Journeyman pipefitters under UA Local 130 in Chicago, IL earn $60/hr in base wages, or $92.04/hr as a total package with fringe benefits, effective Sep 2024.
UA Local 130 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 130 pay scale is $60.00 per hour for journeymen in Chicago, IL, or about $120,000 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $92.04 per hour. That is the rate in force, effective 9/20/24.
| Local 130 journeyman hourly wage | $60.00 / hour |
|---|---|
| Total package (wage + fringe benefits) | $92.04 / hour |
| Annualized at 2,080 hours (base wage) | $120,000 / year |
| First-period apprentice (≈45–50% of scale) | $27.00–$30.00 / hour |
| Wage sheet effective | 9/20/24 |
| Classification | Plumbers |
A Local 130 apprentice in Chicago, IL starts at roughly $27.00 an hour — about 45% of the $60.00 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $45.00 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 130 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
| 1st period (year 1) | 45% of scale | $27.00 / hour | $54,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd period (year 2) | 55% of scale | $33.00 / hour | $66,000 |
| 3rd period (year 3) | 65% of scale | $39.00 / hour | $78,000 |
| 4th period (year 4) | 75% of scale | $45.00 / hour | $90,000 |
| 5th period (year 5) | 85% of scale | $51.00 / hour | $102,000 |
| Journeyman (turned out) | 100% of scale | $60.00 / hour | $120,000 |
UA Local 130 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall — call 312-421-1010 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.
United Association Local 130 UA represents one of the largest plumbing technical workforces in the United States, centered in the Chicago metropolitan area. As a craft-specific union focused primarily on licensed plumbing, their members are responsible for the installation and maintenance of complex water, waste, and gas systems in the city's iconic high-rise skyline and expansive industrial corridors. The local operates a rigorous training program and maintains strict standards for licensing, ensuring that all signatory work complies with the stringent Chicago Plumbing Code. Since 2014, our firm has observed Local 130 as a primary benchmark for labor costs in the Midwest mechanical market.
The market reach of Local 130 extends beyond the city limits into the surrounding collar counties, making it a critical hub for commercial development and infrastructure maintenance. Their influence covers high-density residential towers, healthcare facilities, and massive public works projects. Because the Chicago market is heavily unionized, the collective bargaining agreements negotiated by Local 130 set the floor for total compensation and safety standards across the region. Contractors operating in this territory must navigate a sophisticated labor environment where the distinction between licensed plumbing and other mechanical trades is sharply defined and strictly enforced by local trade jurisdictions.
As of the September 20, 2024 update, a Journeyman Plumber under the Local 130 agreement earns a base hourly wage of $60.00. When including the comprehensive fringe benefit package, the total hourly compensation reaches $92.04. This package is structured to provide long-term stability through defined-benefit pensions and high-tier medical coverage. Apprentices enter the program at a lower percentage of the journeyman rate, typically starting around 35% to 40% and receiving incremental raises every six to twelve months as they complete their classroom hours and on-the-job training milestones. By the fifth year, senior apprentices earn a significant portion of the full scale, reflecting their increased proficiency in code compliance and specialized piping systems. These figures represent the standard building trades agreement and should be verified for specific residential or service-specific deviations.
The territorial jurisdiction of UA Local 130 is headquartered in Chicago and covers a multi-county area in Northeast Illinois and parts of Northwest Indiana. This includes the entirety of Cook County and extends into several surrounding counties where they hold exclusive rights to plumbing work. The jurisdiction covers all phases of plumbing work from underground site utilities to finish fixtures in commercial, industrial, and residential settings. Members are dispatched through a central referral system, and contractors must adhere to the specific travel and subsistence rules defined within the CBA when moving labor across county lines. The local also maintains a significant presence in the Joliet and Volo areas through their regional technical centers.
The signatory landscape for Local 130 is diverse, ranging from small, family-owned plumbing service companies to massive, multi-state mechanical primes. These contractors specialize in different sectors, with some focusing exclusively on the downtown high-rise market while others handle large-scale industrial water treatment plants or municipal infrastructure. Hiring fluctuates based on major capital projects and private development cycles. Contractors benefit from a pool of highly trained labor that has passed the Illinois Department of Public Health or City of Chicago plumbing license exams. This ensures that signatory firms maintain a competitive edge in quality and code compliance over non-signatory entities in a strictly regulated environment.
Local 130 members often hold both, but the City of Chicago maintains its own specific plumbing code and licensing exam which is separate from the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) license. Working within the city limits of Chicago requires the city-specific license, whereas the state license is valid throughout the rest of Illinois. The apprenticeship program prepares members for both rigorous exams.
While Local 130 is primarily known as a plumbing local, the United Association (UA) represents plumbers, pipefitters, and service technicians. In the Chicago market, there is a distinct jurisdictional split where Local 130 focuses on plumbing and Local 597 focuses on pipefitting and HVAC. It is essential for contractors and workers to verify which local has the charter for specific piping systems.
Wage increases are determined by the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) negotiated between the union and the Plumbing Contractors Association (PCA). These increases usually occur annually or semi-annually on dates specified in the contract. The current $60.00 journeyman rate was established in the September 2024 update, reflecting the local's commitment to maintaining competitive pay relative to the Chicago cost of living.
Journeymen from other UA locals looking to transfer (travel) into Local 130 must go through the standard UA travel card process. However, to work as a plumber in this jurisdiction, you must possess a valid plumbing license recognized by the City of Chicago or the State of Illinois. Contact the Business Manager's office to discuss current work volume and the specific requirements for depositing a card.
UA Local 130 is seated in Chicago, Illinois (IL). We hold published wage sheets for 26 locals across Illinois — compare nearby scales before you take a call.
We are a mechanical, plumbing and electrical construction recruiting firm serving Chicago and the rest of Illinois, including contractors signatory to UA Local 130. 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 130 pay scale is $60.00 per hour for journeymen in Chicago, IL, or about $120,000 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $92.04 per hour. That is the rate in force, effective 9/20/24.
Journeyman pipefitters under the UA Local 130 agreement make $60.00 an hour in base wages, or $92.04 an hour counting the fringe package, per the wage sheet effective 9/20/24. Overtime, shift premiums, and travel or subsistence pay are added on top under the local's CBA.
$60.00 per hour base wage and $92.04 per hour total package for a journeyman in Chicago, IL, effective 9/20/24. Annualized at 2,080 hours that is roughly $120,000 before overtime.
A Local 130 apprentice in Chicago, IL starts at roughly $27.00 an hour — about 45% of the $60.00 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $45.00 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 130 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
About $27.00 an hour, or roughly $54,000 a year at 2,080 hours, based on the standard 45% first-period step of the $60.00 journeyman rate effective 9/20/24. Apprentices also earn benefit contributions and paid classroom progression; the JATC sets the exact percentage.
Around $39.00 an hour at the standard 65% third-period step, moving to about $45.00 an hour in the fourth period and $60.00 an hour at full journeyman scale. Confirm the published step schedule with the Local 130 training center.
The current UA Local 130 journeyman rate is $60.00/hour, with a total package of $92.04/hour including fringe benefits, effective 9/20/24. At 2,080 hours that works out to roughly $120,000 per year in base wages before overtime. Rates change with each CBA cycle — confirm with the Local 130 business office before relying on the figure.
The $60.00/hour figure is the base journeyman wage that lands on the paycheck. The $92.04/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 130 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 $60.00/hour journeyman rate, a first-period apprentice would be in the $27.00–$30.00/hour range. The exact percentage schedule is set by the local's JATC.
UA Local 130 is headquartered in Chicago, IL 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 130 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 130 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 130 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 130 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 9/20/24 schedule; check with the Local 130 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 130 against neighboring jurisdictions and other plumbers & pipefitters markets.
The UA Local 130 hall is at 1340 W Washington Blvd 2nd Floor Chicago, IL 60607, serving Chicago, IL and the surrounding jurisdiction. Hall phone: 312-421-1010.
UA Local 130 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall. Call the hall at 312-421-1010 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 130 can be reached at 312-421-1010. Contact details are imported from the union's public directory listing — confirm hours with the hall.