Journeyman pipefitters under UA Local 159 in Martinez, CA earn $61.02/hr in base wages, or $101.66/hr as a total package with fringe benefits, effective Oct 2022. This sheet is more than 2 years old, so confirm the current rate with the hall before quoting it.
UA Local 159 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 159 pay scale is $61.02 per hour for journeymen in Martinez, CA, or about $122,040 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $101.66 per hour. That is the last wage sheet we can source for this local — confirm the current rate with the hall.
| Local 159 journeyman hourly wage | $61.02 / hour |
|---|---|
| Total package (wage + fringe benefits) | $101.66 / hour |
| Annualized at 2,080 hours (base wage) | $122,040 / year |
| First-period apprentice (≈45–50% of scale) | $27.46–$30.51 / hour |
| Wage sheet effective | 10/21/22 |
| Classification | Combo |
A Local 159 apprentice in Martinez, CA starts at roughly $27.46 an hour — about 45% of the $61.02 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $45.77 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 159 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
| 1st period (year 1) | 45% of scale | $27.46 / hour | $54,918 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd period (year 2) | 55% of scale | $33.56 / hour | $67,122 |
| 3rd period (year 3) | 65% of scale | $39.66 / hour | $79,326 |
| 4th period (year 4) | 75% of scale | $45.77 / hour | $91,530 |
| 5th period (year 5) | 85% of scale | $51.87 / hour | $103,734 |
| Journeyman (turned out) | 100% of scale | $61.02 / hour | $122,040 |
UA Local 159 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall — call 925-229-0400 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 159 represents the skilled plumbers, steamfitters, and HVACR technicians across Contra Costa County. Based in Martinez, California, this local is a critical component of the San Francisco Bay Area's industrial and commercial infrastructure. The membership handles high-pressure piping systems, medical gas installations, and complex plumbing for the region's dense mix of refineries, healthcare facilities, and public works. As a member of the District Council 36, Local 159 maintains rigorous training standards that align with the high technical demands of the Northern California construction market, ensuring a steady supply of qualified labor for large-scale mechanical projects.
The Martinez market is characterized by a high concentration of heavy industrial work due to the presence of major energy facilities along the Carquinez Strait. This industrial backbone is complemented by a robust commercial sector involving commercial high-rises, research laboratories, and educational institutions. Working under a UA Local 159 agreement provides tradespeople with standardized protections and a structured career path in one of the nation's most competitive labor environments. For signatory contractors, the local offers a dispatch system that provides access to a pre-vetted workforce capable of meeting strict safety and code compliance requirements essential for hazardous industrial environments and dense urban developments.
As of October 21, 2022, the journeyman hourly rate for UA Local 159 is set at $61.02. When accounting for the full fringe benefit package—which includes health coverage, pension contributions, and training funds—the total taxable and non-taxable compensation reaches $101.66 per hour. Apprentices enter the program at a percentage of the journeyman rate, typically starting around 40-45% for first-year participants. These rates increase in annual or semi-annual steps as the apprentice completes required classroom hours and on-the-job training milestones. By the fifth year, a senior apprentice will earn significantly closer to the full journeyman scale. This structured progression ensures that labor costs remain predictable for contractors while providing a clear financial roadmap for new entrants to the pipe trades.
UA Local 159 holds exclusive jurisdiction over all plumbing, pipefitting, and HVACR work within Contra Costa County. This territory covers a diverse geographic landscape ranging from the industrial corridors of Martinez and Richmond to the commercial hubs of Walnut Creek and Concord. The jurisdiction encompasses all phases of piping work, including residential, commercial, and heavy industrial applications. Members dispatched through the Martinez hall may work on everything from municipal water treatment plants to refinery turnarounds. Because the local is part of the broader Northern California UA network, there are often reciprocal agreements and travel opportunities for members to work in neighboring jurisdictions when local demand fluctuates, though primary dispatch remains centered on Contra Costa projects.
The contractor landscape for Local 159 is a mix of specialized industrial mechanical firms and large-scale commercial plumbing contractors. Signatory mechanical primes often manage long-term maintenance contracts at the local refineries and energy plants, providing steady work for steamfitters and welders. In the commercial sector, plumbing and HVAC contractors focus on the rapid development of healthcare campuses and multi-family residential projects throughout the East Bay. Since 2014, Gulfstream Strategic Placements has tracked the movement of talent within this market, noting that hiring often spikes during industrial outages and major civic infrastructure upgrades. These contractors rely on the union hall to scale their workforce rapidly in response to project-specific manning requirements.
Plumbers primarily handle potable water, sanitary waste, and venting systems within commercial and residential buildings. Steamfitters, or pipefitters, focus on high-pressure systems, industrial process piping, and HVAC heating and cooling loops. While the training overlaps, Local 159 provides specialized certifications for both paths to ensure members are qualified for the specific technical requirements of Contra Costa's industrial and commercial sectors.
Travelers and members looking to transfer into Local 159 must follow the procedures outlined in the UA Constitution. This typically involves obtaining a travel card from their home local and reporting to the Martinez business agent. Permanent transfers are subject to the local's current manning levels, work outlook, and the approval of the executive board, ensuring that local members are prioritized for available opportunities.
Due to the heavy industrial presence in Martinez and Richmond, UA Local 159 members often pursue advanced welding certifications (ASME), Med-Gas installation credentials, and Orbital Welding for high-purity environments. Safety certifications, including OSHA 30 and RSO (Refinery Safety Overview), are frequently required by signatory contractors for site access to energy facilities and chemical plants within the jurisdiction.
Wage adjustments are determined by the Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiated between the Local and the signatory contractor associations. These increases usually occur annually or semi-annually and may be split between the base check and fringe benefit funds. Members vote on the allocation of these increases, ensuring that the total package remains competitive with the high cost of living in the San Francisco Bay Area.
UA Local 159 is seated in Martinez, 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 Martinez and the rest of California, including contractors signatory to UA Local 159. 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 159 pay scale is $61.02 per hour for journeymen in Martinez, CA, or about $122,040 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $101.66 per hour. That is the last wage sheet we can source for this local — confirm the current rate with the hall.
Journeyman pipefitters under the UA Local 159 agreement make $61.02 an hour in base wages, or $101.66 an hour counting the fringe package, per the wage sheet effective 10/21/22. Overtime, shift premiums, and travel or subsistence pay are added on top under the local's CBA.
$61.02 per hour base wage and $101.66 per hour total package for a journeyman in Martinez, CA, effective 10/21/22. Annualized at 2,080 hours that is roughly $122,040 before overtime.
A Local 159 apprentice in Martinez, CA starts at roughly $27.46 an hour — about 45% of the $61.02 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $45.77 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 159 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
About $27.46 an hour, or roughly $54,918 a year at 2,080 hours, based on the standard 45% first-period step of the $61.02 journeyman rate effective 10/21/22. Apprentices also earn benefit contributions and paid classroom progression; the JATC sets the exact percentage.
Around $39.66 an hour at the standard 65% third-period step, moving to about $45.77 an hour in the fourth period and $61.02 an hour at full journeyman scale. Confirm the published step schedule with the Local 159 training center.
The current UA Local 159 journeyman rate is $61.02/hour, with a total package of $101.66/hour including fringe benefits, effective 10/21/22. At 2,080 hours that works out to roughly $122,040 per year in base wages before overtime. Rates change with each CBA cycle — confirm with the Local 159 business office before relying on the figure.
The $61.02/hour figure is the base journeyman wage that lands on the paycheck. The $101.66/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 159 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 $61.02/hour journeyman rate, a first-period apprentice would be in the $27.46–$30.51/hour range. The exact percentage schedule is set by the local's JATC.
UA Local 159 is headquartered in Martinez, CA 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 159 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 159 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 159 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 159 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 10/21/22 schedule; check with the Local 159 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 159 against neighboring jurisdictions and other plumbers & pipefitters markets.
The UA Local 159 hall is at 1308 Roman Way Martinez, CA 94553, serving Martinez, CA and the surrounding jurisdiction. Hall phone: 925-229-0400.
UA Local 159 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall. Call the hall at 925-229-0400 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 159 can be reached at 925-229-0400. Contact details are imported from the union's public directory listing — confirm hours with the hall.