Journeyman pipefitters under UA Local 286 in Austin, TX earn $37.15/hr in base wages, or $54.07/hr as a total package with fringe benefits, effective Sep 2025.
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The Local 286 pay scale for 2026 is $37.15 per hour for journeymen in Austin, TX, or about $74,300 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $54.07 per hour. That is the rate in force for 2026, effective 09/01/2025.
| Local 286 journeyman hourly wage | $37.15 / hour |
|---|---|
| Total package (wage + fringe benefits) | $54.07 / hour |
| Annualized at 2,080 hours (base wage) | $74,300 / year |
| First-period apprentice (≈45–50% of scale) | $16.72–$18.58 / hour |
| Wage sheet effective | 09/01/2025 |
| Classification | PIPEFITTER: INCLUDING HVAC PIPE INSTALLATION |
Apply now — Gulfstream places plumbers & pipefitters candidates with mechanical contractors. These are direct-hire contractor roles, not union dispatch.
A Local 286 apprentice in Austin, TX starts at roughly $16.72 an hour — about 45% of the $37.15 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $27.86 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 286 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
| 1st period (year 1) | 45% of scale | $16.72 / hour | $33,435 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd period (year 2) | 55% of scale | $20.43 / hour | $40,865 |
| 3rd period (year 3) | 65% of scale | $24.15 / hour | $48,295 |
| 4th period (year 4) | 75% of scale | $27.86 / hour | $55,725 |
| 5th period (year 5) | 85% of scale | $31.58 / hour | $63,155 |
| Journeyman (turned out) | 100% of scale | $37.15 / hour | $74,300 |
Active Gulfstream trade listings in the local's state, with Austin listings first when available. Jobs elsewhere in the state are not necessarily near this hall. Union status is not verified for these jobs; confirm with your recruiter.
UA Local 286 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 286 does not post an online application we could verify; contact the hall by phone for dispatch or apprenticeship. To be considered for direct-hire roles with mechanical, electrical and sheet metal contractors in this area, apply to Gulfstream. This is not an application to the union.
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Local 286 wages for 2025: $37.15 an hour on the journeyman scale, $54.07 an hour with fringe benefits added, effective 09/01/2025. That is the most recent Austin, TX sheet we can source; rates move with each contract cycle, so confirm with the hall before quoting.
Roughly 31% of the UA Local 286 package is employer-paid benefits and fringes rather than wages, which is why the package figure and a take-home hourly rate are not the same number.
Verified from official source: SAM.gov Davis-Bacon WD TX20260271 rev.1 (Building, Travis County, TX)
Download the UA Local 286 pay scale (PDF) — one-page printable rate sheet, effective September 1, 2025.
| Benefit & fringe contributions | $16.92/hr | Derived: total package minus base wage. This is the employer's combined hourly contribution to the funds, not take-home pay. |
|---|---|---|
| What the contributions fund | Health & welfare, pension, annuity, training and industry funds | Standard fund categories in mechanical and electrical agreements. The exact split between funds is set in the local's agreement — the hall or fund office publishes the schedule. |
| Paid on | Every hour worked | Fringe contributions are made per hour worked, so they scale with dispatched hours and are paid to the funds rather than to the member. |
The rates above are the UA Local 286 scale used across the Austin, TX area. Members dispatched out of this hall work commercial mechanical and process piping, chiller and boiler work, HVAC piping and hydronics and service, retrofit and shutdown work for signatory contractors throughout the Austin metro, so a pipefitters wage quoted locally is normally this scale plus the fringe package shown in the table.
Gulfstream recruits pipefitters talent for commercial mechanical, plumbing, piping, sheet metal and building automation contractors in and around Austin. We are a private recruiting firm — we do not dispatch, set, or negotiate Local 286 rates. For current Austin scale, dispatch standing, or apprenticeship intake, contact the hall directly.
UA Local 286 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall — call 512-385-0002 to confirm dispatch procedure, 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 286 represents plumbers, pipefitters, and HVAC service technicians throughout the Austin, Texas metropolitan area and surrounding Central Texas counties. As one of the fastest-growing construction markets in the United States, this jurisdiction is defined by a massive influx of high-tech manufacturing, semiconductor fabrication, and large-scale commercial development. Local 286 members provide the specialized labor required for complex hydronic systems, medical gas piping, and industrial process systems that power the region's primary economic drivers. Since 2014, Gulfstream Strategic Placements has monitored the demand for skilled labor in this corridor, noting that the local's training standards remain the benchmark for safety and technical proficiency in the Central Texas piping industry.
The market for signatory work in Austin is distinct due to the concentration of mission-critical facilities that demand high-purity piping and sophisticated mechanical systems. Local 286 operates a robust Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (JATC) program to ensure a steady pipeline of journey-level talent capable of meeting these stringent technical requirements. For contractors, the local provides a scalable workforce that can handle the rapid mobilization schedules typical of Texas tech builds. For tradespeople, it offers a structured career path with collectively bargained protections and benefits that are often superior to the regional open-shop average, particularly regarding long-term retirement security and comprehensive family healthcare coverage within the competitive Texas labor landscape.
Based on the schedule effective August 31, 2025, the Journeyman Pipefitter and Plumber hourly rate for UA Local 286 is set at $37.15. When including the fringe benefit contributions, the total taxable and non-taxable package reaches $52.22 per hour. Apprentices in the five-year program see their wages calculated as a progressive percentage of this journeyman scale. Typically, a first-year apprentice starts at approximately 45% to 50% of the base rate, with annual or semi-annual increases as they complete required classroom hours and on-the-job training milestones. By the fifth year, senior apprentices earn 80% to 85% of the full rate. These incremental raises provide a predictable income trajectory, ensuring that as the worker's technical proficiency and value to the signatory contractor increase, their compensation reflects that growth within the Central Texas market.
UA Local 286 holds jurisdiction over a significant portion of Central Texas, centered in Austin and extending into the surrounding Hill Country and interstate corridors. The territory covers major hubs of activity including Travis, Williamson, and Hays counties, where the bulk of the commercial and industrial permit activity occurs. The jurisdiction also encompasses rural areas where large-scale infrastructure and energy projects are situated. Members dispatched through the hall are expected to provide their own transportation to jobsites throughout this footprint. The work covered under this agreement includes all aspects of plumbing, pipefitting, steamfitting, and refrigeration, ranging from high-rise residential plumbing to complex industrial process piping and mechanical system maintenance.
The contractor landscape for Local 286 is characterized by a mix of national mechanical primes and local specialty firms. Signatory mechanical contractors in Austin often focus on high-volume commercial projects, such as corporate campuses and hospital expansions, while industrial-focused signatories handle the intricate piping needs of the region's semiconductor and biotechnology sectors. There is also a strong presence of HVAC service contractors who utilize the local's technicians for long-term facility maintenance and emergency repairs. Hiring fluctuates based on project starts, with large-scale industrial projects often driving significant calls for travelers and local hands alike. Contractors benefit from the local's ability to supply certified welders and licensed plumbers who meet Texas state regulatory requirements.
Due to Austin's status as a technology hub, industrial work often involves semiconductor 'fab' construction, which requires high-purity stainless steel piping and cleanroom environments. Members also work on water treatment plants and energy infrastructure projects. These jobs require high-level welding certifications and a deep understanding of complex process systems, often providing steady, long-term employment for pipefitters and welders.
Yes, all plumbers working within the jurisdiction must adhere to the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners (TSBPE) regulations. The Local 286 apprenticeship program is specifically designed to prepare workers for their Journeyman Plumber exam. This ensures that all members are not only union-trained but also legally licensed to perform plumbing installations and repairs throughout the state of Texas.
Austin frequently experiences surges in construction demand that exceed the local headcount, leading to opportunities for UA travelers. Travel work is usually concentrated on large-scale industrial and high-tech projects. Those interested in traveling to Local 286 should contact their home local's business manager and the Local 286 dispatch office to confirm current work outlook and required certifications.
The total package of $52.22 includes the $37.15 hourly check rate plus $15.07 in fringe benefits. While the check rate covers immediate living expenses, the fringes provide long-term value through healthcare and retirement security. This 'hidden' compensation is a critical component of the UA value proposition, often making the union package more lucrative over a full career than open-shop roles with higher base rates but no benefits.
UA Local 286 is seated in Austin, Texas (TX). We hold published wage sheets for 23 locals across Texas — compare nearby scales before you take a call.
Gulfstream Strategic Placements recruits mechanical construction and service staff for contractors across Texas, including shops signatory to UA Local 286. Pick the market closest to your work: Dallas–Fort Worth mechanical recruiter · Houston mechanical recruiter.
We are a commercial mechanical construction recruiting firm serving Austin and the rest of Texas, including contractors signatory to UA Local 286. 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 286 pay scale for 2026 is $37.15 per hour for journeymen in Austin, TX, or about $74,300 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $54.07 per hour. That is the rate in force for 2026, effective 09/01/2025.
UA Local 286 wages for 2026: journeyman Plumbers & Pipefitters rate of $37.15 per hour in Austin, TX, with a total package of $54.07 per hour including fringe benefits, effective 09/01/2025. Apprentices are paid a graduated percentage of that rate. Confirm any increase since 09/01/2025 with the UA Local 286 business office.
The UA Local 286 wage sheet on this page lists the journeyman scale of $37.15 per hour ($54.07 per hour total package), effective 09/01/2025, plus the apprentice percentage steps. The official sheet is published by the UA Local 286 business office; figures here come from that published schedule, so confirm any increase dated after 09/01/2025 with the hall.
Local 286 apprentices earn a graduated percentage of the $37.15 per hour journeyman rate — typically starting near 40–50% ($16.72–$18.58 per hour) in the first period and stepping up each period to 100% at turnout. The exact percentage schedule is set by the UA Local 286 JATC, so confirm the current apprentice sheet with the training center.
Journeyman pipefitters under the UA Local 286 agreement make $37.15 an hour in base wages, or $54.07 an hour counting the fringe package, per the wage sheet effective 09/01/2025. Overtime, shift premiums, and travel or subsistence pay are added on top under the local's CBA.
$37.15 per hour base wage and $54.07 per hour total package for a journeyman in Austin, TX, effective 09/01/2025. Annualized at 2,080 hours that is roughly $74,300 before overtime.
A Local 286 apprentice in Austin, TX starts at roughly $16.72 an hour — about 45% of the $37.15 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $27.86 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 286 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
About $16.72 an hour, or roughly $33,435 a year at 2,080 hours, based on the standard 45% first-period step of the $37.15 journeyman rate effective 09/01/2025. Apprentices also earn benefit contributions and paid classroom progression; the JATC sets the exact percentage.
Around $24.15 an hour at the standard 65% third-period step, moving to about $27.86 an hour in the fourth period and $37.15 an hour at full journeyman scale. Confirm the published step schedule with the Local 286 training center.
Local 286 wages for 2025: $37.15 an hour on the journeyman scale, $54.07 an hour with fringe benefits added, effective 09/01/2025. That is the most recent Austin, TX sheet we can source; rates move with each contract cycle, so confirm with the hall before quoting.
The current published UA Local 286 journeyman rate is $37.15 an hour ($54.07 total package), effective 09/01/2025 — roughly $74,300 a year at 2,080 hours before overtime. It is the rate in force for 2025 unless the local has since ratified a new agreement.
Yes — a one-page printable UA Local 286 rate sheet is available at /rate-sheets/ua-local-286-pay-scale.pdf, showing the $37.15 hourly scale, the $54.07 total package and the 09/01/2025 effective date, with the source it was read from. It is a free download — no sign-up needed.
The current UA Local 286 journeyman rate is $37.15/hour, with a total package of $54.07/hour including fringe benefits, effective 09/01/2025. At 2,080 hours that works out to roughly $74,300 per year in base wages before overtime. Rates change with each CBA cycle — confirm with the Local 286 business office before relying on the figure.
The $37.15/hour figure is the base journeyman wage that lands on the paycheck. The $54.07/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 286 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 $37.15/hour journeyman rate, a first-period apprentice would be in the $16.72–$18.58/hour range. The exact percentage schedule is set by the local's JATC.
UA Local 286 is headquartered in Austin, 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 286 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 286 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 286 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 286 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 09/01/2025 schedule; check with the Local 286 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 286 against neighboring jurisdictions and other plumbers & pipefitters markets.
Yes — the openings section on this page lists current plumbers & pipefitters roles near Austin, TX, and you can apply directly through the apply form on this page. These are direct-hire positions with mechanical contractors that Gulfstream recruits for, not union dispatch or hall referrals. For the hall's out-of-work list, contact the Local 286 business office.
The UA Local 286 hall is at 814 Airport Blvd Austin, TX 78702, serving Austin, TX and the surrounding jurisdiction. Hall phone: 512-385-0002.
UA Local 286 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall. Call the hall at 512-385-0002 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 286 can be reached at 512-385-0002. Contact details are imported from the union's public directory listing — confirm hours with the hall.
Apply through the local's joint apprenticeship training committee (JATC). Most programs open applications on a set schedule and require an aptitude test and interview. For UA Local 286's current application window and requirements, contact the hall at 512-385-0002.
Each Plumbers & Pipefitters local sets its own intake process, and it varies. The common paths: apprenticeship through the JATC; organizing in as an experienced worker, since journeymen and technicians already working in the trade can usually apply directly to the hall for membership; or transferring from another local of the same international with a transfer card from your current hall. For fees and requirements, contact the hall at 512-385-0002.
We haven't found an official source for UA Local 286's dues or membership rules. To confirm, contact the hall at 512-385-0002.
We haven't found an official source for UA Local 286's member benefits. To confirm, contact the hall at 512-385-0002.
UA Local 286's sourced pipefitter: including hvac pipe installation union rate is $37.15/hr in base wages and $54.07/hr for the total package, effective September 1, 2025. The rate applies to the listed classification and source area; apprentice, foreman and specialty classifications may differ.
$37.15/hr in base wages for pipefitter: including hvac pipe installation, or $54.07/hr counting employer-paid benefits and fringes, effective September 1, 2025 per the SAM.gov Davis-Bacon WD TX20260271 rev.1 (Building, Travis County, TX) wage determination.
September 1, 2025. Read directly from the primary source (SAM.gov Davis-Bacon WD TX20260271 rev.1 (Building, Travis County, TX)) and cross-checked at build time. Highest confidence for offer benchmarking.
No — the $37.15/hr base is wages only. Employers contribute roughly $16.92/hr more per hour worked to health and welfare, pension, annuity and training funds, which is the difference between the base and the $54.07/hr package.
No. Gulfstream Strategic Placements is a private mechanical construction recruiting firm. We are not affiliated with the local, we do not run dispatch, and we do not set or negotiate union rates. We publish the local's own sourced figures as a reference for members and contractors.
High confidence — last cross-checked against the source on Oct 5, 2026 (14 days ago). Always confirm the current step with the hall before relying on it for an offer.