Journeyman pipefitters under UA Local 344 in Oklahoma City, OK earn $41/hr in base wages, or $55.35/hr as a total package with fringe benefits, effective Aug 2025.
UA Local 344 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 344 pay scale for 2026 is $41.00 per hour for journeymen in Oklahoma City, OK, or about $82,000 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $55.35 per hour. That is the rate in force for 2026, effective 8/31/25.
| Local 344 journeyman hourly wage | $41.00 / hour |
|---|---|
| Total package (wage + fringe benefits) | $55.35 / hour |
| Annualized at 2,080 hours (base wage) | $82,000 / year |
| First-period apprentice (≈45–50% of scale) | $18.45–$20.50 / hour |
| Wage sheet effective | 8/31/25 |
| Classification | Combo |
A Local 344 apprentice in Oklahoma City, OK starts at roughly $18.45 an hour — about 45% of the $41.00 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $30.75 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 344 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
| 1st period (year 1) | 45% of scale | $18.45 / hour | $36,900 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd period (year 2) | 55% of scale | $22.55 / hour | $45,100 |
| 3rd period (year 3) | 65% of scale | $26.65 / hour | $53,300 |
| 4th period (year 4) | 75% of scale | $30.75 / hour | $61,500 |
| 5th period (year 5) | 85% of scale | $34.85 / hour | $69,700 |
| Journeyman (turned out) | 100% of scale | $41.00 / hour | $82,000 |
UA Local 344 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall — call 405-682-4571 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 344 represents skilled Plumbers and Pipefitters across the Oklahoma City metropolitan area and surrounding central and western Oklahoma counties. Since 2014, our recruitment team has tracked the Oklahoma piping trades, where Local 344 serves as the primary labor source for heavy industrial, commercial, and institutional projects. The union provides a standardized workforce for signatory contractors who require highly trained mechanics capable of installing complex hydronic systems, medical gas piping, and high-pressure steam lines. The market is defined by a strong mix of government infrastructure, healthcare expansions, and regional energy-related industrial facilities.
The union serves two critical functions: maintaining the high-tier wage and benefit standards for local pipe trades and overseeing the multi-year apprenticeship program that ensures a steady pipeline of journey-level talent. For the tradesperson, membership in Local 344 offers access to a collective bargaining agreement that protects safety and compensation levels in a right-to-work state. For contractors, the local provides a scalable labor pool through its hiring hall, allowing firms to staff up for large-scale projects without the overhead of permanent full-time recruitment for variable workloads. This partnership stabilizes labor costs across the Central Oklahoma construction market.
Effective August 31, 2025, the journeyman hourly rate for UA Local 344 is set at $41.00 per hour. When factoring in the fringe benefit package, the total compensation reaches $55.35 per hour. This total package includes employer-paid contributions toward health insurance, a defined-benefit pension, and specialized training funds. Apprentices enter the program at a percentage of the journeyman rate, typically starting between 45% and 55% for first-year students. As they complete classroom hours and on-the-job training milestones, their pay increases annually until reaching 100% of the scale. These fixed rates prevent wage compression and ensure that all members are compensated based on their verified skill level and time in the trade, rather than individual negotiation.
The chartered territory for UA Local 344 covers a significant portion of Oklahoma, centered on Oklahoma City. This jurisdiction extends to encompass major municipalities including Edmond, Norman, and Moore, stretching westward toward the Texas panhandle and south toward the Red River. Members dispatched through the Oklahoma City union hall work on a variety of project sites, from high-rise commercial buildings in the downtown core to large industrial processing plants in outlying areas. The agreement covers all aspects of the piping industry, including plumbing, steamfitting, pipefitting, and HVAC-R service. Travel requirements vary by contractor, but work is generally concentrated within the designated central and western Oklahoma counties as defined by the United Association charter.
The signatory contractor landscape for Local 344 consists of a diverse mix of mechanical firms ranging from large-scale prime contractors to specialized service shops. These employers include regional mechanical giants that handle massive mechanical room builds for hospitals and universities, as well as mid-sized plumbing contractors focused on commercial renovations. Because Oklahoma City is a hub for the aerospace and energy sectors, many signatory firms specialize in industrial process piping and high-purity systems. Hiring typically follows the demand of major capital projects, with the union hall managing the dispatch process to ensure contractors receive qualified welders, fitters, and plumbers who meet the specific technical requirements of each site.
The most accurate way to obtain the official pay scale PDF is to contact the UA Local 344 business office directly at their Oklahoma City headquarters. While some summaries are available online, the official dispatch documents provide the full breakdown of taxable wages, fringe benefits, and dues deductions for all classifications, including foremen and general foremen.
As of the August 31, 2025 adjustment, the journeyman hourly rate is $41.00. This is the base taxable wage and does not include the additional employer-paid benefits. When those benefits are added, the total package value is $55.35 per hour. This rate is standardized across all signatory contractors operating within the local's geographic jurisdiction.
Yes, through the Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (JATC), members have access to various United Association certifications. These include UA weld certifications, medical gas installation, backflow prevention, and various safety certifications like OSHA 30. These credentials are often required for work on industrial and healthcare sites in the Oklahoma City market.
Experienced non-union plumbers or pipefitters can often join through a process called 'organizing.' You will need to provide documentation of your years in the trade and may be required to pass a craft evaluation or journeyman exam. Contact the local's organizer to discuss how your specific experience maps to the current wage scale.
UA Local 344 is seated in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (OK). We hold published wage sheets for 6 locals across Oklahoma — compare nearby scales before you take a call.
We are a mechanical, plumbing and electrical construction recruiting firm serving Oklahoma City and the rest of Oklahoma, including contractors signatory to UA Local 344. 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 344 pay scale for 2026 is $41.00 per hour for journeymen in Oklahoma City, OK, or about $82,000 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $55.35 per hour. That is the rate in force for 2026, effective 8/31/25.
Journeyman pipefitters under the UA Local 344 agreement make $41.00 an hour in base wages, or $55.35 an hour counting the fringe package, per the wage sheet effective 8/31/25. Overtime, shift premiums, and travel or subsistence pay are added on top under the local's CBA.
$41.00 per hour base wage and $55.35 per hour total package for a journeyman in Oklahoma City, OK, effective 8/31/25. Annualized at 2,080 hours that is roughly $82,000 before overtime.
A Local 344 apprentice in Oklahoma City, OK starts at roughly $18.45 an hour — about 45% of the $41.00 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $30.75 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 344 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
About $18.45 an hour, or roughly $36,900 a year at 2,080 hours, based on the standard 45% first-period step of the $41.00 journeyman rate effective 8/31/25. Apprentices also earn benefit contributions and paid classroom progression; the JATC sets the exact percentage.
Around $26.65 an hour at the standard 65% third-period step, moving to about $30.75 an hour in the fourth period and $41.00 an hour at full journeyman scale. Confirm the published step schedule with the Local 344 training center.
The current UA Local 344 journeyman rate is $41.00/hour, with a total package of $55.35/hour including fringe benefits, effective 8/31/25. At 2,080 hours that works out to roughly $82,000 per year in base wages before overtime. Rates change with each CBA cycle — confirm with the Local 344 business office before relying on the figure.
The $41.00/hour figure is the base journeyman wage that lands on the paycheck. The $55.35/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 344 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 $41.00/hour journeyman rate, a first-period apprentice would be in the $18.45–$20.50/hour range. The exact percentage schedule is set by the local's JATC.
UA Local 344 is headquartered in Oklahoma City, OK 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 344 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 344 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 344 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 344 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 8/31/25 schedule; check with the Local 344 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 344 against neighboring jurisdictions and other plumbers & pipefitters markets.
The UA Local 344 hall is at 4335 S W 44th St Oklahoma City, OK 73119, serving Oklahoma City, OK and the surrounding jurisdiction. Hall phone: 405-682-4571.
UA Local 344 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall. Call the hall at 405-682-4571 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 344 can be reached at 405-682-4571. Contact details are imported from the union's public directory listing — confirm hours with the hall.