UA Local 272 represents plumbers & pipefitters in Portsmouth, VA. Below: wage scale context, jurisdiction, apprenticeship routes, and the signatory contractors that hire from this hall.
UA Local 272 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 272 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 272 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall — call 757-490-2301 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 272 represents skilled plumbers, pipefitters, and HVAC technicians across the Hampton Roads metropolitan area. Based in Portsmouth, Virginia, this local is a critical labor provider for the region's vast maritime and defense-related infrastructure. The membership is responsible for the installation and maintenance of complex piping systems in residential, commercial, and heavy industrial environments. Because Portsmouth is a central hub for naval activity and shipyard support, Local 272 members often perform highly specialized work that requires rigorous certifications and adherence to strict safety protocols defined by both federal and state regulations. This ensures that the local workforce remains the primary choice for sophisticated mechanical installations in the Tidewater area.
The market for UA Local 272 is driven by a mix of military facility upgrades, healthcare expansions, and municipal infrastructure projects. Since 2014, Gulfstream Strategic Placements has monitored the labor trends in this region, noting the high demand for welders and pipefitters capable of working on high-pressure steam and process piping. The local operates a robust Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (JATC) program to meet these demands, providing a steady pipeline of journey-level talent to signatory contractors. For tradespeople, Local 272 offers a structured career path with collectively bargained protections, while for contractors, it provides a scalable, drug-free workforce that can handle the specific technical burdens of large-scale Virginia coastal projects.
Specific hourly wage figures for UA Local 272 are not publicly disclosed and must be obtained directly from the Business Manager at the Portsmouth office. The total compensation package for a journeyman typically includes the base check rate plus significant contributions toward health and welfare, pension, and training funds. Apprentices enter the program at a set percentage of the journeyman rate, usually starting between 40% and 50%. As they complete their 10,000 hours of on-the-job training and five years of classroom instruction, these percentages increase annually. This stepped progression ensures that labor costs remain predictable for signatory mechanical primes while providing a clear financial ladder for the apprentice. To obtain the current taxable rate and fringe totals, contact the local union hall to request the latest wage and fringe benefit schedule.
The jurisdiction of UA Local 272 centers on the Hampton Roads area, covering Portsmouth, Norfolk, and several surrounding municipalities in Southeastern Virginia. The charter encompasses a wide range of work including hydronic heating, chilled water systems, medical gas piping, and industrial process systems. Members are dispatched to job sites across the Tidewater region, which requires a reliable means of transportation. The jurisdiction includes work on federal installations, municipal water treatment plants, and large-scale commercial developments. Because this territory borders other UA locals in Virginia and North Carolina, travelers must check in with the business office to verify dispatch rules and ensure all certifications, particularly for shipyard-adjacent work, are current and valid under the local CBA.
The signatory contractor landscape for UA Local 272 is composed of large mechanical primes, specialized piping contractors, and regional HVAC service providers. These firms handle the majority of the high-value mechanical work in the Portsmouth and Norfolk markets, ranging from massive industrial projects to complex healthcare facility renovations. Hiring through the local allows these contractors to scale their workforce rapidly in response to large project awards without the overhead of traditional recruiting. Most signatory partners are affiliated with the a mechanical contractor Association of America (MCAA), ensuring that the labor management relationship is governed by industry-standard practices. This stability makes the local a primary source for skilled labor in the region's competitive construction sector.
Members primarily focus on the installation and maintenance of piping systems. This includes domestic water, sanitary waste, steam, and chilled water systems. Given the Portsmouth location, many members also work on industrial projects and facilities that support the local maritime and defense sectors, requiring high-level welding and pipefitting skills.
The UA Local 272 JATC typically opens its application window once per year, though this depends on local market demand and contractor needs. Interested individuals should monitor the local's official communications or visit the Portsmouth office in the early spring to confirm the exact dates for the upcoming cycle.
While Local 272 covers general plumbing and pipefitting, work located on or near federal shipyards often requires specific security clearances and safety certifications. The local provides necessary training through the JATC to ensure members meet these requirements, but individual contractors may have additional site-specific onboarding protocols for defense-related projects.
Transferring membership, or 'depositing a travel card,' is subject to the UA Constitution and the current work volume in Portsmouth. Interested members must first contact their home local's Business Manager and then coordinate with the Local 272 Business Agent to determine if there is enough work to support additional permanent transfers.
UA Local 272 is seated in Portsmouth, Virginia (VA). We hold published wage sheets for 5 locals across Virginia — compare nearby scales before you take a call.
We are a mechanical, plumbing and electrical construction recruiting firm serving Portsmouth and the rest of Virginia, including contractors signatory to UA Local 272. 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 272 is headquartered in Portsmouth, VA 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 272 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 272 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 272 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 272 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 272 against neighboring jurisdictions and other plumbers & pipefitters markets.
The UA Local 272 hall is at 5304 S Palmyra Dr Virginia Beach, VA 23462, serving Portsmouth, VA and the surrounding jurisdiction. Hall phone: 757-490-2301.
UA Local 272 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall. Call the hall at 757-490-2301 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 272 can be reached at 757-490-2301. Contact details are imported from the union's public directory listing — confirm hours with the hall.