Journeyman pipefitters under UA Local 211 in Houston, TX earn $40.25/hr in base wages, or $51.76/hr as a total package with fringe benefits, effective Oct 2025.
UA Local 211 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 211 pay scale for 2026 is $40.25 per hour for journeymen in Houston, TX, or about $80,500 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $51.76 per hour. That is the rate in force for 2026, effective 10/04/25.
| Local 211 journeyman hourly wage | $40.25 / hour |
|---|---|
| Total package (wage + fringe benefits) | $51.76 / hour |
| Annualized at 2,080 hours (base wage) | $80,500 / year |
| First-period apprentice (≈45–50% of scale) | $18.11–$20.13 / hour |
| Wage sheet effective | 10/04/25 |
| Classification | Pipefitters |
A Local 211 apprentice in Houston, TX starts at roughly $18.11 an hour — about 45% of the $40.25 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $30.19 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 211 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
| 1st period (year 1) | 45% of scale | $18.11 / hour | $36,225 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd period (year 2) | 55% of scale | $22.14 / hour | $44,275 |
| 3rd period (year 3) | 65% of scale | $26.16 / hour | $52,325 |
| 4th period (year 4) | 75% of scale | $30.19 / hour | $60,375 |
| 5th period (year 5) | 85% of scale | $34.21 / hour | $68,425 |
| Journeyman (turned out) | 100% of scale | $40.25 / hour | $80,500 |
UA Local 211 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall — call 713-644-5521 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 211 represents a significant labor force of plumbers, pipefitters, and HVACR technicians across the Texas Gulf Coast region. Based in Houston, this local provides the skilled manpower necessary for the massive industrial and commercial infrastructure defining the fourth-largest city in the United States. The jurisdiction is characterized by a heavy concentration of petrochemical facilities, medical complexes, and high-rise commercial developments. Since 2014, Gulfstream Strategic Placements has monitored this market as a hub for large-scale mechanical construction. The local ensures that signatory contractors have access to a pool of craftsmen trained to rigorous national standards, addressing the specific demands of high-pressure piping and complex plumbing systems required in Southeast Texas.
The market demand for UA Local 211 members is driven largely by the region's energy sector and the continuous expansion of the Texas Medical Center. This environment creates a unique landscape where industrial pipefitting and commercial mechanical services often overlap. Signatory contractors operating under Local 211 agreements benefit from a standardized labor cost and a workforce that has passed through the local's extensive training facility in Deer Park. For the individual tradesperson, membership offers a path to stable employment in a right-to-work state by leveraging collective bargaining power to secure competitive wages and comprehensive fringe benefits that are often superior to non-union averages in the Southern United States.
As of October 4, 2025, the journeyman hourly rate for UA Local 211 is established at $40.25, with a total taxable and fringe package reaching $51.76 per hour. This total package includes essential allocations for health insurance, pension credits, and specialized training funds. Apprentices enter the program at a percentage of the journeyman rate, typically starting around 50% and receiving incremental raises every six to twelve months as they complete required classroom hours and on-the-job training milestones. These scheduled increases provide a clear financial roadmap for new entrants. Skilled tradespeople transferring from other jurisdictions or organizing into the local from the non-union sector are evaluated based on their verified experience to determine their placement within the wage scale. All members should contact the business office to verify specific deductions and the most current dues structure.
The jurisdiction of UA Local 211 covers a vast area centered on Houston and extending through the industrial corridors of the Gulf Coast. This territory includes heavy-duty industrial zones like Deer Park, Pasadena, and Baytown, as well as the commercial core of Harris County and surrounding municipalities. Work under this agreement encompasses the installation, maintenance, and repair of all piping systems, ranging from high-pressure process piping in refineries to sanitary plumbing in commercial high-rises. Members are dispatched through the local hiring hall based on a referral list, though specific provisions for 'foreman call' or 'company men' may exist within the CBA. Travelers from other UA locals must typically report to the business manager before starting work within this territory.
The signatory contractor landscape for Local 211 is diverse, ranging from global industrial conglomerates to regional mechanical primes. These firms handle the bulk of the large-scale piping projects in the Houston ship channel and the expansive hospital system expansions. Hiring cycles are often tied to major industrial turnarounds or significant commercial ground-breakings. While some contractors specialize strictly in industrial process piping, others focus on commercial HVAC and plumbing service. This variety allows for a stable work environment where labor can shift between sectors as market demands fluctuate. The relationship between the local and its signatory partners is managed through the collective bargaining agreement, ensuring consistent labor costs and safety standards across all job sites.
Due to the heavy industrial presence in Houston, ASME welding certifications are highly prized. Additionally, Med-Gas certification is essential for those working in the Texas Medical Center, and Rigging or Signalperson certifications are often required for large-scale industrial projects. The local's training center provides the necessary coursework for members to maintain these credentials.
In the Houston jurisdiction, overtime is frequently driven by industrial turnarounds and refinery shutdowns, which often require 50- to 60-hour work weeks for short durations. Commercial projects typically stick to a standard 40-hour week, though tight deadlines on major developments can lead to extended shifts as dictated by the specific project labor agreement or the master CBA.
Yes, Local 211 includes a dedicated HVACR division. Technicians receive specialized training in refrigeration cycles, controls, and chiller maintenance. This ensures that signatory service contractors have access to technicians who can handle the complex climate control needs of Houston's large commercial and industrial buildings, which operate year-round due to the regional climate.
Members of other UA locals can work in the Houston area as travelers if there is a manning shortage that local members cannot fill. To permanently transfer membership, a 'travel card' must be filed, and the member must typically reside in the jurisdiction for a set period and receive approval from the Local 211 executive board.
UA Local 211 is seated in Houston, Texas (TX). We hold published wage sheets for 20 locals across Texas — compare nearby scales before you take a call.
We are a mechanical, plumbing and electrical construction recruiting firm serving Houston and the rest of Texas, including contractors signatory to UA Local 211. 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 211 pay scale for 2026 is $40.25 per hour for journeymen in Houston, TX, or about $80,500 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $51.76 per hour. That is the rate in force for 2026, effective 10/04/25.
Journeyman pipefitters under the UA Local 211 agreement make $40.25 an hour in base wages, or $51.76 an hour counting the fringe package, per the wage sheet effective 10/04/25. Overtime, shift premiums, and travel or subsistence pay are added on top under the local's CBA.
$40.25 per hour base wage and $51.76 per hour total package for a journeyman in Houston, TX, effective 10/04/25. Annualized at 2,080 hours that is roughly $80,500 before overtime.
A Local 211 apprentice in Houston, TX starts at roughly $18.11 an hour — about 45% of the $40.25 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $30.19 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 211 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
About $18.11 an hour, or roughly $36,225 a year at 2,080 hours, based on the standard 45% first-period step of the $40.25 journeyman rate effective 10/04/25. Apprentices also earn benefit contributions and paid classroom progression; the JATC sets the exact percentage.
Around $26.16 an hour at the standard 65% third-period step, moving to about $30.19 an hour in the fourth period and $40.25 an hour at full journeyman scale. Confirm the published step schedule with the Local 211 training center.
The current UA Local 211 journeyman rate is $40.25/hour, with a total package of $51.76/hour including fringe benefits, effective 10/04/25. At 2,080 hours that works out to roughly $80,500 per year in base wages before overtime. Rates change with each CBA cycle — confirm with the Local 211 business office before relying on the figure.
The $40.25/hour figure is the base journeyman wage that lands on the paycheck. The $51.76/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 211 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 $40.25/hour journeyman rate, a first-period apprentice would be in the $18.11–$20.13/hour range. The exact percentage schedule is set by the local's JATC.
UA Local 211 is headquartered in Houston, TX 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 211 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 211 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 211 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 211 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 10/04/25 schedule; check with the Local 211 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 211 against neighboring jurisdictions and other plumbers & pipefitters markets.
The UA Local 211 hall is at 1301 W 13th St Ste A Deer Park, TX 77536, serving Houston, TX and the surrounding jurisdiction. Hall phone: 713-644-5521.
UA Local 211 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall. Call the hall at 713-644-5521 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 211 can be reached at 713-644-5521. Contact details are imported from the union's public directory listing — confirm hours with the hall.