Journeyman pipefitters under UA Local 342 in Oakland, CA earn $83.40/hr in base wages, or $128.40/hr as a total package with fringe benefits, effective Jul 2026.
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UA Local 342 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 342 pay scale for 2026 is $83.40 per hour for journeymen in Oakland, CA, or about $166,800 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $128.40 per hour. That is the rate in force for 2026, effective 7/26/26.
| Local 342 journeyman hourly wage | $83.40 / hour |
|---|---|
| Total package (wage + fringe benefits) | $128.40 / hour |
| Annualized at 2,080 hours (base wage) | $166,800 / year |
| First-period apprentice (≈45–50% of scale) | $37.53–$41.70 / hour |
| Wage sheet effective | 7/26/26 |
| Classification | Combo |
A Local 342 apprentice in Oakland, CA starts at roughly $37.53 an hour — about 45% of the $83.40 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $62.55 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 342 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
| 1st period (year 1) | 45% of scale | $37.53 / hour | $75,060 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd period (year 2) | 55% of scale | $45.87 / hour | $91,740 |
| 3rd period (year 3) | 65% of scale | $54.21 / hour | $108,420 |
| 4th period (year 4) | 75% of scale | $62.55 / hour | $125,100 |
| 5th period (year 5) | 85% of scale | $70.89 / hour | $141,780 |
| Journeyman (turned out) | 100% of scale | $83.40 / hour | $166,800 |
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Local 342 wages: $83.40 an hour on the journeyman scale, $128.40 an hour with fringe benefits added, effective 7/26/26. That is the most recent Oakland, CA sheet we can source; rates move with each contract cycle, so confirm with the hall before quoting.
Roughly 35% of the UA Local 342 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.
Unverified: crowd-sourced figure (unionpayscales.com), not confirmed against the local's own wage sheet
Download the UA Local 342 pay scale (PDF) — one-page printable rate sheet, effective July 26, 2026.
| Benefit & fringe contributions | $45.00/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 342 scale used across the Oakland, CA 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 Oakland 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 Oakland. We are a private recruiting firm — we do not dispatch, set, or negotiate Local 342 rates. For current Oakland scale, dispatch standing, or apprenticeship intake, contact the hall directly.
UA Local 342 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall — call 925-686-5880 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 342 represents the highly skilled plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters serving the East Bay region of Northern California. Headquartered in Concord and serving the broader Oakland market, this local is a powerhouse in the industrial and commercial sectors. Their members provide critical infrastructure support for the region's massive refinery row, high-tech manufacturing facilities, and extensive healthcare networks. The union's presence is vital to the Bay Area's economic stability, ensuring that complex piping systems in heavy industrial environments and high-rise commercial developments are installed to the highest safety and quality standards since 2014 and earlier.
The market for Local 342 members is defined by high-value projects and a demanding regulatory environment. From the Port of Oakland's maritime requirements to the specialized process piping needed for the region's biotech hubs, the technical breadth of this local is significant. Contractors signatory to Local 342 access a workforce trained in advanced welding, HVACR service, and specialized plumbing systems. Because the East Bay serves as a logistics and industrial hub for California, the demand for Union-trained pipe trades professionals remains constant, supported by rigorous apprenticeship programs and continuous journeyman upgrading at their dedicated training facilities.
The UA Local 342 pay scale is among the most competitive in the United States, reflecting the high cost of living and technical requirements of the San Francisco Bay Area. As of the July 26, 2026 effective date, the journeyman hourly rate is established at $83.40, contributing to a comprehensive total package of $128.40 per hour when including fringes. Local 342 apprenticeship wages are structured as a percentage of this journeyman scale, typically starting at 40-45% for first-year recruits and increasing in 5% to 10% increments as the apprentice completes required classroom hours and on-the-job training milestones. This progression ensures that as a worker's skill set expands, their compensation reflects their increased value to the signatory mechanical primes and industrial contractors operating within the jurisdiction.
UA Local 342 holds a chartered jurisdiction that primarily covers Alameda and Contra Costa counties. This territory includes the major urban and industrial centers of Oakland, Berkeley, Concord, Richmond, and Walnut Creek. The work covered under their collective bargaining agreement spans a wide range of environments, including oil refineries, chemical plants, wastewater treatment facilities, and large-scale commercial HVAC installations. Dispatch for members is handled through the union hall, where manpower is allocated to signatory contractors based on project demand and specialized certifications. The jurisdiction's unique geography requires members to be mobile across the East Bay, moving between inland industrial corridors and coastal commercial zones.
The signatory contractor landscape for Local 342 is diverse, ranging from global industrial construction firms to specialized regional mechanical shops. Large-scale mechanical primes dominate the heavy industrial work in the Richmond and Martinez refinery corridors, while mid-sized commercial contractors focus on the dense urban development in downtown Oakland. The market also supports a robust group of service-oriented contractors who maintain the complex HVAC and plumbing systems of the East Bay's educational and government institutions. Hiring is typically driven by project cycles, with significant surges in manpower requirements during refinery shutdowns, turnarounds, and major infrastructure upgrades across the two-county territory.
The Local 342 holiday schedule generally follows standard building trades observations, including New Year's Day, Presidents' Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. If a holiday falls on a weekend, it is typically observed on the preceding Friday or following Monday. You should verify the specific 2026 calendar with the union hall to account for contract-specific 'bridge days' or floating holidays.
UA Local 342 wages are among the highest in the nation due to the technical demands of the Oakland and East Bay industrial sectors. With a total package of $128.40, the rates are comparable to other Bay Area locals like UA 38 and UA 467. These rates reflect the specialized certifications required for refinery work and high-density commercial construction prevalent in this jurisdiction.
The total package of $128.40 includes the $83.40 taxable hourly wage plus $45.00 in employer-paid fringes. These fringes cover health insurance, multiple retirement vehicles (pension and annuity), and the training fund. Unlike non-union roles where these costs are deducted from the gross pay, these benefits are paid by the contractor in addition to the hourly wage.
The official Local 342 union contract, or Master Labor Agreement, is available to members and signatory contractors through the union’s administrative office in Concord. This document outlines work rules, travel pay, overtime provisions, and the full schedule of wage increases. Non-members looking to benchmark labor costs should contact the a mechanical contractor Association for relevant summaries.
UA Local 342 is seated in Oakland, California (CA). We hold published wage sheets for 49 locals across California — compare nearby scales before you take a call.
Gulfstream Strategic Placements recruits mechanical construction and service staff for contractors across Bay Area, CA, including shops signatory to UA Local 342. See the roles we fill there, how the search runs and what it costs: Bay Area mechanical recruiter. Post a role.
We are a mechanical, plumbing and electrical construction recruiting firm serving Oakland and the rest of California, including contractors signatory to UA Local 342. 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 342 pay scale for 2026 is $83.40 per hour for journeymen in Oakland, CA, or about $166,800 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $128.40 per hour. That is the rate in force for 2026, effective 7/26/26.
Journeyman pipefitters under the UA Local 342 agreement make $83.40 an hour in base wages, or $128.40 an hour counting the fringe package, per the wage sheet effective 7/26/26. Overtime, shift premiums, and travel or subsistence pay are added on top under the local's CBA.
$83.40 per hour base wage and $128.40 per hour total package for a journeyman in Oakland, CA, effective 7/26/26. Annualized at 2,080 hours that is roughly $166,800 before overtime.
A Local 342 apprentice in Oakland, CA starts at roughly $37.53 an hour — about 45% of the $83.40 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $62.55 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 342 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
About $37.53 an hour, or roughly $75,060 a year at 2,080 hours, based on the standard 45% first-period step of the $83.40 journeyman rate effective 7/26/26. Apprentices also earn benefit contributions and paid classroom progression; the JATC sets the exact percentage.
Around $54.21 an hour at the standard 65% third-period step, moving to about $62.55 an hour in the fourth period and $83.40 an hour at full journeyman scale. Confirm the published step schedule with the Local 342 training center.
Local 342 wages: $83.40 an hour on the journeyman scale, $128.40 an hour with fringe benefits added, effective 7/26/26. That is the most recent Oakland, CA sheet we can source; rates move with each contract cycle, so confirm with the hall before quoting.
The current published UA Local 342 journeyman rate is $83.40 an hour ($128.40 total package), effective 7/26/26 — roughly $166,800 a year at 2,080 hours before overtime. Confirm the effective agreement with the local.
Yes — a one-page printable UA Local 342 rate sheet is available at /rate-sheets/ua-local-342-pay-scale.pdf, showing the $83.40 hourly scale, the $128.40 total package and the 7/26/26 effective date, with the source it was read from. It is a free download — no sign-up needed.
The current UA Local 342 journeyman rate is $83.40/hour, with a total package of $128.40/hour including fringe benefits, effective 7/26/26. At 2,080 hours that works out to roughly $166,800 per year in base wages before overtime. Rates change with each CBA cycle — confirm with the Local 342 business office before relying on the figure.
The $83.40/hour figure is the base journeyman wage that lands on the paycheck. The $128.40/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 342 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 $83.40/hour journeyman rate, a first-period apprentice would be in the $37.53–$41.70/hour range. The exact percentage schedule is set by the local's JATC.
UA Local 342 is headquartered in Oakland, CA 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 342 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 342 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 342 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 342 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 7/26/26 schedule; check with the Local 342 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 342 against neighboring jurisdictions and other plumbers & pipefitters markets.
The UA Local 342 hall is at 935 Detroit Ave Concord, CA 94518, serving Oakland, CA and the surrounding jurisdiction. Hall phone: 925-686-5880.
UA Local 342 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall. Call the hall at 925-686-5880 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 342 can be reached at 925-686-5880. Contact details are imported from the union's public directory listing — confirm hours with the hall.
$83.40/hr in base wages for combo, or $128.40/hr counting employer-paid benefits and fringes, effective July 26, 2026 per the unionpayscales.com wage sheet.
July 26, 2026. Pulled from the local's current published CBA wage sheet on unionpayscales.com and cross-checked at build time. High confidence for offer benchmarking.
No — the $83.40/hr base is wages only. Employers contribute roughly $45.00/hr more per hour worked to health and welfare, pension, annuity and training funds, which is the difference between the base and the $128.40/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 Sep 23, 2026 (7 days ago). Always confirm the current step with the hall before relying on it for an offer.