Journeyman pipefitters under UA Local 537 in Boston, MA earn $66.58/hr in base wages, or $105.80/hr as a total package with fringe benefits, effective Mar 2025.
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The Local 537 pay scale for 2026 is $66.58 per hour for journeymen in Boston, MA, or about $133,160 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $105.80 per hour. That is the rate in force for 2026, effective 03/01/2025.
| Local 537 journeyman hourly wage | $66.58 / hour |
|---|---|
| Total package (wage + fringe benefits) | $105.80 / hour |
| Annualized at 2,080 hours (base wage) | $133,160 / year |
| First-period apprentice (≈45 to 50% of scale) | $29.96 to $33.29 / hour |
| Wage sheet effective | 03/01/2025 |
| Classification | Pipefitter (Essex, Middlesex, Norfolk and Suffolk towns listed in the line, including Boston) |
Apply now | Gulfstream places plumbers & pipefitters candidates with mechanical contractors. These are direct-hire contractor roles, not union dispatch.
A Local 537 apprentice in Boston, MA starts at roughly $29.96 an hour, about 45% of the $66.58 journeyman scale, and steps up each period, reaching around $49.94 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 537 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
| 1st period (year 1) | 45% of scale | $29.96 / hour | $59,922 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd period (year 2) | 55% of scale | $36.62 / hour | $73,238 |
| 3rd period (year 3) | 65% of scale | $43.28 / hour | $86,554 |
| 4th period (year 4) | 75% of scale | $49.94 / hour | $99,870 |
| 5th period (year 5) | 85% of scale | $56.59 / hour | $113,186 |
| Journeyman (turned out) | 100% of scale | $66.58 / hour | $133,160 |
Active Gulfstream trade listings in the local's state, with Boston listings first when available. Jobs elsewhere in the state are not necessarily near this hall. Union status is not verified for these jobs; confirm with your recruiter.
UA Local 537 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.
UA Local 537 pay rates and union rules
UA Local 537 does not post an online application we could verify; contact the hall by phone for dispatch or apprenticeship. To be considered for direct-hire roles with mechanical, electrical and sheet metal contractors in this area, apply to Gulfstream. This is not an application to the union.
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Local 537 wages for 2025: $66.58 an hour on the journeyman scale, $105.80 an hour with fringe benefits added, effective 03/01/2025. That is the most recent Boston, MA sheet we can source; rates move with each contract cycle, so confirm with the hall before quoting.
Roughly 37% of the UA Local 537 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.
Verified from official source: U.S. DOL Davis-Bacon determination MA20260001, rev. 1
Download the UA Local 537 pay scale (PDF), one-page printable rate sheet, effective March 1, 2025.
| Benefit & fringe contributions | $39.22/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 537 scale used across the Boston, MA 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 Boston metro, so a pipefitters wage quoted locally is normally this scale plus the fringe package shown in the table.
Gulfstream recruits pipefitters talent for commercial mechanical, electrical, plumbing, piping, sheet metal and building automation contractors in and around Boston. We are a private recruiting firm, we do not dispatch, set, or negotiate Local 537 rates. For current Boston scale, dispatch standing, or apprenticeship intake, contact the hall directly.
UA Local 537 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall, call 617-787-5370 to confirm dispatch procedure, 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 537, the Pipefitters, Refrigeration, and Air Conditioning Service Technicians of Boston, represents a specialized workforce critical to the infrastructure of New England. Since 2014, our firm has observed their heavy involvement in the region’s sophisticated laboratory, pharmaceutical, and healthcare sectors. The local manages high-pressure steam systems, medical gas piping, and advanced HVAC-R cooling infrastructure across Eastern Massachusetts. This union maintains a rigorous standard for technical proficiency, ensuring that their signatory partners have access to craftsmen capable of executing complex mechanical designs in high-density urban environments and mission-critical facilities.
The Boston market is defined by a high concentration of institutional and industrial work, which drives consistent demand for Local 537 members. From the commercial towers in the Seaport District to the research hubs in Cambridge, the local provides the labor force necessary for large-scale district heating and cooling projects. For contractors and tradespeople, understanding this local's specific wage scales and work rules is essential for bidding and career planning in the Commonwealth.
Effective May 10, 2025, the Journeyman Pipefitter hourly rate for UA Local 537 is established at $66.53. This base wage is one component of a larger total package that includes significant employer contributions toward fringe benefits. Apprentices in the five-year program typically begin at a percentage of this journeyman rate—often starting around 35% or 40% for first-year students—and receive incremental raises every six to twelve months as they complete required classroom hours and on-the-job training milestones. By the fifth year, apprentices generally earn 80% or more of the full scale. These figures are specific to the building trades agreement; those in the refrigeration service division may follow a parallel but distinct wage schedule. All members should verify their specific classification and current total package details with the Local 537 business office to ensure accurate payroll or bidding calculations.
The contractor landscape for UA Local 537 is comprised of diverse signatory partners ranging from multi-national mechanical primes to regional specialty HVAC-R service providers. These firms handle the bulk of the public and private institutional work in the Boston area, including major university expansions and hospital renovations. Hiring typically fluctuates based on large-scale project cycles, but the demand for refrigeration service technicians remains stable year-round. Signatory mechanical contractors often rely on the hall for surge capacity during shutdowns or large industrial build-outs, while service-heavy shops maintain a more consistent core group of long-term employees to manage maintenance contracts for commercial high-rises and data centers.
Pipefitters generally focus on the installation of large-scale heating, cooling, and industrial process systems, often on new construction sites. Refrigeration technicians specialize in the service, maintenance, and repair of existing HVAC-R systems in commercial and industrial settings. While both are members of Local 537, they may have different apprenticeship tracks and specific work rules under the master agreement.
Wage increases are determined by the collective bargaining agreement negotiated between the union and the signatory contractor associations. Typically, these increases occur annually or semi-annually on specific dates, such as the May 10th adjustment. The total increase is often split between the base check and the fringe benefit funds based on a membership vote or committee recommendation.
Yes, members must maintain relevant Massachusetts state licenses, such as the Pipefitter license issued by the Department of Public Safety. Additionally, depending on the project, members may need UA certifications in welding, medical gas installation, or EPA Section 608 for refrigerant handling. The JATC provides the necessary training to obtain and maintain these credentials.
Journeymen from other United Association locals may work in Local 537's jurisdiction through the travel card system, provided there is a shortage of local labor. Travelers must report to the Local 537 business office to be dispatched to a signatory contractor. The availability of travel work depends entirely on the current local unemployment rate and large-scale project demands.
UA Local 537 is seated in Boston, Massachusetts (MA). We hold published wage sheets for 12 locals across Massachusetts, compare nearby scales before you take a call.
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We are a commercial MEP recruiting firm serving Boston and the rest of Massachusetts, including contractors signatory to UA Local 537. Our office is in South Corona, California and we place tradespeople and field leadership nationwide.
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Journeyman scales as last published by each local. Rates change every contract cycle, confirm with the hall.
The Local 537 pay scale for 2026 is $66.58 per hour for journeymen in Boston, MA, or about $133,160 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $105.80 per hour. That is the rate in force for 2026, effective 03/01/2025.
UA Local 537 wages for 2026: journeyman Plumbers & Pipefitters rate of $66.58 per hour in Boston, MA, with a total package of $105.80 per hour including fringe benefits, effective 03/01/2025. Apprentices are paid a graduated percentage of that rate. Confirm any increase since 03/01/2025 with the UA Local 537 business office.
The UA Local 537 wage sheet on this page lists the journeyman scale of $66.58 per hour ($105.80 per hour total package), effective 03/01/2025, plus the apprentice percentage steps. The official sheet is published by the UA Local 537 business office; figures here come from that published schedule, so confirm any increase dated after 03/01/2025 with the hall.
Local 537 apprentices earn a graduated percentage of the $66.58 per hour journeyman rate, typically starting near 40 to 50% ($29.96 to $33.29 per hour) in the first period and stepping up each period to 100% at turnout. The exact percentage schedule is set by the UA Local 537 JATC, so confirm the current apprentice sheet with the training center.
Journeyman pipefitters under the UA Local 537 agreement make $66.58 an hour in base wages, or $105.80 an hour counting the fringe package, per the wage sheet effective 03/01/2025. Overtime, shift premiums, and travel or subsistence pay are added on top under the local's CBA.
$66.58 per hour base wage and $105.80 per hour total package for a journeyman in Boston, MA, effective 03/01/2025. Annualized at 2,080 hours that is roughly $133,160 before overtime.
A Local 537 apprentice in Boston, MA starts at roughly $29.96 an hour, about 45% of the $66.58 journeyman scale, and steps up each period, reaching around $49.94 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 537 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
About $29.96 an hour, or roughly $59,922 a year at 2,080 hours, based on the standard 45% first-period step of the $66.58 journeyman rate effective 03/01/2025. Apprentices also earn benefit contributions and paid classroom progression; the JATC sets the exact percentage.
Around $43.28 an hour at the standard 65% third-period step, moving to about $49.94 an hour in the fourth period and $66.58 an hour at full journeyman scale. Confirm the published step schedule with the Local 537 training center.
Local 537 wages for 2025: $66.58 an hour on the journeyman scale, $105.80 an hour with fringe benefits added, effective 03/01/2025. That is the most recent Boston, MA sheet we can source; rates move with each contract cycle, so confirm with the hall before quoting.
The current published UA Local 537 journeyman rate is $66.58 an hour ($105.80 total package), effective 03/01/2025, roughly $133,160 a year at 2,080 hours before overtime. It is the rate in force for 2025 unless the local has since ratified a new agreement.
Yes, a one-page printable UA Local 537 rate sheet is available at /rate-sheets/ua-local-537-pay-scale.pdf, showing the $66.58 hourly scale, the $105.80 total package and the 03/01/2025 effective date, with the source it was read from. It is a free download, no sign-up needed.
The current UA Local 537 journeyman rate is $66.58/hour, with a total package of $105.80/hour including fringe benefits, effective 03/01/2025. At 2,080 hours that works out to roughly $133,160 per year in base wages before overtime. Rates change with each CBA cycle, confirm with the Local 537 business office before relying on the figure.
The $66.58/hour figure is the base journeyman wage that lands on the paycheck. The $105.80/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 537 agreement are paid a graduated percentage of the journeyman rate, typically starting near 40 to 50% in the first period and stepping up each six-month or annual period until reaching 100% at turnout. Against the current $66.58/hour journeyman rate, a first-period apprentice would be in the $29.96 to $33.29/hour range. The exact percentage schedule is set by the local's JATC.
UA Local 537 is headquartered in Boston, MA 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 537 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 537 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 537 training center directly.
Plumbers & Pipefitters apprenticeships generally run four to five years, roughly 8,000 to 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 537 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 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 03/01/2025 schedule; check with the Local 537 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 537 against neighboring jurisdictions and other plumbers & pipefitters markets.
Yes, the openings section on this page lists current plumbers & pipefitters roles near Boston, MA, and you can apply directly through the apply form on this page. These are direct-hire positions with mechanical contractors that Gulfstream recruits for, not union dispatch or hall referrals. For the hall's out-of-work list, contact the Local 537 business office.
The UA Local 537 hall is at 40 Enterprise St 4 Flr Dorchester, Ma 2125, serving Boston, MA and the surrounding jurisdiction. Hall phone: 617-787-5370.
UA Local 537 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall. Call the hall at 617-787-5370 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 537 can be reached at 617-787-5370. Contact details are imported from the union's public directory listing, confirm hours with the hall.
Apply through the local's joint apprenticeship training committee (JATC). Most programs open applications on a set schedule and require an aptitude test and interview. For UA Local 537's current application window and requirements, contact the hall at 617-787-5370.
Each Plumbers & Pipefitters local sets its own intake process, and it varies. The common paths: apprenticeship through the JATC; organizing in as an experienced worker, since journeymen and technicians already working in the trade can usually apply directly to the hall for membership; or transferring from another local of the same international with a transfer card from your current hall. For fees and requirements, contact the hall at 617-787-5370.
We haven't found an official source for UA Local 537's dues or membership rules. To confirm, contact the hall at 617-787-5370.
We haven't found an official source for UA Local 537's member benefits. To confirm, contact the hall at 617-787-5370.
UA Local 537's sourced pipefitter (essex, middlesex, norfolk and suffolk towns listed in the line, including boston) union rate is $66.58/hr in base wages and $105.80/hr for the total package, effective March 1, 2025. The rate applies to the listed classification and source area; apprentice, foreman and specialty classifications may differ.
$66.58/hr in base wages for pipefitter (essex, middlesex, norfolk and suffolk towns listed in the line, including boston), or $105.80/hr counting employer-paid benefits and fringes, effective March 1, 2025 per the U.S. DOL Davis-Bacon determination MA20260001, rev. 1 wage determination.
March 1, 2025. The negotiated rate on this primary source (U.S. DOL Davis-Bacon determination MA20260001, rev. 1) is dated more than 18 months back, so a mid-term raise may already be in effect. Confirm the current step with the local's business office before extending an offer.
No, the $66.58/hr base is wages only. Employers contribute roughly $39.22/hr more per hour worked to health and welfare, pension, annuity and training funds, which is the difference between the base and the $105.80/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.
Moderate confidence, 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.
Coverage unverified, contact the hall. No reviewed published boundary is held for this local; office location does not establish jurisdiction.
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Pipefitter (Essex, Middlesex, Norfolk and Suffolk towns listed in the line, including Boston) · Effective 03/01/2025 · Base wage $66.58/hr · Published package $105.80/hr
U.S. DOL Davis-Bacon determination MA20260001, rev. 1
Confirm the current agreement, classification, zone and effective schedule with the hall; a package is not take-home pay.
Membership fees, dues and admission rules are not verified in our held official records. Confirm directly with the hall.
Rates and sources · Membership and apprenticeship · Official hall contact · Send a recruiting inquiry to Gulfstream · Compare Rates
Recruiting inquiries go to Gulfstream, not UA Local 537. Membership, dispatch and apprenticeship applications must go directly to the hall. Gulfstream is union-independent and recruits for commercial mechanical, electrical and plumbing contractors.
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.