UA Local 17 represents plumbers in Memphis, TN. Below: wage scale context, jurisdiction, apprenticeship routes, and the signatory contractors that hire from this hall.
United Association Local 17 represents the highly skilled plumbers, pipefitters, and service technicians serving the greater Memphis metropolitan area and its surrounding tri-state corridors. As a central hub for logistics and industrial manufacturing, the Memphis market relies on Local 17 members to maintain critical infrastructure across healthcare facilities, distribution centers, and food processing plants. The local focuses on ensuring a steady supply of certified labor for mechanical contractors engaged in both complex new construction and essential long-term maintenance projects throughout West Tennessee. Since 2014, our team has monitored how this local’s manpower affects project timelines and labor costs for major regional developers and signatory mechanical primes.
The industrial landscape of Memphis provides a diverse work environment for UA Local 17 members, ranging from high-purity piping systems in biotech labs to heavy industrial process piping for the region's manufacturing backbone. Because the jurisdiction sits at a strategic crossroads of the Mississippi River and major rail lines, the demand for qualified pipe trades professionals remains tied to both private sector expansion and public infrastructure upgrades. Members are trained at the local's Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee facility, which ensures that every journeyman possesses the certifications required for medical gas, welding, and advanced instrumentation. This rigorous training protocol makes Local 17 a cornerstone of the regional construction economy.
As of May 26, 2024, the journeyman hourly rate for UA Local 17 is set at $36.00, with a comprehensive total package reaching $47.55 per hour when including fringe benefits. This package represents the negotiated standard for building trades work in the Memphis jurisdiction. Apprentices follow a structured wage progression typically starting at a set percentage of the journeyman rate—often beginning around 50% for first-year students. These rates increase annually as the apprentice completes 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 technical proficiency. Contractors should verify the specific percentage tiers for HVAC service versus construction tracks directly with the Local 17 business office to ensure accurate labor forecasting.
UA Local 17 holds a chartered jurisdiction centered in Shelby County, Tennessee, extending across the West Tennessee region and into parts of Northern Mississippi and Eastern Arkansas. The territory covers a significant radius from the Memphis headquarters, encompassing major municipalities and industrial zones along the I-40 and I-55 corridors. Dispatch procedures are governed by the local's hiring hall rules, which prioritize members based on their placement on the out-of-work list and specific certifications required for the job site. Work covered under this agreement includes all aspects of plumbing, pipefitting, steamfitting, and refrigeration service for commercial, industrial, and institutional projects throughout the tri-state area.
The signatory contractor landscape for UA Local 17 consists of approximately 11 tracked firms ranging from large-scale mechanical primes to specialized plumbing service providers. These contractors handle the bulk of the region’s complex mechanical installations, including major hospital expansions and industrial plant turnarounds. The relationship between the union and the Mechanical Contractors Association (MCA) of Memphis facilitates a stable labor environment, allowing contractors to scale their workforce rapidly for large-capital projects. Hiring for these firms is typically conducted through the union referral system, ensuring that all personnel on-site meet the high safety and technical standards required for sophisticated mechanical systems in the Memphis market.