Journeyman pipefitters under UA Local 189 in Columbus, OH earn $53/hr in base wages, or $77.25/hr as a total package with fringe benefits, effective Aug 2025.
UA Local 189 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 189 pay scale for 2026 is $53.00 per hour for journeymen in Columbus, OH, or about $106,000 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $77.25 per hour. That is the rate in force for 2026, effective 8/3/25.
| Local 189 journeyman hourly wage | $53.00 / hour |
|---|---|
| Total package (wage + fringe benefits) | $77.25 / hour |
| Annualized at 2,080 hours (base wage) | $106,000 / year |
| First-period apprentice (≈45–50% of scale) | $23.85–$26.50 / hour |
| Wage sheet effective | 8/3/25 |
| Classification | Combo |
A Local 189 apprentice in Columbus, OH starts at roughly $23.85 an hour — about 45% of the $53.00 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $39.75 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 189 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
| 1st period (year 1) | 45% of scale | $23.85 / hour | $47,700 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd period (year 2) | 55% of scale | $29.15 / hour | $58,300 |
| 3rd period (year 3) | 65% of scale | $34.45 / hour | $68,900 |
| 4th period (year 4) | 75% of scale | $39.75 / hour | $79,500 |
| 5th period (year 5) | 85% of scale | $45.05 / hour | $90,100 |
| Journeyman (turned out) | 100% of scale | $53.00 / hour | $106,000 |
UA Local 189 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall — call 614-486-2912 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 189 represents the skilled plumbers and pipefitters across the Columbus, Ohio metropolitan area and surrounding Central Ohio counties. Since 2014, our recruitment team has tracked this local as a critical hub for high-density industrial and commercial development. As the primary labor source for piping systems in one of the Midwest's fastest-growing tech and manufacturing corridors, Local 189 ensures that large-scale infrastructure projects meet rigorous safety and performance standards. The local manages a diverse workforce trained in medical gas, process piping, and high-purity water systems required for the region's expanding industrial footprint.
The Central Ohio market is characterized by a significant concentration of healthcare facilities, data centers, and educational institutions, all of which rely on the specialized craftsmanship of Local 189 members. Being a signatory member or contractor within this jurisdiction provides access to the Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (JATC) resources, which are essential for maintaining a competitive edge in complex mechanical installations. With Columbus serving as a logistics and technology powerhouse, the demand for licensed plumbers and certified pipefitters remains consistent, making Local 189 a foundational pillar of the regional construction economy and a benchmark for labor standards in the state.
Effective August 3, 2025, the journeyman hourly rate for UA Local 189 is established at $53.00, contributing to a total compensation package of $77.25 per hour when fringe benefits are included. This $24.25 benefit spread covers essential protections including healthcare and retirement security. Apprentices entering the five-year program typically begin at a percentage of the journeyman rate, often starting around 45% to 50% for first-year trainees. As the apprentice accumulates on-the-job training hours and completes required classroom modules through the JATC, these percentages increase annually. Upon reaching five years and passing the required licensure or certification exams, the worker advances to the full journeyman scale. These figures are subject to Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) updates and should be verified with the hall for specific mid-term adjustments.
The jurisdiction of UA Local 189 covers a multi-county region centered in Columbus, Ohio. This territory includes high-activity zones where signatory mechanical contractors perform work under the National Power Pipe Agreement or local building trades agreements. Members are dispatched to sites ranging from the urban core of Franklin County to industrial sites in the surrounding rural-fringe counties. The jurisdiction encompasses all phases of the piping industry, including commercial plumbing, HVAC refrigeration, industrial process piping, and instrumentation. Traveling members must report through the business manager’s office to ensure proper dispatching and fringe benefit reciprocity between their home local and Local 189, ensuring that labor hours are correctly credited to the member's home funds.
The contractor landscape for Local 189 is comprised of a robust mix of large-scale mechanical primes and specialized service contractors. These signatory firms handle the region's most complex mechanical contracts, including central utility plants for hospitals and mission-critical cooling systems for the data center alley. There is also a strong presence of plumbing contractors focused on commercial tenant fit-outs and municipal infrastructure. Hiring fluctuates based on project cycles, but the steady pipeline of institutional work in Central Ohio provides a stable environment for signatory employers. Contractors benefit from a centralized dispatch system that provides a steady stream of OSHA-certified and highly trained labor capable of meeting tight project schedules.
While both trades fall under the Local 189 umbrella, plumbers primarily focus on potable water, sanitary waste, and venting systems in commercial and residential settings. Pipefitters generally handle high-pressure systems, including steam, chemicals, and cooling fluids used in industrial manufacturing and power generation. In Columbus, many members hold dual certifications to work across both scopes depending on project requirements.
Yes, Local 189 maintains a rigorous welding program through its JATC. Members can obtain UA certifications in various processes, including SMAW, GTAW, and orbital welding. These certifications are essential for industrial work in the local's jurisdiction, particularly for high-pressure steam lines and specialized process piping in the food and beverage or pharmaceutical sectors.
Local 189 utilizes an 'out-of-work' list to manage fair employment distribution. When signatory contractors need labor, they contact the hall, and members are dispatched based on their position on the list and their specific certifications (such as med-gas or welding). This system ensures that the most qualified workers are matched with the specific needs of Central Ohio's mechanical projects.
Travelers from other UA locals are often utilized when the local work demand exceeds the available resident workforce. However, a formal transfer of membership (travel card) is subject to the bylaws of Local 189 and the approval of the business manager. Transferring members must typically demonstrate a period of consistent work within the jurisdiction before a permanent move is finalized.
UA Local 189 is seated in Columbus, Ohio (OH). We hold published wage sheets for 30 locals across Ohio — compare nearby scales before you take a call.
We are a mechanical, plumbing and electrical construction recruiting firm serving Columbus and the rest of Ohio, including contractors signatory to UA Local 189. 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 189 pay scale for 2026 is $53.00 per hour for journeymen in Columbus, OH, or about $106,000 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $77.25 per hour. That is the rate in force for 2026, effective 8/3/25.
Journeyman pipefitters under the UA Local 189 agreement make $53.00 an hour in base wages, or $77.25 an hour counting the fringe package, per the wage sheet effective 8/3/25. Overtime, shift premiums, and travel or subsistence pay are added on top under the local's CBA.
$53.00 per hour base wage and $77.25 per hour total package for a journeyman in Columbus, OH, effective 8/3/25. Annualized at 2,080 hours that is roughly $106,000 before overtime.
A Local 189 apprentice in Columbus, OH starts at roughly $23.85 an hour — about 45% of the $53.00 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $39.75 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 189 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
About $23.85 an hour, or roughly $47,700 a year at 2,080 hours, based on the standard 45% first-period step of the $53.00 journeyman rate effective 8/3/25. Apprentices also earn benefit contributions and paid classroom progression; the JATC sets the exact percentage.
Around $34.45 an hour at the standard 65% third-period step, moving to about $39.75 an hour in the fourth period and $53.00 an hour at full journeyman scale. Confirm the published step schedule with the Local 189 training center.
The current UA Local 189 journeyman rate is $53.00/hour, with a total package of $77.25/hour including fringe benefits, effective 8/3/25. At 2,080 hours that works out to roughly $106,000 per year in base wages before overtime. Rates change with each CBA cycle — confirm with the Local 189 business office before relying on the figure.
The $53.00/hour figure is the base journeyman wage that lands on the paycheck. The $77.25/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 189 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 $53.00/hour journeyman rate, a first-period apprentice would be in the $23.85–$26.50/hour range. The exact percentage schedule is set by the local's JATC.
UA Local 189 is headquartered in Columbus, OH 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 189 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 189 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 189 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 189 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 8/3/25 schedule; check with the Local 189 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 189 against neighboring jurisdictions and other plumbers & pipefitters markets.
The UA Local 189 hall is at 1250 Kinnear Rd Columbus, OH 43212, serving Columbus, OH and the surrounding jurisdiction. Hall phone: 614-486-2912.
UA Local 189 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall. Call the hall at 614-486-2912 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 189 can be reached at 614-486-2912. Contact details are imported from the union's public directory listing — confirm hours with the hall.