Journeyman pipefitters under UA Local 648 in Pocatello, ID earn $36.28/hr in base wages, or $36.28/hr as a total package with fringe benefits, effective Oct 2022. This sheet is more than 2 years old, so confirm the current rate with the hall before quoting it.
UA Local 648 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 648 pay scale is $36.28 per hour for journeymen in Pocatello, ID, or about $72,560 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $36.28 per hour. That is the last wage sheet we can source for this local — confirm the current rate with the hall.
| Local 648 journeyman hourly wage | $36.28 / hour |
|---|---|
| Total package (wage + fringe benefits) | $36.28 / hour |
| Annualized at 2,080 hours (base wage) | $72,560 / year |
| First-period apprentice (≈45–50% of scale) | $16.33–$18.14 / hour |
| Wage sheet effective | 10/21/22 |
| Classification | Combo |
A Local 648 apprentice in Pocatello, ID starts at roughly $16.33 an hour — about 45% of the $36.28 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $27.21 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 648 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
| 1st period (year 1) | 45% of scale | $16.33 / hour | $32,652 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd period (year 2) | 55% of scale | $19.95 / hour | $39,908 |
| 3rd period (year 3) | 65% of scale | $23.58 / hour | $47,164 |
| 4th period (year 4) | 75% of scale | $27.21 / hour | $54,420 |
| 5th period (year 5) | 85% of scale | $30.84 / hour | $61,676 |
| Journeyman (turned out) | 100% of scale | $36.28 / hour | $72,560 |
UA Local 648 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall — call 208-232-6806 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.
United Association Local 648 represents plumbers, pipefitters, and service technicians across Southeast Idaho. Headquartered in Pocatello, this local provides the specialized labor force necessary for the region's diverse industrial and commercial sectors. The jurisdiction covers a vast geographic area where agricultural processing, chemical manufacturing, and institutional construction drive the demand for skilled mechanical trades. Local 648 ensures that its members are trained to the highest safety and technical standards, maintaining a pipeline of qualified personnel for critical infrastructure projects and complex mechanical systems that support the regional economy since 2014.
The market for UA Local 648 is characterized by a mix of steady institutional maintenance and significant industrial expansion. As the primary labor source for piping systems in the Pocatello and Idaho Falls corridors, the local plays a vital role in supporting the area's research facilities and energy infrastructure. For signatory contractors, the local offers a predictable labor cost structure and a reliable supply of apprentices and journeymen. This partnership between labor and management fosters a stable environment for large-scale mechanical installations and long-term service contracts, ensuring that the Southeast Idaho region remains competitive in attracting new industrial investments and maintaining existing facilities.
As of October 21, 2022, the journeyman hourly rate for UA Local 648 is $36.28. It is important to note that the total package reported is also $36.28, which typically indicates the base taxable wage; users should contact the local business office to confirm the specific employer-paid fringe benefits that constitute the full package. Apprentices in the program start at a percentage of the journeyman rate, usually beginning around 45% to 50% and increasing in 5% to 10% increments as they complete required classroom hours and on-the-job training milestones. These scheduled increases provide a clear financial path for those entering the trade, rewarding the acquisition of skills in pipefitting, welding, and commercial plumbing over a five-year period until reaching full journeyman status and pay parity.
The jurisdiction of UA Local 648 extends across the southeastern portion of Idaho, anchored by Pocatello and reaching into several surrounding rural counties. This territory includes major industrial zones, university campuses, and healthcare facilities that require consistent mechanical upkeep. Members dispatched from the Pocatello hall work on a variety of project types, ranging from high-pressure process piping in industrial plants to intricate medical gas systems in regional hospitals. The geographic reach necessitates a mobile workforce capable of traveling to various job sites within the chartered territory, ensuring that signatory contractors have access to skilled labor regardless of the project's specific location within the Idaho panhandle's southern reaches.
The contractor landscape for UA Local 648 consists primarily of signatory mechanical primes and specialized a mechanical contractor firms. These employers range from local family-owned plumbing businesses to regional mechanical contractors capable of managing multi-million dollar projects. The work is distributed between new construction, such as municipal water treatment plants and educational buildings, and ongoing maintenance at the region's heavy industrial sites. Hiring typically follows the demand of major project cycles, with significant activity centered around the Idaho National Laboratory and various food processing facilities. This diverse mix of employers provides members with exposure to different facets of the piping trades, from service and repair to heavy industrial installation.
Members primarily focus on industrial pipefitting and commercial plumbing throughout Southeast Idaho. This includes work in the region's chemical plants, food processing facilities, and the Idaho National Laboratory, as well as maintaining mechanical systems for schools, hospitals, and government buildings. The local provides the specialized skills needed for high-pressure systems and sanitary piping.
Wage rates and fringe benefit contributions are determined by the Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiated between the UA and signatory contractors. These adjustments typically occur annually or bi-annually. While the 2022 rate is $36.28, you must check with the union hall for the most recent schedules and any upcoming cost-of-living adjustments.
Yes, through the Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (JATC), the local provides rigorous welding training and UA certification testing. These certifications are recognized nationally and are essential for members working on industrial projects involving high-pressure steam, process piping, and structural components within the local's jurisdiction in Idaho.
While Local 648 covers a specific Idaho territory, members in good standing may have opportunities to travel to other jurisdictions through the UA's 'travel card' system. This allows members to work in other areas during local downturns or for large-scale national projects, provided there is a demand for labor in the host local's territory.
UA Local 648 is seated in Pocatello, Idaho (ID). We hold published wage sheets for 4 locals across Idaho — compare nearby scales before you take a call.
We are a mechanical, plumbing and electrical construction recruiting firm serving Pocatello and the rest of Idaho, including contractors signatory to UA Local 648. 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 648 pay scale is $36.28 per hour for journeymen in Pocatello, ID, or about $72,560 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $36.28 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 648 agreement make $36.28 an hour in base wages, or $36.28 an hour counting the fringe package, per the wage sheet effective 10/21/22. Overtime, shift premiums, and travel or subsistence pay are added on top under the local's CBA.
$36.28 per hour base wage and $36.28 per hour total package for a journeyman in Pocatello, ID, effective 10/21/22. Annualized at 2,080 hours that is roughly $72,560 before overtime.
A Local 648 apprentice in Pocatello, ID starts at roughly $16.33 an hour — about 45% of the $36.28 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $27.21 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 648 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
About $16.33 an hour, or roughly $32,652 a year at 2,080 hours, based on the standard 45% first-period step of the $36.28 journeyman rate effective 10/21/22. Apprentices also earn benefit contributions and paid classroom progression; the JATC sets the exact percentage.
Around $23.58 an hour at the standard 65% third-period step, moving to about $27.21 an hour in the fourth period and $36.28 an hour at full journeyman scale. Confirm the published step schedule with the Local 648 training center.
The current UA Local 648 journeyman rate is $36.28/hour, with a total package of $36.28/hour including fringe benefits, effective 10/21/22. At 2,080 hours that works out to roughly $72,560 per year in base wages before overtime. Rates change with each CBA cycle — confirm with the Local 648 business office before relying on the figure.
The $36.28/hour figure is the base journeyman wage that lands on the paycheck. The $36.28/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 648 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 $36.28/hour journeyman rate, a first-period apprentice would be in the $16.33–$18.14/hour range. The exact percentage schedule is set by the local's JATC.
UA Local 648 is headquartered in Pocatello, ID 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 648 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 648 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 648 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 648 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 10/21/22 schedule; check with the Local 648 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 648 against neighboring jurisdictions and other plumbers & pipefitters markets.
The UA Local 648 hall is at 456 N Arthur Ste 4 Pocatello, ID 83204, serving Pocatello, ID and the surrounding jurisdiction. Hall phone: 208-232-6806.
UA Local 648 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall. Call the hall at 208-232-6806 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 648 can be reached at 208-232-6806. Contact details are imported from the union's public directory listing — confirm hours with the hall.