Journeyman pipefitters under UA Local 32 in Seattle, WA earn $66.42/hr in base wages, or $99.17/hr as a total package with fringe benefits, effective Aug 2024.
UA Local 32 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 32 pay scale is $66.42 per hour for journeymen in Seattle, WA, or about $132,840 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $99.17 per hour. That is the rate in force, effective 8/31/24.
| Local 32 journeyman hourly wage | $66.42 / hour |
|---|---|
| Total package (wage + fringe benefits) | $99.17 / hour |
| Annualized at 2,080 hours (base wage) | $132,840 / year |
| First-period apprentice (≈45–50% of scale) | $29.89–$33.21 / hour |
| Wage sheet effective | 8/31/24 |
| Classification | Combo |
A Local 32 apprentice in Seattle, WA starts at roughly $29.89 an hour — about 45% of the $66.42 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $49.82 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 32 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
| 1st period (year 1) | 45% of scale | $29.89 / hour | $59,778 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd period (year 2) | 55% of scale | $36.53 / hour | $73,062 |
| 3rd period (year 3) | 65% of scale | $43.17 / hour | $86,346 |
| 4th period (year 4) | 75% of scale | $49.82 / hour | $99,630 |
| 5th period (year 5) | 85% of scale | $56.46 / hour | $112,914 |
| Journeyman (turned out) | 100% of scale | $66.42 / hour | $132,840 |
UA Local 32 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall — call 425-277-6680 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 32 represents a workforce of skilled plumbers, steamfitters, and refrigeration mechanics serving the Seattle and Puget Sound metropolitan area. Established as a cornerstone of the Pacific Northwest building trades, this local provides labor for a diverse range of critical infrastructure, including high-rise commercial developments, biotechnology labs, and major industrial facilities. The organization manages a sophisticated training program that ensures its members meet the rigorous technical demands of modern piping systems, while providing signatory contractors with a steady supply of certified craftspersons capable of executing complex mechanical installations.
The Seattle market is characterized by high density and rapid technological growth, making the role of Local 32 pivotal in maintaining regional standards for public health and safety. The union oversees a comprehensive collective bargaining agreement that covers both new construction and long-term service and maintenance across King County and adjacent areas. By centralizing the hiring hall and apprenticeship operations, Local 32 facilitates efficient labor mobilization for large-scale projects. This infrastructure is essential for the region's mechanical contractors who require specialized skills in medical gas, hydronic heating, and process piping to support the area's massive commercial and industrial expansion.
As of August 31, 2024, the journeyman scale for UA Local 32 stands at $66.42 per hour, contributing to a total package of $99.17 when including all fringe benefits. This package represents one of the most competitive compensation structures in the national piping trades, reflecting the high cost of living and demand in the Seattle-Bellevue corridor. Apprentices enter the program at a percentage of the journeyman rate, typically starting around 40-50% and receiving incremental raises every six to twelve months as they complete required classroom hours and on-the-job training milestones. These scheduled increases continue throughout the five-year apprenticeship until the member achieves full journeyman status, ensuring pay scales accurately reflect the individual's growing proficiency and contribution to the job site.
UA Local 32 holds a significant geographical footprint centered in Seattle, extending across King County and northward toward the Snohomish County line. The jurisdiction covers the entire Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue metropolitan statistical area, where members are dispatched to various job sites ranging from municipal water treatment plants to downtown commercial office towers. The work scope under this charter includes the installation and maintenance of all piping systems for water, gas, waste, and steam. Members must be prepared for diverse work environments, as the territory encompasses both the dense urban core of Seattle and the surrounding industrial zones that support the region's maritime and aerospace sectors.
The contractor landscape for Local 32 is comprised of highly specialized mechanical firms ranging from global engineering-construction giants to localized service and repair shops. These signatory mechanical primes handle the bulk of the region's multi-million dollar capital projects, particularly in the tech-heavy commercial sector and public works. There is also a robust contingent of large service contractors who manage long-term maintenance agreements for the city's extensive commercial real estate portfolio. Gulfstream Strategic Placements has monitored this market since 2014, noting that hiring remains consistently tied to both the regional development cycle and the ongoing demand for highly technical industrial piping solutions.
The total fringe benefit contribution is $32.75 per hour as of August 2024, which brings the total compensation package to $99.17. This includes health insurance, multiple retirement funds, and training contributions, ensuring that members have comprehensive coverage and long-term financial stability without these costs being deducted from their $66.42 base hourly wage.
No prior experience is required to apply for the apprenticeship program. The JATC is designed to take individuals with zero trade knowledge and train them through a mix of classroom instruction and paid on-the-job training. However, having a background in construction, basic math skills, or shop classes can be beneficial during the competitive interview process.
Members have access to a wide range of certifications through the UA, including Medical Gas Installer, various ASME welding certifications, Backflow Prevention, and specialized HVACR certifications. These credentials are vital for working on high-spec projects like hospitals or data centers and are provided at no cost to members through the training fund.
Local 32 follows standard United Association procedures for travelers. Members from other UA locals must typically report to the hall with a travel card and proof of their current standing. Work is dispatched based on the local out-of-work list, with priority given to Local 32 members before reaching out to sister locals depending on manning requirements.
UA Local 32 is seated in Seattle, Washington (WA). We hold published wage sheets for 11 locals across Washington — compare nearby scales before you take a call.
We are a mechanical, plumbing and electrical construction recruiting firm serving Seattle and the rest of Washington, including contractors signatory to UA Local 32. 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 32 pay scale is $66.42 per hour for journeymen in Seattle, WA, or about $132,840 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $99.17 per hour. That is the rate in force, effective 8/31/24.
Journeyman pipefitters under the UA Local 32 agreement make $66.42 an hour in base wages, or $99.17 an hour counting the fringe package, per the wage sheet effective 8/31/24. Overtime, shift premiums, and travel or subsistence pay are added on top under the local's CBA.
$66.42 per hour base wage and $99.17 per hour total package for a journeyman in Seattle, WA, effective 8/31/24. Annualized at 2,080 hours that is roughly $132,840 before overtime.
A Local 32 apprentice in Seattle, WA starts at roughly $29.89 an hour — about 45% of the $66.42 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $49.82 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 32 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
About $29.89 an hour, or roughly $59,778 a year at 2,080 hours, based on the standard 45% first-period step of the $66.42 journeyman rate effective 8/31/24. Apprentices also earn benefit contributions and paid classroom progression; the JATC sets the exact percentage.
Around $43.17 an hour at the standard 65% third-period step, moving to about $49.82 an hour in the fourth period and $66.42 an hour at full journeyman scale. Confirm the published step schedule with the Local 32 training center.
The current UA Local 32 journeyman rate is $66.42/hour, with a total package of $99.17/hour including fringe benefits, effective 8/31/24. At 2,080 hours that works out to roughly $132,840 per year in base wages before overtime. Rates change with each CBA cycle — confirm with the Local 32 business office before relying on the figure.
The $66.42/hour figure is the base journeyman wage that lands on the paycheck. The $99.17/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 32 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 $66.42/hour journeyman rate, a first-period apprentice would be in the $29.89–$33.21/hour range. The exact percentage schedule is set by the local's JATC.
UA Local 32 is headquartered in Seattle, WA 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 32 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 32 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 32 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 32 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 8/31/24 schedule; check with the Local 32 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 32 against neighboring jurisdictions and other plumbers & pipefitters markets.
The UA Local 32 hall is at 597 Monster Rd Sw Renton, WA 98057, serving Seattle, WA and the surrounding jurisdiction. Hall phone: 425-277-6680.
UA Local 32 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall. Call the hall at 425-277-6680 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 32 can be reached at 425-277-6680. Contact details are imported from the union's public directory listing — confirm hours with the hall.