Journeyman pipefitters under UA Local 34 in St Paul, MN earn $50.23/hr in base wages, or $93.15/hr as a total package with fringe benefits, effective Jan 2026.
The Local 34 pay scale for 2026 is $50.23 per hour for journeymen in St Paul, MN, or about $100,460 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $93.15 per hour. That is the rate in force for 2026, effective 01/01/2026.
| Local 34 journeyman hourly wage | $50.23 / hour |
|---|---|
| Total package (wage + fringe benefits) | $93.15 / hour |
| Annualized at 2,080 hours (base wage) | $100,460 / year |
| First-period apprentice (≈45–50% of scale) | $22.60–$25.12 / hour |
| Wage sheet effective | 01/01/2026 |
| Classification | Journeyman |
Apply now — Gulfstream places plumbers & pipefitters candidates with mechanical contractors. These are direct-hire contractor roles, not union dispatch.
A Local 34 apprentice in St Paul, MN starts at roughly $22.60 an hour — about 45% of the $50.23 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $37.67 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 34 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
| 1st period (year 1) | 45% of scale | $22.60 / hour | $45,207 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd period (year 2) | 55% of scale | $27.63 / hour | $55,253 |
| 3rd period (year 3) | 65% of scale | $32.65 / hour | $65,299 |
| 4th period (year 4) | 75% of scale | $37.67 / hour | $75,345 |
| 5th period (year 5) | 85% of scale | $42.70 / hour | $85,391 |
| Journeyman (turned out) | 100% of scale | $50.23 / hour | $100,460 |
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UA Local 34 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 34 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 34 wages for 2026: $50.23 an hour on the journeyman scale, $93.15 an hour with fringe benefits added, effective 01/01/2026. That is the most recent St Paul, MN sheet we can source; rates move with each contract cycle, so confirm with the hall before quoting.
Roughly 46% of the UA Local 34 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: Pipe Trades Services MN (fund office rate notice for UA Local 34)
Download the UA Local 34 pay scale (PDF) — one-page printable rate sheet, effective January 1, 2026.
| Benefit & fringe contributions | $42.92/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 34 scale used across the St Paul, MN 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 St Paul 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 St Paul. We are a private recruiting firm — we do not dispatch, set, or negotiate Local 34 rates. For current St Paul scale, dispatch standing, or apprenticeship intake, contact the hall directly.
UA Local 34 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall — call 651-224-3828 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.
UA Local 34, chartered in St. Paul, Minnesota, represents skilled plumbers who maintain the critical infrastructure of the Twin Cities' eastern metro area. Since 2014, Gulfstream Strategic Placements has monitored this market as a hub for both high-density residential developments and complex institutional facilities. The local maintains a strict focus on the plumbing trade, ensuring that members are experts in water systems, sanitary drainage, and medical gas installation. The labor force here is essential to the region's hospitals, schools, and government buildings, providing a stable foundation for the local construction economy through high standards of craftsmanship and rigorous safety protocols.
The competitive landscape in St. Paul is shaped by strong partnerships between Local 34 and its signatory contractors. This relationship ensures that large-scale commercial projects and public works are staffed by licensed professionals who have completed extensive classroom and field training. For the tradesperson, this means access to a robust benefits package and a structured career path. For the contractor, it provides a reliable pipeline of pre-vetted labor capable of meeting tight deadlines and strict code requirements. As the St. Paul skyline continues to evolve, Local 34 remains the primary authority for plumbing labor standards across its jurisdictional boundaries in Ramsey County and surrounding regions.
Effective March 16, 2025, the journeyman hourly rate for UA Local 34 is set at $47.93, contributing to a total compensation package of $80.41 per hour. This total package includes employer-paid fringes such as health insurance and pension contributions, which account for $32.48 per hour in additional value. Apprentices enter the program at a percentage of the journeyman rate, typically starting around 40-45% and receiving incremental raises every six to twelve months as they complete required work hours and educational modules. By the final year of the five-year apprenticeship, a Fifth-Year Apprentice often earns approximately 80-90% of the journeyman scale. These specific percentage steps are governed by the Collective Bargaining Agreement and ensure that pay directly reflects the growing technical proficiency of the worker.
The jurisdiction of UA Local 34 is centered in St. Paul and extends across several key counties in Eastern Minnesota. This territory includes all of Ramsey County, where the seat of state government drives significant institutional work, as well as portions of Washington, Chisago, and Anoka counties. The local manages the dispatch of labor for a variety of project types, from high-rise commercial builds to municipal water treatment facilities. Members are expected to travel within this multi-county area to job sites, with the union hall serving as the central hub for referrals and collective bargaining representation. The clear geographic boundaries prevent jurisdictional overlap and provide contractors with a defined labor pool for projects within the St. Paul metro influence.
The contractor landscape for Local 34 is comprised of diverse signatory entities ranging from large-scale mechanical primes to specialized plumbing service providers. These firms handle the vast majority of the public sector work in St. Paul, including long-term maintenance contracts for state-owned facilities and major medical centers. Hiring typically follows the ebbs and flows of the regional construction cycle, with significant demand coming from renovation projects in the urban core and new commercial developments along the I-94 corridor. Signatory contractors benefit from a collective bargaining environment that stabilizes labor costs and ensures that all competing firms adhere to the same high standards for worker compensation and job site safety.
The hourly wage of $47.93 is the gross amount appearing on a paycheck before taxes. The total package of $80.41 includes that wage plus $32.48 in employer-paid benefits like pension, healthcare, and training. These fringes are paid by the contractor on top of the hourly rate and are not deducted from the employee's base pay.
Local 34 is specifically a plumbers' local. While the United Association (UA) represents various piping trades, in the Twin Cities market, plumbing work is distinctively managed by Local 34 in St. Paul. Pipefitting and steamfitting duties in the same geographic area are typically handled by a sister UA local, though the organizations often collaborate on large mechanical projects.
Travelers and transferees are managed according to the UA Constitution. A member in good standing from another local may be able to work in Local 34's jurisdiction as a traveler if there is a labor shortage. Permanent transfers usually require the approval of the Business Manager and depend on the current local unemployment list and long-term market projections.
Wage adjustments are determined by the Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiated between Local 34 and the signatory contractors. These increases usually occur annually, often in the spring. The March 2025 rate reflects the most recent scheduled adjustment, providing predictable labor costs for contractors and steady income growth for the membership throughout the term of the contract.
UA Local 34 is seated in St Paul, Minnesota (MN). We hold published wage sheets for 15 locals across Minnesota — compare nearby scales before you take a call.
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We are a commercial mechanical construction recruiting firm serving St Paul and the rest of Minnesota, including contractors signatory to UA Local 34. 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 34 pay scale for 2026 is $50.23 per hour for journeymen in St Paul, MN, or about $100,460 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $93.15 per hour. That is the rate in force for 2026, effective 01/01/2026.
UA Local 34 wages for 2026: journeyman Plumbers & Pipefitters rate of $50.23 per hour in St Paul, MN, with a total package of $93.15 per hour including fringe benefits, effective 01/01/2026. Apprentices are paid a graduated percentage of that rate. Confirm any increase since 01/01/2026 with the UA Local 34 business office.
The UA Local 34 wage sheet on this page lists the journeyman scale of $50.23 per hour ($93.15 per hour total package), effective 01/01/2026, plus the apprentice percentage steps. The official sheet is published by the UA Local 34 business office; figures here come from that published schedule, so confirm any increase dated after 01/01/2026 with the hall.
Local 34 apprentices earn a graduated percentage of the $50.23 per hour journeyman rate — typically starting near 40–50% ($22.60–$25.12 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 34 JATC, so confirm the current apprentice sheet with the training center.
Journeyman pipefitters under the UA Local 34 agreement make $50.23 an hour in base wages, or $93.15 an hour counting the fringe package, per the wage sheet effective 01/01/2026. Overtime, shift premiums, and travel or subsistence pay are added on top under the local's CBA.
$50.23 per hour base wage and $93.15 per hour total package for a journeyman in St Paul, MN, effective 01/01/2026. Annualized at 2,080 hours that is roughly $100,460 before overtime.
A Local 34 apprentice in St Paul, MN starts at roughly $22.60 an hour — about 45% of the $50.23 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $37.67 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 34 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
About $22.60 an hour, or roughly $45,207 a year at 2,080 hours, based on the standard 45% first-period step of the $50.23 journeyman rate effective 01/01/2026. Apprentices also earn benefit contributions and paid classroom progression; the JATC sets the exact percentage.
Around $32.65 an hour at the standard 65% third-period step, moving to about $37.67 an hour in the fourth period and $50.23 an hour at full journeyman scale. Confirm the published step schedule with the Local 34 training center.
Local 34 wages for 2026: $50.23 an hour on the journeyman scale, $93.15 an hour with fringe benefits added, effective 01/01/2026. That is the most recent St Paul, MN sheet we can source; rates move with each contract cycle, so confirm with the hall before quoting.
Yes — a one-page printable UA Local 34 rate sheet is available at /rate-sheets/ua-local-34-pay-scale.pdf, showing the $50.23 hourly scale, the $93.15 total package and the 01/01/2026 effective date, with the source it was read from. It is a free download — no sign-up needed.
The current UA Local 34 journeyman rate is $50.23/hour, with a total package of $93.15/hour including fringe benefits, effective 01/01/2026. At 2,080 hours that works out to roughly $100,460 per year in base wages before overtime. Rates change with each CBA cycle — confirm with the Local 34 business office before relying on the figure.
The $50.23/hour figure is the base journeyman wage that lands on the paycheck. The $93.15/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 34 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 $50.23/hour journeyman rate, a first-period apprentice would be in the $22.60–$25.12/hour range. The exact percentage schedule is set by the local's JATC.
UA Local 34 is headquartered in St Paul, MN 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 34 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 34 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 34 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 34 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 01/01/2026 schedule; check with the Local 34 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 34 against neighboring jurisdictions and other plumbers & pipefitters markets.
Yes — the openings section on this page lists current plumbers & pipefitters roles near St Paul, MN, 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 34 business office.
The UA Local 34 hall is at 353 7th St W #104, St Paul, MN 55102, serving St Paul, MN and the surrounding jurisdiction. Hall phone: 651-224-3828.
UA Local 34 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall. Call the hall at 651-224-3828 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 34 can be reached at 651-224-3828. 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 34's current application window and requirements, contact the hall at 651-224-3828.
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 651-224-3828.
We haven't found an official source for UA Local 34's dues or membership rules. To confirm, contact the hall at 651-224-3828.
We haven't found an official source for UA Local 34's member benefits. To confirm, contact the hall at 651-224-3828.
UA Local 34's sourced journeyman union rate is $50.23/hr in base wages and $93.15/hr for the total package, effective January 1, 2026. The rate applies to the listed classification and source area; apprentice, foreman and specialty classifications may differ.
$50.23/hr in base wages for journeyman, or $93.15/hr counting employer-paid benefits and fringes, effective January 1, 2026 per the Pipe Trades Services MN (fund office rate notice for UA Local 34) wage determination.
January 1, 2026. Read directly from the primary source (Pipe Trades Services MN (fund office rate notice for UA Local 34)) and cross-checked at build time. Highest confidence for offer benchmarking.
No — the $50.23/hr base is wages only. Employers contribute roughly $42.92/hr more per hour worked to health and welfare, pension, annuity and training funds, which is the difference between the base and the $93.15/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.