Floor Long Island City, NY 11101, serving New York, NY and the surrounding jurisdiction. Hall phone: 718-738-7500.
UA Local 1 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall. Call the hall at 718-738-7500 to confirm dispatch hours, required documents (union card, certifications, ID) and current list standing before traveling in — Gulfstream does not control hall dispatch.
UA Local 1 can be reached at 718-738-7500. Contact details are imported from the union's public directory listing — confirm hours with the hall.