Journeyman pipefitters under UA Local 274 in Jersey City, NJ earn $60.82/hr in base wages, or $99.60/hr as a total package with fringe benefits, effective May 2025.
UA Local 274 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 274 pay scale for 2026 is $60.82 per hour for journeymen in Jersey City, NJ, or about $121,640 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $99.60 per hour. That is the rate in force for 2026, effective 5/10/25.
| Local 274 journeyman hourly wage | $60.82 / hour |
|---|---|
| Total package (wage + fringe benefits) | $99.60 / hour |
| Annualized at 2,080 hours (base wage) | $121,640 / year |
| First-period apprentice (≈45–50% of scale) | $27.37–$30.41 / hour |
| Wage sheet effective | 5/10/25 |
| Classification | Pipefitters |
A Local 274 apprentice in Jersey City, NJ starts at roughly $27.37 an hour — about 45% of the $60.82 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $45.62 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 274 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
| 1st period (year 1) | 45% of scale | $27.37 / hour | $54,738 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd period (year 2) | 55% of scale | $33.45 / hour | $66,902 |
| 3rd period (year 3) | 65% of scale | $39.53 / hour | $79,066 |
| 4th period (year 4) | 75% of scale | $45.62 / hour | $91,230 |
| 5th period (year 5) | 85% of scale | $51.70 / hour | $103,394 |
| Journeyman (turned out) | 100% of scale | $60.82 / hour | $121,640 |
UA Local 274 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall — call 201-943-4700 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 274, headquartered in Jersey City, New Jersey, serves as the primary labor organization for pipefitters, steamfitters, and HVACR technicians throughout the Northern New Jersey region. Since 2014, our firm has tracked the impact of this local's highly skilled workforce on the New Jersey industrial and commercial landscape. The local is chartered under the United Association, providing specialized labor for complex piping systems in heavy industrial environments, pharmaceutical facilities, and high-rise commercial structures. Its members are critical to the maintenance of the state's significant energy infrastructure and the dense commercial developments bordering the Hudson River, ensuring that mechanical systems meet rigorous safety and efficiency standards.
The market for UA Local 274 members is defined by its proximity to major transportation hubs and industrial corridors, creating a consistent demand for certified welding and advanced HVAC service work. As a dominant force in the New Jersey mechanical trades, Local 274 maintains a comprehensive Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (JATC) program to ensure the next generation of fitters can handle evolving technologies like VRF systems and medical gas installations. For signatory mechanical primes, this local represents a reliable source of journeymen who have undergone thousands of hours of field and classroom training, making them essential for large-scale public works and private sector developments across their multi-county chartered territory.
As of May 10, 2025, the journeyman hourly rate for UA Local 274 is established at $60.82, with a total package reaching $99.60 when accounting for fringe benefits. This package represents one of the most competitive compensation structures in the Northeast mechanical trades. Apprentices within Local 274 follow a structured five-year progression, typically starting at a set percentage of the journeyman rate—often beginning around 40-45% and increasing annually as they hit specific work hour and classroom milestones. By the fifth year, apprentices generally earn near 80% of the full scale. This transparent advancement model ensures that as a worker's technical proficiency and value to the signatory contractor increase, their hourly earnings and retirement contributions scale accordingly until reaching full journeyman status upon graduation.
The jurisdiction of UA Local 274 covers a significant portion of Northern New Jersey, centered around the urban industrial hubs of Hudson and Bergen counties. The charter extends to work involving the installation and service of all high and low-pressure piping, refrigeration systems, and process piping used in manufacturing. Members are dispatched to job sites ranging from the waterfront developments in Jersey City to industrial sites in the Meadowlands. The local maintains strict territorial lines for its membership, ensuring that work within its chartered area is performed by resident craftsmen or authorized travelers. This jurisdiction is vital for maintaining labor stability across New Jersey's chemical plants, refineries, and commercial office parks.
The contractor landscape for UA Local 274 is comprised of a diverse mix of large-scale mechanical primes, specialized piping subcontractors, and industrial service firms. These signatory contractors handle the majority of the region's heavy mechanical work, including central plant upgrades, data center cooling, and pharmaceutical process piping. Hiring typically occurs through the union referral hall, where contractors request specific skill sets, such as certified welders or HVAC service technicians. Because of the high density of industrial facilities in Northern New Jersey, many signatory firms focus exclusively on long-term maintenance and emergency repair contracts, providing a stable work environment for members even during fluctuations in new commercial construction cycles.
While the terms are often used interchangeably, steamfitters specifically focus on high-pressure systems involving steam, gases, and chemicals, whereas pipefitters may work on a broader range of industrial process piping. In Local 274, both classifications fall under the same master agreement and receive equivalent training in welding, rigging, and blueprint reading to ensure versatility on complex industrial job sites throughout Northern New Jersey.
Yes, Local 274 has a dedicated HVACR division that provides specialized training and certifications, including EPA Universal 608, VRF manufacturer-specific training, and advanced controls. This ensures that signatory service contractors have access to technicians who can handle both traditional centrifugal chillers and modern, high-efficiency climate control systems found in Jersey City's commercial high-rises and data centers.
Members from other United Association locals looking to work in the Local 274 jurisdiction must report to the business manager with a valid travel card and current dues receipt. Clearance is subject to local manpower needs and the 'manpower request' status of signatory contractors. Travelers must adhere to the Local 274 collective bargaining agreement, including the $60.82 journeyman scale effective May 2025.
Due to the heavy industrial presence in the Jersey City and Newark corridor, UA-certified welders with SMAW, GTAW, and orbital welding capabilities are highly sought after. Certifications in stainless steel and carbon steel pipe are standard requirements for work in the local's numerous pharmaceutical plants and refineries. The JATC provides ongoing weld testing and certification updates to maintain member eligibility for these high-spec projects.
UA Local 274 is seated in Jersey City, New Jersey (NJ). We hold published wage sheets for 12 locals across New Jersey — compare nearby scales before you take a call.
We are a mechanical, plumbing and electrical construction recruiting firm serving Jersey City and the rest of New Jersey, including contractors signatory to UA Local 274. Our office is in South Corona, California and we place union-scale tradespeople and field leadership nationwide.
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Journeyman scales as last published by each local. Rates change every contract cycle — confirm with the hall.
The Local 274 pay scale for 2026 is $60.82 per hour for journeymen in Jersey City, NJ, or about $121,640 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $99.60 per hour. That is the rate in force for 2026, effective 5/10/25.
Journeyman pipefitters under the UA Local 274 agreement make $60.82 an hour in base wages, or $99.60 an hour counting the fringe package, per the wage sheet effective 5/10/25. Overtime, shift premiums, and travel or subsistence pay are added on top under the local's CBA.
$60.82 per hour base wage and $99.60 per hour total package for a journeyman in Jersey City, NJ, effective 5/10/25. Annualized at 2,080 hours that is roughly $121,640 before overtime.
A Local 274 apprentice in Jersey City, NJ starts at roughly $27.37 an hour — about 45% of the $60.82 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $45.62 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 274 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
About $27.37 an hour, or roughly $54,738 a year at 2,080 hours, based on the standard 45% first-period step of the $60.82 journeyman rate effective 5/10/25. Apprentices also earn benefit contributions and paid classroom progression; the JATC sets the exact percentage.
Around $39.53 an hour at the standard 65% third-period step, moving to about $45.62 an hour in the fourth period and $60.82 an hour at full journeyman scale. Confirm the published step schedule with the Local 274 training center.
The current UA Local 274 journeyman rate is $60.82/hour, with a total package of $99.60/hour including fringe benefits, effective 5/10/25. At 2,080 hours that works out to roughly $121,640 per year in base wages before overtime. Rates change with each CBA cycle — confirm with the Local 274 business office before relying on the figure.
The $60.82/hour figure is the base journeyman wage that lands on the paycheck. The $99.60/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 274 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 $60.82/hour journeyman rate, a first-period apprentice would be in the $27.37–$30.41/hour range. The exact percentage schedule is set by the local's JATC.
UA Local 274 is headquartered in Jersey City, NJ 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 274 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 274 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 274 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 274 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 5/10/25 schedule; check with the Local 274 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 274 against neighboring jurisdictions and other plumbers & pipefitters markets.
The UA Local 274 hall is at 205 Jefferson Rd Parsippany, Nj 7054, serving Jersey City, NJ and the surrounding jurisdiction. Hall phone: 201-943-4700.
UA Local 274 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall. Call the hall at 201-943-4700 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 274 can be reached at 201-943-4700. Contact details are imported from the union's public directory listing — confirm hours with the hall.