Journeyman pipefitters under UA Local 398 in Pomona, CA earn $53/hr in base wages, or $78.16/hr as a total package with fringe benefits, effective Oct 2023. This sheet is more than 2 years old, so confirm the current rate with the hall before quoting it.
UA Local 398 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 398 pay scale is $53.00 per hour for journeymen in Pomona, CA, or about $106,000 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $78.16 per hour. That is the last wage sheet we can source for this local — confirm the current rate with the hall.
| Local 398 journeyman hourly wage | $53.00 / hour |
|---|---|
| Total package (wage + fringe benefits) | $78.16 / hour |
| Annualized at 2,080 hours (base wage) | $106,000 / year |
| First-period apprentice (≈45–50% of scale) | $23.85–$26.50 / hour |
| Wage sheet effective | 10/18/23 |
| Classification | Combo |
A Local 398 apprentice in Pomona, CA starts at roughly $23.85 an hour — about 45% of the $53.00 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $39.75 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 398 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
| 1st period (year 1) | 45% of scale | $23.85 / hour | $47,700 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd period (year 2) | 55% of scale | $29.15 / hour | $58,300 |
| 3rd period (year 3) | 65% of scale | $34.45 / hour | $68,900 |
| 4th period (year 4) | 75% of scale | $39.75 / hour | $79,500 |
| 5th period (year 5) | 85% of scale | $45.05 / hour | $90,100 |
| Journeyman (turned out) | 100% of scale | $53.00 / hour | $106,000 |
UA Local 398 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall — call 909-945-5557 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.
UA Local 398, headquartered in Pomona, California, represents skilled plumbers and pipefitters serving the San Bernardino and Eastern Los Angeles County regions. Since 2014, Gulfstream Strategic Placements has monitored this local's role in the Southern California construction market, particularly its influence on large-scale commercial and industrial developments. Members of Local 398 are trained to handle complex piping systems, including HVAC refrigeration, medical gas, and process piping, ensuring that infrastructure projects meet high safety and quality standards. The local operates as a critical hub for labor supply in the Inland Empire, providing a stable workforce for major regional contractors and public works projects.
The market covered by Local 398 is characterized by a high volume of logistical infrastructure, healthcare facilities, and academic institutions. This local is vital to the Southern California mechanical trade landscape because it bridges the gap between the Los Angeles basin and the expanding high-desert and mountain communities. As a result, the work available to Local 398 members often includes a mix of new high-density residential plumbing, industrial cooling systems, and essential maintenance for the region's utility providers. For contractors and tradespeople, understanding Local 398 is necessary for navigating the competitive bidding environment and labor costs associated with the Inland Empire mechanical sector.
As of October 18, 2023, the UA Local 398 pay scale establishes a journeyman hourly rate of $53.00. When including benefits such as healthcare, retirement, and training funds, the total compensation package reaches $78.16 per hour. Apprentices entering the program start at a percentage of the journeyman rate, typically beginning around 40% to 45% and advancing in 5% to 10% increments every six to twelve months. These advancements are contingent upon the successful completion of both on-the-job training hours and classroom technical instruction. By the fifth year of the apprenticeship, workers generally earn approximately 85% of the full scale. This structured progression ensures that labor costs remain predictable for signatory contractors while providing a clear path to middle-class earnings for developing tradespeople.
The chartered jurisdiction of UA Local 398 centers on Pomona and extends across significant portions of San Bernardino County and the eastern edge of Los Angeles County. This territory covers a diverse geographic range, from dense urban corridors to industrial zones and residential suburbs. Work performed under the Local 398 agreement includes all plumbing, steamfitting, and pipefitting tasks on commercial, industrial, and institutional sites. Dispatch originates from the Pomona hall, and members are expected to travel throughout the Inland Empire to various project sites. The local maintains mutual respect for the boundaries of neighboring locals in Southern California, ensuring that work assignments align with the Master Labor Agreement established for the region.
The contractor landscape for UA Local 398 consists of a mix of large-scale regional mechanical primes and specialized local plumbing firms. These signatory contractors typically focus on high-utilization sectors such as hospital expansions, data centers, and educational facilities within the Inland Empire. Hiring is managed through the union's referral system, which matches qualified journeymen and apprentices with contractors based on current project demands. Because of the local's position in a high-growth corridor, many signatory firms maintain a consistent presence in the area, providing stable employment opportunities for members. This relationship ensures that contractors have access to a pool of highly trained labor that adheres to the specific safety and technical standards of the California building codes.
The hourly wage of $53.00 is the gross amount appearing on a member's paycheck before taxes. The total package of $78.16 includes an additional $25.16 in employer-paid benefits. These benefits cover essential costs like health insurance, pension contributions, and training, which are not deducted from the base wage, providing a higher overall value than non-union roles.
While Local 398 is centered in Pomona and covers parts of San Bernardino and Los Angeles Counties, Southern California UA locals often operate under shared regional agreements. For specific project locations in Riverside, members may work under the jurisdiction of a neighboring local, though Local 398 members frequently travel throughout the Inland Empire depending on contractor needs.
Wage increases are negotiated as part of the Master Labor Agreement with the a mechanical contractor Association (MCA). These increases typically occur annually or bi-annually on fixed dates. The current rate became effective in October 2023; members should check their union circulars for the next scheduled increment in the collective bargaining cycle.
Transferring into Local 398, known as 'depositing a travel card,' is subject to the local's current bylaws and the availability of work in the Pomona area. Typically, a member must be in good standing with their home local and may need to meet specific Southern California residency or certification requirements before the transfer is finalized by the Business Manager.
UA Local 398 is seated in Pomona, California (CA). We hold published wage sheets for 46 locals across California — compare nearby scales before you take a call.
We are a mechanical, plumbing and electrical construction recruiting firm serving Pomona and the rest of California, including contractors signatory to UA Local 398. 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 398 pay scale is $53.00 per hour for journeymen in Pomona, CA, or about $106,000 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $78.16 per hour. That is the last wage sheet we can source for this local — confirm the current rate with the hall.
Journeyman pipefitters under the UA Local 398 agreement make $53.00 an hour in base wages, or $78.16 an hour counting the fringe package, per the wage sheet effective 10/18/23. Overtime, shift premiums, and travel or subsistence pay are added on top under the local's CBA.
$53.00 per hour base wage and $78.16 per hour total package for a journeyman in Pomona, CA, effective 10/18/23. Annualized at 2,080 hours that is roughly $106,000 before overtime.
A Local 398 apprentice in Pomona, CA starts at roughly $23.85 an hour — about 45% of the $53.00 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $39.75 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 398 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
About $23.85 an hour, or roughly $47,700 a year at 2,080 hours, based on the standard 45% first-period step of the $53.00 journeyman rate effective 10/18/23. Apprentices also earn benefit contributions and paid classroom progression; the JATC sets the exact percentage.
Around $34.45 an hour at the standard 65% third-period step, moving to about $39.75 an hour in the fourth period and $53.00 an hour at full journeyman scale. Confirm the published step schedule with the Local 398 training center.
The current UA Local 398 journeyman rate is $53.00/hour, with a total package of $78.16/hour including fringe benefits, effective 10/18/23. At 2,080 hours that works out to roughly $106,000 per year in base wages before overtime. Rates change with each CBA cycle — confirm with the Local 398 business office before relying on the figure.
The $53.00/hour figure is the base journeyman wage that lands on the paycheck. The $78.16/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 398 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 $53.00/hour journeyman rate, a first-period apprentice would be in the $23.85–$26.50/hour range. The exact percentage schedule is set by the local's JATC.
UA Local 398 is headquartered in Pomona, 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 398 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 398 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 398 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 398 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 10/18/23 schedule; check with the Local 398 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 398 against neighboring jurisdictions and other plumbers & pipefitters markets.
The UA Local 398 hall is at 8590 Utica Ave Ste 200 Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730, serving Pomona, CA and the surrounding jurisdiction. Hall phone: 909-945-5557.
UA Local 398 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall. Call the hall at 909-945-5557 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 398 can be reached at 909-945-5557. Contact details are imported from the union's public directory listing — confirm hours with the hall.