Journeyman pipefitters under UA Local 52 in Montgomery, AL earn $31.30/hr in base wages, effective Aug 2025.
UA Local 52 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 52 pay scale for 2026 is $31.30 per hour for journeymen in Montgomery, AL, or about $62,600 a year at 2,080 hours. That is the rate in force for 2026, effective 8/31/25.
| Local 52 journeyman hourly wage | $31.30 / hour |
|---|---|
| Annualized at 2,080 hours (base wage) | $62,600 / year |
| First-period apprentice (≈45–50% of scale) | $14.09–$15.65 / hour |
| Wage sheet effective | 8/31/25 |
| Classification | Plumbers |
A Local 52 apprentice in Montgomery, AL starts at roughly $14.09 an hour — about 45% of the $31.30 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $23.48 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 52 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
| 1st period (year 1) | 45% of scale | $14.09 / hour | $28,170 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd period (year 2) | 55% of scale | $17.22 / hour | $34,430 |
| 3rd period (year 3) | 65% of scale | $20.35 / hour | $40,690 |
| 4th period (year 4) | 75% of scale | $23.48 / hour | $46,950 |
| 5th period (year 5) | 85% of scale | $26.61 / hour | $53,210 |
| Journeyman (turned out) | 100% of scale | $31.30 / hour | $62,600 |
UA Local 52 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall — call 334-272-9500 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 52 represents skilled plumbers and pipefitters across central Alabama, maintaining a headquarters in Montgomery. Since 2014, Gulfstream Strategic Placements has tracked the skilled labor market in this region, noting the critical role the local plays in industrial and commercial infrastructure. The union provides a steady pipeline of certified manpower for projects ranging from municipal water systems and healthcare facilities to heavy industrial manufacturing plants. By establishing standardized training and safety protocols, the local ensures that the mechanical systems driving Alabama's capital city and surrounding regions are installed to the highest industry codes.
The market for pipefitters and plumbers in Montgomery is influenced by both public sector construction and private industrial expansion. Local 52 serves as a central hub for workforce development, offering signatory contractors access to a pool of craftspeople who have undergone rigorous multi-year training programs. This relationship between labor and management helps stabilize project timelines and budgets across the jurisdiction. As the region continues to attract automotive and aerospace support industries, the demand for high-pressure piping, process piping, and complex domestic water systems remains a consistent driver for the local union's membership and its signatory partner firms.
["The UA Local 52 pay scale is set to reach a journeyman hourly rate of $31.30 effective August 31, 2025. This base rate is one component of a total compensation package that includes employer-paid benefits, which are standard for the United Association. Apprentices entering the program do not start at full scale; instead, they earn a progressive percentage of the journeyman rate that increases annually as they complete required classroom hours and on-the-job training milestones. Most UA programs start first-year apprentices at approximately 45% to 50% of the journeyman rate, with increments awarded until the fifth year of completion. Members should contact the Local 52 business office in Montgomery to verify the current total package value, including pension and health contributions, which add significant value beyond the hourly check."]
["The jurisdiction for UA Local 52 covers a significant portion of central and south-central Alabama, centered around the Montgomery metropolitan area. This territory includes work involving the installation, maintenance, and repair of all piping systems, from high-pressure steam lines in industrial settings to complex medical gas systems in regional hospitals. Members are dispatched to job sites across various counties, often requiring travel to support large-scale mechanical primes working on state infrastructure. The charter covers a diverse range of environments, ensuring that signatory contractors can utilize union labor for commercial plumbing, industrial pipefitting, and specialized HVAC piping throughout the designated multi-county region."]
["The signatory contractor landscape for UA Local 52 consists of a mix of large-scale mechanical primes and specialized local shops. These firms range from national contractors managing massive industrial builds to regional HVAC and plumbing companies focused on commercial service and tenant improvements. Signatory contractors benefit from a flexible labor pool that can be scaled based on project demands, which is essential for managing the peak manpower needs of large industrial outages or new institutional construction. Hiring typically occurs through the union referral system, where contractors request specific skill sets such as certified welders, licensed plumbers, or experienced pipefitters to meet their contractual obligations."]
Plumbers in Local 52 generally focus on potable water, drainage, and gas systems in residential, commercial, and institutional buildings. Pipefitters, or steamfitters, primarily handle high-pressure systems, industrial process piping, and HVAC heating and cooling loops. While the training programs overlap in basic mechanical skills, each path leads to specific state certifications and specialized roles on the job site.
Yes, through the Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (JATC), Local 52 provides members with access to UA certified welder testing. These certifications are recognized nationally and allow pipefitters to work on high-stakes projects involving orbital welding, TIG, MIG, and stick welding. Staying current with these certifications is a primary way for members to increase their employability and value to signatory contractors.
Wage increases are determined by the Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiated between the union and the signatory contractors. These increases are typically scheduled annually or bi-annually and may be split between the hourly take-home pay and the fringe benefit funds. The upcoming adjustment on August 31, 2025, reflects the negotiated progression to keep wages competitive with the cost of living and regional industry standards.
Travelers and members looking to transfer into UA Local 52 must follow the procedures outlined in the UA Constitution. This usually involves contacting the Business Manager at the Montgomery hall to discuss work availability and current jurisdiction needs. While travelers are often utilized during peak project demands, a permanent transfer typically requires a period of residency and approval from the local's executive board.
UA Local 52 is seated in Montgomery, Alabama (AL). We hold published wage sheets for 5 locals across Alabama — compare nearby scales before you take a call.
We are a mechanical, plumbing and electrical construction recruiting firm serving Montgomery and the rest of Alabama, including contractors signatory to UA Local 52. 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 52 pay scale for 2026 is $31.30 per hour for journeymen in Montgomery, AL, or about $62,600 a year at 2,080 hours. That is the rate in force for 2026, effective 8/31/25.
Journeyman pipefitters under the UA Local 52 agreement make $31.30 an hour in base wages, 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.
$31.30 per hour base wage for a journeyman in Montgomery, AL, effective 8/31/25. Annualized at 2,080 hours that is roughly $62,600 before overtime.
A Local 52 apprentice in Montgomery, AL starts at roughly $14.09 an hour — about 45% of the $31.30 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $23.48 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 52 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
About $14.09 an hour, or roughly $28,170 a year at 2,080 hours, based on the standard 45% first-period step of the $31.30 journeyman rate effective 8/31/25. Apprentices also earn benefit contributions and paid classroom progression; the JATC sets the exact percentage.
Around $20.35 an hour at the standard 65% third-period step, moving to about $23.48 an hour in the fourth period and $31.30 an hour at full journeyman scale. Confirm the published step schedule with the Local 52 training center.
The current UA Local 52 journeyman rate is $31.30/hour, effective 8/31/25. At 2,080 hours that works out to roughly $62,600 per year in base wages before overtime. Rates change with each CBA cycle — confirm with the Local 52 business office before relying on the figure.
Apprentices under the UA Local 52 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 $31.30/hour journeyman rate, a first-period apprentice would be in the $14.09–$15.65/hour range. The exact percentage schedule is set by the local's JATC.
UA Local 52 is headquartered in Montgomery, AL 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 52 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 52 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 52 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 52 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 52 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 52 against neighboring jurisdictions and other plumbers & pipefitters markets.
The UA Local 52 hall is at Po Box 211105 Montgomery, AL 36121, serving Montgomery, AL and the surrounding jurisdiction. Hall phone: 334-272-9500.
UA Local 52 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall. Call the hall at 334-272-9500 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 52 can be reached at 334-272-9500. Contact details are imported from the union's public directory listing — confirm hours with the hall.