Journeyman plumbers under UA Local 38 in San Francisco, CA earn $91/hr in base wages, or $91/hr as a total package with fringe benefits, effective Aug 2025.
UA Local 38 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 38 pay scale for 2026 is $91.00 per hour for journeymen in San Francisco, CA, or about $182,000 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $91.00 per hour. That is the rate in force for 2026, effective 8/22/25.
| Local 38 journeyman hourly wage | $91.00 / hour |
|---|---|
| Total package (wage + fringe benefits) | $91.00 / hour |
| Annualized at 2,080 hours (base wage) | $182,000 / year |
| First-period apprentice (≈45–50% of scale) | $40.95–$45.50 / hour |
| Wage sheet effective | 8/22/25 |
| Classification | Combo |
A Local 38 apprentice in San Francisco, CA starts at roughly $40.95 an hour — about 45% of the $91.00 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $68.25 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 38 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
| 1st period (year 1) | 45% of scale | $40.95 / hour | $81,900 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd period (year 2) | 55% of scale | $50.05 / hour | $100,100 |
| 3rd period (year 3) | 65% of scale | $59.15 / hour | $118,300 |
| 4th period (year 4) | 75% of scale | $68.25 / hour | $136,500 |
| 5th period (year 5) | 85% of scale | $77.35 / hour | $154,700 |
| Journeyman (turned out) | 100% of scale | $91.00 / hour | $182,000 |
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Local 38 wages: $91.00 an hour on the journeyman scale, $91.00 an hour with fringe benefits added, effective 8/22/25. That is the most recent San Francisco, CA sheet we can source; rates move with each contract cycle, so confirm with the hall before quoting.
Roughly 0% of the UA Local 38 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.
Download the UA Local 38 pay scale (PDF) — one-page printable rate sheet, effective August 22, 2025.
| Benefit & fringe contributions | $0.00/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 38 scale used across the San Francisco, 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 San Francisco metro, so a plumbers wage quoted locally is normally this scale plus the fringe package shown in the table.
Gulfstream recruits plumbers talent for commercial mechanical, plumbing, piping, sheet metal and building automation contractors in and around San Francisco. We are a private recruiting firm — we do not dispatch, set, or negotiate Local 38 rates. For current San Francisco scale, dispatch standing, or apprenticeship intake, contact the hall directly.
UA Local 38 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall — call 415-626-2000 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 38 represents the highly skilled plumbers, pipefitters, and HVAC technicians serving the City and County of San Francisco along with Marin, Sonoma, Mendocino, and Lake counties. As one of the most prominent labor organizations in Northern California, Local 38 sets the standard for high-density urban plumbing and complex mechanical systems. The local is instrumental in maintaining the aging infrastructure of the peninsula while facilitating the massive high-rise developments that define the skyline. Its members operate under rigorous safety standards and technical requirements unique to the seismic and density challenges of the Bay Area market.
Since 2014, Gulfstream Strategic Placements has monitored the labor landscape for Local 38, noting its influence on prevailing wage rates across the West Coast. The local maintains a robust presence in both the private commercial sector and public works, ensuring that large-scale infrastructure projects, healthcare facilities, and biotech laboratories have access to a qualified workforce. Because the San Francisco market is characterized by high living costs and extreme technical complexity, the union focuses heavily on continuous education and workforce development. This ensures that signatory contractors remain competitive by utilizing a workforce capable of executing intricate piping layouts and sustainable water management systems.
The wage schedule for UA Local 38 reflects the specialized nature of the San Francisco labor market, with a journeyman hourly rate of $91.00 effective August 22, 2025. It is important to note that the total package figure provided matches the hourly wage, suggesting the fringes are either managed via a distinct employer-paid structure or are inclusive of the taxable rate; users should verify the exact breakdown of the $91.00 total with the business office. Apprentices enter the program at a percentage of the journeyman rate, typically starting at 40% to 50% and receiving incremental raises every six to twelve months as they complete required OJT hours and classroom modules. This progression ensures that as a worker's proficiency in complex hydronic and sanitary systems increases, their compensation reflects their growing value to the signatory mechanical firms.
The territorial jurisdiction of UA Local 38 is extensive, covering the core urban center of San Francisco and extending north through the diverse landscapes of Marin, Sonoma, Mendocino, and Lake counties. This creates a wide variety of work environments, ranging from zero-lot-line skyscraper construction in the Financial District to sprawling industrial and agricultural piping projects in the northern reaches. The local manages dispatch for all covered plumbing, steamfitting, and refrigeration work within these borders. Members may find themselves assigned to seismic retrofitting projects in historic buildings or new construction within the biotech hubs. Contractors operating within this jurisdiction must adhere to the specific terms regarding travel pay and subsistence as outlined in the Master Labor Agreement.
The signatory landscape for UA Local 38 is comprised of approximately 125 active contractors, ranging from massive multi-state mechanical primes to specialized local plumbing shops. These firms handle a vast array of projects, including high-rise residential towers, municipal water treatment facilities, and critical healthcare infrastructure. Hiring cycles often follow the progression of major commercial developments in the South of Market (SoMa) area and public infrastructure upgrades throughout the peninsula. Because the technical requirements in San Francisco are among the most stringent in the nation, signatory contractors rely on the local's training center to supply labor that is pre-certified in advanced welding, medical gas, and green building technologies.
The focus is split between high-density commercial construction and critical infrastructure. Members specialize in high-rise plumbing, seismic-resistant piping systems, and sophisticated HVAC controls. There is also significant volume in the biotechnology and healthcare sectors, requiring specialized certifications in medical gas and high-purity piping often found in the Bay Area's research facilities.
Yes, through their Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee, the local provides advanced training in welding, backflow prevention, medical gas installation, and instrumentation. These certifications are vital for members to remain eligible for dispatch to specialized projects like hospital expansions or pharmaceutical plant builds that require documented proficiency in specific codes.
Local 38 typically commands one of the highest hourly rates in the nation, reflecting the extreme cost of living and the technical demands of the San Francisco market. While neighboring locals also have high scales, Local 38 often serves as a benchmark for the region's labor costs in the mechanical and plumbing trades.
Contractors gain access to a pool of over 125 signatory firms and a highly trained workforce capable of meeting San Francisco's complex building codes. However, they must account for the specific wage escalations and fringe benefit contributions mandated by the Master Labor Agreement, which are structured to support the local's extensive training and pension facilities.
UA Local 38 is seated in San Francisco, California (CA). We hold published wage sheets for 46 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 38. 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 San Francisco and the rest of California, including contractors signatory to UA Local 38. 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 38 pay scale for 2026 is $91.00 per hour for journeymen in San Francisco, CA, or about $182,000 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $91.00 per hour. That is the rate in force for 2026, effective 8/22/25.
Journeyman plumbers under the UA Local 38 agreement make $91.00 an hour in base wages, or $91.00 an hour counting the fringe package, per the wage sheet effective 8/22/25. Overtime, shift premiums, and travel or subsistence pay are added on top under the local's CBA.
$91.00 per hour base wage and $91.00 per hour total package for a journeyman in San Francisco, CA, effective 8/22/25. Annualized at 2,080 hours that is roughly $182,000 before overtime.
A Local 38 apprentice in San Francisco, CA starts at roughly $40.95 an hour — about 45% of the $91.00 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $68.25 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 38 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
About $40.95 an hour, or roughly $81,900 a year at 2,080 hours, based on the standard 45% first-period step of the $91.00 journeyman rate effective 8/22/25. Apprentices also earn benefit contributions and paid classroom progression; the JATC sets the exact percentage.
Around $59.15 an hour at the standard 65% third-period step, moving to about $68.25 an hour in the fourth period and $91.00 an hour at full journeyman scale. Confirm the published step schedule with the Local 38 training center.
Local 38 wages: $91.00 an hour on the journeyman scale, $91.00 an hour with fringe benefits added, effective 8/22/25. That is the most recent San Francisco, CA sheet we can source; rates move with each contract cycle, so confirm with the hall before quoting.
The current published UA Local 38 journeyman rate is $91.00 an hour ($91.00 total package), effective 8/22/25 — roughly $182,000 a year at 2,080 hours before overtime. Confirm the effective agreement with the local.
Yes — a one-page printable UA Local 38 rate sheet is available at /rate-sheets/ua-local-38-pay-scale.pdf, showing the $91.00 hourly scale, the $91.00 total package and the 8/22/25 effective date, with the source it was read from. It is a free download — no sign-up needed.
The current UA Local 38 journeyman rate is $91.00/hour, with a total package of $91.00/hour including fringe benefits, effective 8/22/25. At 2,080 hours that works out to roughly $182,000 per year in base wages before overtime. Rates change with each CBA cycle — confirm with the Local 38 business office before relying on the figure.
The $91.00/hour figure is the base journeyman wage that lands on the paycheck. The $91.00/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, steamfitters & hvac/r labor costs across locals.
Apprentices under the UA Local 38 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 $91.00/hour journeyman rate, a first-period apprentice would be in the $40.95–$45.50/hour range. The exact percentage schedule is set by the local's JATC.
UA Local 38 is headquartered in San Francisco, CA and dispatches plumbers, steamfitters & hvac/r 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, steamfitters & hvac/r work. Some Local 38 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 38 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 38 training center directly.
Plumbers, Steamfitters & HVAC/R 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 38 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, steamfitters & hvac/r 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 8/22/25 schedule; check with the Local 38 business office for any increase that has taken effect since.
We track 125 signatory contractors working under the UA Local 38 agreement, listed on this page with their websites and LinkedIn pages. Signatory shops are the employers legally able to hire Local 38 members and pay the negotiated scale.
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 38 against neighboring jurisdictions and other plumbers, steamfitters & hvac/r markets.
The UA Local 38 hall is at 1621 Market St San Francisco, CA 94103, serving San Francisco, CA and the surrounding jurisdiction. Hall phone: 415-626-2000.
UA Local 38 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall. Call the hall at 415-626-2000 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 38 can be reached at 415-626-2000. Contact details are imported from the union's public directory listing — confirm hours with the hall.
$91.00/hr in base wages for combo, or $91.00/hr counting employer-paid benefits and fringes, effective August 22, 2025 per the unionpayscales.com wage sheet.
August 22, 2025. 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 $91.00/hr base is wages only. Employers contribute roughly $0.00/hr more per hour worked to health and welfare, pension, annuity and training funds, which is the difference between the base and the $91.00/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 1, 2026 (13 days ago). Always confirm the current step with the hall before relying on it for an offer.