UA Local 248 represents plumbers & pipefitters in Ashland, KY. Below: wage scale context, jurisdiction, apprenticeship routes, and the signatory contractors that hire from this hall.
UA Local 248 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 248 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 248 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall — call 606-325-2544 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 248 represents skilled plumbers, pipefitters, and HVAC technicians across the tri-state region surrounding Ashland, Kentucky. Since 2014, our recruitment team has tracked the critical role this local plays in maintaining the industrial and commercial infrastructure of the Ohio River Valley. The membership provides essential labor for heavy industrial facilities, regional medical centers, and public works projects that define the local economy. Because the region serves as a nexus for energy and manufacturing, Local 248 maintains a rigorous training standard to ensure members can meet the specialized piping requirements of high-pressure systems and complex mechanical installations throughout their multi-county jurisdiction.
The labor market in eastern Kentucky and the surrounding borders is heavily influenced by the presence of large-scale industrial employers and utility providers. Local 248 acts as the primary labor source for signatory mechanical primes operating in these sectors, offering a centralized dispatch system that stabilizes the regional workforce. For contractors, partnering with this local ensures access to a pool of craftsmen who have completed a five-year Department of Labor-certified apprenticeship. For the tradesperson, the local provides a structured career path that combines classroom education with on-the-job training, ensuring long-term employability in a market where technical precision and safety compliance are the baseline requirements for every job site.
Because specific wage figures were not supplied for the current CBA cycle, tradespeople and contractors must contact the Local 248 business office in Ashland directly to obtain the current journeyman scale. Typically, the total compensation package includes the base hourly rate plus employer-paid fringes such as health insurance and pension contributions. Apprentices start at a set percentage of the journeyman rate, often beginning around 40-50% and receiving incremental raises every six to twelve months as they complete their classroom modules and required work hours. These scheduled increases reflect the apprentice's growing proficiency in welding, blueprint reading, and system diagnostics, eventually reaching the full 100% scale upon successful completion of the five-year program and the attainment of necessary state licensing.
UA Local 248 maintains jurisdiction over a specific multi-county territory centered in Ashland, Kentucky, reaching into the surrounding areas of the tri-state region. Their charter covers a variety of work scopes including commercial plumbing, industrial process piping, medical gas systems, and hydronic heating and cooling. Work under this agreement is subject to territorial dispatch rules, which govern how members are assigned to projects based on their position on the out-of-work list. Contractors operating within this footprint must adhere to the local CBA terms regarding overtime, shift differentials, and travel pay for projects located at significant distances from the Ashland headquarters, ensuring a level playing field for all signatory employers in the region.
The signatory landscape for UA Local 248 is comprised of a mix of large-scale mechanical primes and smaller, specialized plumbing and HVAC service contractors. These firms handle everything from long-term industrial maintenance contracts at regional refineries and power plants to fast-track commercial builds like schools and municipal offices. Hiring typically fluctuates based on major industrial outages and large-scale capital projects, though service and repair work provides a steady baseline of employment for the membership. Since 2014, we have observed that the most successful tradespeople in this market are those who maintain versatile skill sets, allowing them to move between heavy industrial pipefitting and precision commercial plumbing as project demands shift.
Members have access to various UA certifications, including ASME welding certifications, Medical Gas installation, Backflow Prevention, and OSHA safety training. These credentials are recognized nationally across all UA jurisdictions, making the member highly portable and marketable for specialized industrial work throughout the Ohio River Valley and beyond.
Yes, as a part of the United Association, Local 248 participates in national reciprocity agreements. Travel cards are typically accepted when the local work list is exhausted and there is a high demand for specific skills like certified welding. Members from other locals must follow standard UA travel protocols before reporting to the Ashland hall.
Industrial shutdowns or 'turnarounds' are common in the Ashland market due to the concentration of energy facilities. During these periods, Local 248 coordinates with signatory primes to provide a large influx of manpower for short-duration, high-intensity work. These projects often involve significant overtime and are a major component of the local's annual man-hours.
While both trades share foundational skills, plumbers focus on potable water, sanitary waste, and venting systems in commercial and residential settings. Pipefitters generally work on high-pressure industrial systems, process piping, and HVAC hydronics. Local 248 is a 'combination' local, meaning apprentices often receive exposure to both disciplines to ensure maximum versatility.
UA Local 248 is seated in Ashland, Kentucky (KY). We hold published wage sheets for 6 locals across Kentucky — compare nearby scales before you take a call.
We are a mechanical, plumbing and electrical construction recruiting firm serving Ashland and the rest of Kentucky, including contractors signatory to UA Local 248. 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 248 is headquartered in Ashland, KY 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 248 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 248 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 248 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 248 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 248 against neighboring jurisdictions and other plumbers & pipefitters markets.
The UA Local 248 hall is at 924 Greenup Ave Ashland, KY 41101, serving Ashland, KY and the surrounding jurisdiction. Hall phone: 606-325-2544.
UA Local 248 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall. Call the hall at 606-325-2544 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 248 can be reached at 606-325-2544. Contact details are imported from the union's public directory listing — confirm hours with the hall.