UA Local 653 represents plumbers & pipefitters in Centralia, IL. Below: wage scale context, jurisdiction, apprenticeship routes, and the signatory contractors that hire from this hall.
UA Local 653 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 653 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 653 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall — call 618-532-3351 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 653 represents skilled plumbers, pipefitters, and HVAC technicians across the Southern Illinois region, centered around Centralia. The local maintains a critical presence in the industrial and institutional sectors, providing highly trained labor for regional infrastructure projects and private facility maintenance. As part of a larger network of UA locals in the Midwest, Local 653 ensures that its members are prepared for the technical demands of modern piping systems, medical gas installations, and high-pressure steam applications. Their focus remains on delivering safe, code-compliant workmanship that sustains the local economy and provides a stable career path for tradespeople in Marion and surrounding counties.
The market served by Local 653 is characterized by a mix of light industrial manufacturing, healthcare facilities, and public works projects. Because this jurisdiction covers several rural and mid-sized urban areas, the local acts as a central hub for manpower coordination and technical certification. Signatory contractors rely on this partnership to staff projects with laborers who have completed rigorous, standardized training. For the tradesperson, membership in Local 653 offers a structured pathway to middle-class earnings, comprehensive health benefits, and a multi-employer pension plan. This alignment between labor and management helps stabilize construction costs and ensures that large-scale mechanical systems are installed with long-term reliability in mind.
Specific hourly wage figures for UA Local 653 are not publicly disclosed through online databases and must be verified directly with the business manager or through the current Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). Typically, the compensation structure consists of a base journeyman rate plus a total fringe benefit package. Apprentices start at a percentage of the journeyman rate, often beginning around 45% to 50% and increasing annually as they complete their classroom hours and on-the-job training milestones. By the fifth year, an apprentice usually earns roughly 80% to 90% of the full scale. To obtain the most accurate current rates for payroll benchmarking or career planning, parties should contact the Local 653 office in Centralia, as scales are subject to annual adjustments negotiated in the master agreement.
The jurisdiction of UA Local 653 is headquartered in Centralia, Illinois, and covers a multi-county territory in the southern portion of the state. This charter includes all plumbing, pipefitting, and mechanical service work within its defined borders, ranging from commercial building renovations to industrial process piping. Members are dispatched to job sites across the region, where they perform installation and maintenance under the terms of the local's master agreement. The jurisdiction also interfaces with neighboring UA locals to ensure consistent labor standards across Southern Illinois, meaning that travel throughout the chartered counties is a standard expectation for the workforce. All work performed within these boundaries must adhere to the specific trade classifications and safety protocols outlined by the local's leadership.
The signatory contractor landscape in the Centralia area consists primarily of regional mechanical primes and specialized plumbing firms. These contractors range from small family-owned shops focusing on commercial service to larger mechanical outfits capable of handling a mechanical contractor systems for manufacturing plants. Because Local 653 provides a versatile workforce, these companies can scale their operations quickly to meet the demands of large municipal or healthcare projects. The relationship between the local and its signatory partners is managed through the CBA, which establishes uniform working conditions and dispute resolution processes. This structure allows contractors to bid competitively on public and private work while ensuring members receive consistent treatment and benefits regardless of the specific job site.
Plumbers generally focus on potable water, drainage, and gas systems in commercial and residential buildings. Pipefitters typically work on high-pressure steam, industrial chemical lines, and HVAC hydronic systems. While the training overlaps significantly, Local 653 members often specialize in one path based on their apprenticeship track and the needs of signatory contractors in the Centralia market.
Travelers and members from other locals may transfer their book to Local 653, but this process is subject to the discretion of the Business Manager and the current local work volume. Typically, you must be a member in good standing with your home local and may be required to work in the jurisdiction for a specific period before a formal transfer is approved.
Yes, the local provides specialized training and testing for various UA certifications, including ASME welding procedures and medical gas installation. These certifications are essential for working on healthcare facilities and industrial plants within Southern Illinois. Maintaining these credentials allows journeymen to remain eligible for a wider variety of dispatch assignments through the hiring hall.
Applicants generally must reside within the geographical jurisdiction of Local 653 to ensure they can reliably commute to the training center in Centralia and various job sites throughout the region. Because the work requires travel to different counties in Southern Illinois, having a dependable means of transportation is a mandatory requirement for all apprentices and journeymen.
UA Local 653 is seated in Centralia, 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 Centralia and the rest of Illinois, including contractors signatory to UA Local 653. 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 653 is headquartered in Centralia, 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 653 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 653 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 653 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 653 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 653 against neighboring jurisdictions and other plumbers & pipefitters markets.
The UA Local 653 hall is at 116 S Chestnut St Centralia, IL 62801, serving Centralia, IL and the surrounding jurisdiction. Hall phone: 618-532-3351.
UA Local 653 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall. Call the hall at 618-532-3351 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 653 can be reached at 618-532-3351. Contact details are imported from the union's public directory listing — confirm hours with the hall.