UA Local 551 represents plumbers & pipefitters in Herrin, IL. Below: wage scale context, jurisdiction, apprenticeship routes, and the signatory contractors that hire from this hall.
UA Local 551 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 551 has not published a current journeyman wage sheet we can source, so no contract rate is shown for this local. For reference only, the reporting-wide average for plumbers & pipefitters locals is $47.51/hr ($69.19 total package) — a benchmark, not this local's rate. Confirm the current rate with the hall's business office. We publish the local's own rate, package and effective date as soon as it is available.
UA Local 551 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall — call 618-937-1363 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 551 represents the highly skilled plumbers and pipefitters across the southern tip of Illinois, operating out of their headquarters in Herrin. As a charter of the United Association, this local provides the specialized labor force necessary for the region's industrial, commercial, and residential infrastructure. The membership is composed of journeymen and apprentices trained in sophisticated piping systems, high-pressure welding, and medical gas installations. By maintaining a centralized pool of certified labor, Local 551 ensures that signatory contractors in the Herrin and Marion corridors have immediate access to workers who meet rigorous national safety and quality standards.
The market served by Local 551 is unique due to its mix of heavy industrial presence, healthcare facilities, and educational institutions. Because the southern Illinois economy relies on consistent utility performance and regulatory compliance, the local union focuses heavily on continuous training and recertification. This dedication to craft excellence allows members to command competitive wages and comprehensive benefits while providing contractors with a predictable cost of labor. For tradespeople, Local 551 offers a structured career path through a registered apprenticeship program that combines paid on-the-job training with classroom instruction, ensuring the long-term viability of the piping trades in the region.
Because specific wage figures for UA Local 551 are not publicly broadcast, interested parties must contact the business office in Herrin to obtain the current Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) schedule. Typically, the total package for a journeyman plumber or pipefitter includes a base hourly rate plus employer-contributed fringes such as health insurance and pension credits. Apprentices start at a percentage of the journeyman rate, usually beginning around 40-50% and increasing annually or semi-annually as they complete required work hours and schooling modules. These step-increases are guaranteed by the CBA, providing a transparent financial roadmap for those entering the trade. Contractors utilize these set rates to ensure accurate bidding and labor cost forecasting for projects throughout southern Illinois.
The jurisdiction of UA Local 551 covers a significant portion of Southern Illinois, reaching from the Herrin and Marion metropolitan areas down to the borders of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. The charter includes the installation, maintenance, and repair of all piping systems, including HVAC refrigeration, process piping for industrial plants, and sanitary plumbing for commercial builds. Members dispatched from the Herrin hall may work on diverse sites ranging from correctional facilities and hospitals to power generation plants. The local manages a territorial agreement that ensures labor stability across several rural and municipal counties, preventing jurisdictional disputes and maintaining a unified standard for mechanical work in the region.
The signatory contractor landscape for UA Local 551 is a blend of local mechanical firms and larger regional primes that operate across the Illinois and Missouri borders. These contractors range from specialized plumbing service providers to large-scale mechanical contractors capable of managing multi-million dollar a mechanical contractor projects. Since 2014, Gulfstream Strategic Placements has monitored the movement of talent within these organizations, noting that signatory status allows these firms to scale their workforce rapidly by utilizing the local's hall. This relationship provides contractors with a flexible, high-skill workforce while ensuring members have access to a variety of project types, from small-scale renovations to major capital improvements at regional institutions.
UA Local 551 represents Plumbers, Pipefitters, and HVAC Technicians. Their members are skilled in the installation and service of commercial plumbing systems, a mechanical contractor, and complex climate control systems. This multi-craft representation allows the local to provide comprehensive mechanical solutions for contractors and facility owners throughout the Southern Illinois region.
Local 551 operates a traditional hiring hall dispatch system. When signatory contractors require additional labor, they contact the hall with specific manning requirements. Members are typically dispatched based on their position on the out-of-work list, their specific certifications (such as specialized welding or med-gas), and the requirements of the project, ensuring a fair and efficient allocation of work.
Yes, the Local 551 Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (JATC) provides ongoing education for journeymen to stay current with evolving technology and codes. This includes specialized certifications in areas like backflow prevention, orbital welding, and advanced HVAC controls. These programs ensure that the local workforce remains the most competitive and technically proficient option for regional developers.
Transferring into UA Local 551 is governed by the United Association's constitution regarding travel cards and permanent transfers. Typically, a member must be in good standing with their home local and secure work within Local 551's jurisdiction. The process often involves a period of working as a traveler before a formal transfer of membership can be requested through the business manager.
UA Local 551 is seated in Herrin, Illinois (IL). We hold published wage sheets for 26 locals across Illinois — compare nearby scales before you take a call.
We are a mechanical, plumbing and electrical construction recruiting firm serving Herrin and the rest of Illinois, including contractors signatory to UA Local 551. 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.
UA Local 551 is headquartered in Herrin, IL 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 551 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 551 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 551 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 551 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.
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 551 against neighboring jurisdictions and other plumbers & pipefitters markets.
The UA Local 551 hall is at Po Box 156 West Frankfort, IL 62896, serving Herrin, IL and the surrounding jurisdiction. Hall phone: 618-937-1363.
UA Local 551 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall. Call the hall at 618-937-1363 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 551 can be reached at 618-937-1363. Contact details are imported from the union's public directory listing — confirm hours with the hall.