UA Local 198 represents plumbers & pipefitters in Baton Rouge, LA. Below: wage scale context, jurisdiction, apprenticeship routes, and the signatory contractors that hire from this hall.
UA Local 198 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.
UA Local 198 has not published a current journeyman wage sheet we can source, so no contract rate is shown for this local. For reference only, the reporting-wide average for plumbers & pipefitters locals is $47.51/hr ($69.19 total package) — a benchmark, not this local's rate. Confirm the current rate with the hall's business office. We publish the local's own rate, package and effective date as soon as it is available.
UA Local 198 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall — call 225-356-3333 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 198 represents skilled plumbers, pipefitters, and welders across the Baton Rouge metropolitan area and the heavy industrial corridors of the Gulf Coast. As a cornerstone of Louisiana’s industrial labor force, this local provides the specialized manpower required for the region’s massive petrochemical infrastructure, refineries, and commercial construction projects. Since 2014, Gulfstream Strategic Placements has monitored this market as a critical hub for high-pressure piping and complex mechanical systems. The membership is central to maintaining the operational integrity of the state's energy sector while supporting large-scale municipal and institutional plumbing developments throughout its chartered territory.
The market served by Local 198 is uniquely defined by its concentration of industrial signatory contractors who manage long-term maintenance turnarounds and capital expansion projects. Because Baton Rouge sits at a strategic point for river-based commerce and chemical processing, the local focuses heavily on rigorous welding certifications and safety standards. Apprentices and journeymen undergo continuous training to meet the evolving demands of advanced manufacturing and green energy transitions. For contractors and tradespeople, Local 198 functions as a central clearinghouse for certified labor, ensuring that project timelines are met with personnel who possess verified credentials in process piping, hydronics, and high-standard medical gas systems.
Specific hourly wage rates for UA Local 198 are not publicly listed and must be obtained directly from the Business Manager's office or through the current Collective Bargaining Agreement. In a standard UA progression, the total package includes a base taxable wage supplemented by employer-paid benefits. Apprentices typically begin at a set percentage of the journeyman rate, often starting between 45% and 55%, with incremental raises every six to twelve months as they complete required classroom hours and on-the-job training milestones. These scheduled increases continue until the individual passes the journeyman exam. For the most accurate and up-to-date scale, including current fringe benefit allocations, parties should contact the Local 198 financial secretary.
The jurisdiction of UA Local 198 covers a significant portion of Southeast Louisiana, centered in Baton Rouge and extending into the surrounding industrial parishes. This territory encompasses work on industrial facilities, commercial office buildings, hospitals, and educational institutions. The charter allows the local to dispatch members to diverse jobsites ranging from the Mississippi River industrial corridor to suburban development zones. Members are expected to travel within this multi-parish area to reach signatory job sites. The work covered under the agreement includes the installation, maintenance, and repair of all piping systems, including high-pressure steam, chilled water, sanitary drainage, and process piping used in manufacturing environments.
The signatory contractor landscape for Local 198 is dominated by large-scale industrial mechanical firms that specialize in refinery maintenance and heavy industrial construction. These prime contractors often manage multi-year service agreements with global energy companies located along the river. Additionally, the local partners with regional commercial mechanical contractors who handle plumbing and HVAC piping for the area's healthcare systems and public works projects. Hiring cycles are often influenced by seasonal industrial turnarounds and large capital projects, leading to periods of high demand for certified welders and pipefitters. Contractors benefit from a centralized dispatch system that provides pre-screened, drug-tested, and highly skilled craftsmen on demand.
Given the heavy industrial presence in Baton Rouge, UA welding certifications (such as 21, 22, and 60) are highly prized. Certifications in medical gas, orbital welding, and riggings are also frequently required for work in the region's healthcare facilities and chemical plants. Members are encouraged to utilize the JATC training facility to maintain these credentials.
During industrial turnarounds or 'shutdowns,' Local 198 coordinates with signatory primes to provide a large influx of manpower for short-term, high-intensity maintenance windows. These periods often involve significant overtime and require a high volume of skilled pipefitters and welders to ensure the refinery or plant returns to service on schedule.
Yes, UA members in good standing from other locals can generally request a travel letter to work within Local 198's jurisdiction if there is a call for labor. For a permanent transfer of the book, members must follow the UA Constitution guidelines, which typically involve securing a job and gaining approval from the Local 198 Executive Board.
The apprenticeship program typically lasts five years. It combines thousands of hours of on-the-job training under the supervision of journeymen with mandatory evening or weekend classroom instruction. This comprehensive approach ensures that graduates are fully prepared to handle the complex piping systems found in both the commercial and industrial sectors of Louisiana.
UA Local 198 is seated in Baton Rouge, Louisiana (LA). We hold published wage sheets for 8 locals across Louisiana — compare nearby scales before you take a call.
We are a mechanical, plumbing and electrical construction recruiting firm serving Baton Rouge and the rest of Louisiana, including contractors signatory to UA Local 198. 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.
UA Local 198 is headquartered in Baton Rouge, LA 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 198 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 198 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 198 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 198 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.
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 198 against neighboring jurisdictions and other plumbers & pipefitters markets.
The UA Local 198 hall is at 5888 Airline Hwy Baton Rouge, LA 70805, serving Baton Rouge, LA and the surrounding jurisdiction. Hall phone: 225-356-3333.
UA Local 198 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall. Call the hall at 225-356-3333 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 198 can be reached at 225-356-3333. Contact details are imported from the union's public directory listing — confirm hours with the hall.