UA Local 38 pays plumber, steamfitter, refrigeration fitter (san francisco county) members $85.50/hr in straight-time wages, and $134.48/hr once benefit and fringe contributions are added, effective July 1, 2023 per the U.S. DOL Davis-Bacon determinations CA20260018 rev. 8 and CA20260007 rev. 5 wage determination. Rates change with each contract cycle, confirm the current step with the San Francisco, CA hall before quoting an offer.
UA Local 38 Plumber, steamfitter, refrigeration fitter (San Francisco County), effective July 1, 2023 · source U.S. DOL Davis-Bacon determinations CA20260018 rev. 8 and CA20260007 rev. 5
| Base hourly wage | $85.50/hr | Straight-time plumber, steamfitter, refrigeration fitter (san francisco county) rate on the current wage determination, before fringes. |
|---|---|---|
| Total package | $134.48/hr | Wage plus all employer-paid benefit and fringe contributions per hour worked. |
| Approximate annual wage | $171,000/yr | Derived: base hourly × 2,000 hours. Actual earnings depend on hours dispatched, overtime and travel. |
| Effective date | July 1, 2023 | Date this rate took effect under the agreement, as printed on the U.S. DOL Davis-Bacon determinations CA20260018 rev. 8 and CA20260007 rev. 5 wage determination. |
| Classification | Plumber, steamfitter, refrigeration fitter (San Francisco County) | Rate applies to this classification only. Apprentice steps, foremen and shift work are paid on separate lines of the wage determination. |
No hall-specific rule statement is held for this local. Dues, admission, referral procedures and coverage are not inferred from other locals.
These are recorded source statements, not a complete or newly verified rulebook. Confirm current dues, membership eligibility, apprenticeship intake, dispatch and jurisdiction directly with the hall. Gulfstream is independent and does not set rates or run union dispatch.
Verified: source names this local
| Classification | Base/hr | Fringe/hr | Total package/hr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plumber, steamfitter, refrigeration fitter (San Francisco County) | $85.50 | $48.98 | $134.48 |
| Plumber, steamfitter, refrigeration fitter, new construction (Marin and Sonoma counties, CA20260007) | $91.00 | $49.40 | $140.40 |
| Market recovery rate, wood-frame 5 stories or less, refrigeration service and repair (Marin and Sonoma counties, CA20260007) | $69.70 | $46.38 | $116.08 |
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Membership and apprenticeship applications are handled by UA Local 38 directly, not by Gulfstream. Call the hall at 415-626-2000 to ask about current intake.
Address: 1621 MARKET ST SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103. Phone: 415-626-2000.
Roughly 36% 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.
| Benefit & fringe contributions | $48.98/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. |
Effective: July 1, 2023 · Stale, verify
U.S. DOL Davis-Bacon determinations CA20260018 rev. 8 and CA20260007 rev. 5 still carries this rate, but the negotiated line is over three years old and a new CBA cycle is almost certainly in force. Treat it as a floor, not a quote, call the local for the current step.
Last cross-checked against the source: Oct 5, 2026.
View the U.S. DOL Davis-Bacon determinations CA20260018 rev. 8 and CA20260007 rev. 5 source
UA Local 38, 1621 Market St San Francisco, CA 94103. 415-626-2000. Gulfstream is a private recruiting firm, we do not run dispatch and we do not set union rates.
UA Local 38's sourced plumber, steamfitter, refrigeration fitter (san francisco county) union rate is $85.50/hr in base wages and $134.48/hr for the total package, effective July 1, 2023. The rate applies to the listed classification and source area; apprentice, foreman and specialty classifications may differ.
$85.50/hr in base wages for plumber, steamfitter, refrigeration fitter (san francisco county), or $134.48/hr counting employer-paid benefits and fringes, effective July 1, 2023 per the U.S. DOL Davis-Bacon determinations CA20260018 rev. 8 and CA20260007 rev. 5 wage determination.
July 1, 2023. U.S. DOL Davis-Bacon determinations CA20260018 rev. 8 and CA20260007 rev. 5 still carries this rate, but the negotiated line is over three years old and a new CBA cycle is almost certainly in force. Treat it as a floor, not a quote, call the local for the current step.
No, the $85.50/hr base is wages only. Employers contribute roughly $48.98/hr more per hour worked to health and welfare, pension, annuity and training funds, which is the difference between the base and the $134.48/hr package.
No. Gulfstream Strategic Placements is a private MEP 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.
Stale, verify, last cross-checked against the source on Oct 5, 2026 (1 month ago). Always confirm the current step with the hall before relying on it for an offer.
We fill union-covered and salaried roles for union and merit-shop mechanical contractors: project managers, superintendents, estimators and service staff. Hall dispatch stays with the local.