Journeyman pipefitters under UA Local 68 in Houston, TX earn $40.28/hr in base wages, or $52.84/hr as a total package with fringe benefits, effective Oct 2025.
UA Local 68 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 68 pay scale for 2026 is $40.28 per hour for journeymen in Houston, TX, or about $80,560 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $52.84 per hour. That is the rate in force for 2026, effective 10/4/25.
| Local 68 journeyman hourly wage | $40.28 / hour |
|---|---|
| Total package (wage + fringe benefits) | $52.84 / hour |
| Annualized at 2,080 hours (base wage) | $80,560 / year |
| First-period apprentice (≈45–50% of scale) | $18.13–$20.14 / hour |
| Wage sheet effective | 10/4/25 |
| Classification | Plumbers |
A Local 68 apprentice in Houston, TX starts at roughly $18.13 an hour — about 45% of the $40.28 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $30.21 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 68 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
| 1st period (year 1) | 45% of scale | $18.13 / hour | $36,252 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd period (year 2) | 55% of scale | $22.15 / hour | $44,308 |
| 3rd period (year 3) | 65% of scale | $26.18 / hour | $52,364 |
| 4th period (year 4) | 75% of scale | $30.21 / hour | $60,420 |
| 5th period (year 5) | 85% of scale | $34.24 / hour | $68,476 |
| Journeyman (turned out) | 100% of scale | $40.28 / hour | $80,560 |
UA Local 68 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall — call 713-869-3592 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 68 represents the skilled plumbers and pipefitters across the Houston metropolitan area and the Texas Gulf Coast. As a prominent labor organization in the South, Local 68 provides the specialized workforce required for the region’s critical infrastructure, including the massive petrochemical complexes, healthcare facilities, and commercial high-rises that define the Houston skyline. The local operates a rigorous training program to ensure that all members meet the high standards of safety and technical proficiency demanded by industrial and commercial developers. By maintaining a centralized pool of licensed tradespeople, the local serves as the primary labor source for contractors executing complex mechanical systems in one of the nation’s fastest-growing construction markets.
Since 2014, Gulfstream Strategic Placements has tracked the signatory landscape in Southeast Texas, noting the vital role Local 68 plays in maintaining labor stability. The local’s jurisdiction is not limited to standard commercial plumbing; it encompasses specialized process piping for the energy sector and medical gas installations for the Texas Medical Center. This diverse project portfolio allows members to work across various sectors, from large-scale municipal water treatment plants to sophisticated industrial refineries. For contractors, the local provides a scalable labor solution that mitigates the risks associated with the chronic shortage of skilled trades in the Gulf Coast region, ensuring projects are completed by state-licensed professionals who adhere to uniform collective bargaining standards.
Effective October 4, 2025, the journeyman hourly rate for UA Local 68 is set at $40.28, with a total package reaching $52.84 per hour when including fringe benefits. Apprentices enter the program at a percentage of the journeyman rate, typically starting around 45% to 50% and receiving incremental raises every six to twelve months based on successful completion of classroom hours and on-the-job training milestones. By the fifth year, senior apprentices earn significantly closer to the full scale as they prepare for their state licensing exams. The $12.56 difference between the check and the total package covers essential employer-paid benefits, ensuring that members receive comprehensive insurance and retirement security without these costs being deducted from their base hourly take-home pay.
The chartered jurisdiction for UA Local 68 covers a significant portion of Southeast Texas, centered in Houston and extending into the surrounding industrial corridors. This territory includes the heavy commercial and industrial zones along the Houston Ship Channel and the rapidly developing suburban counties. The local manages dispatch for work falling under the Master Labor Agreement, which covers the installation, maintenance, and repair of all plumbing, heating, and piping systems. Members may be required to travel within this multi-county footprint, though the high density of work in Harris and Galveston counties often keeps the majority of the workforce within the immediate metropolitan area. The jurisdiction is designed to ensure that signatory contractors have consistent access to labor across all major Gulf Coast job sites.
The signatory contractor landscape for UA Local 68 is comprised of a mix of large-scale mechanical primes and specialized industrial piping firms. These employers range from global mechanical organizations that handle multi-billion dollar refinery expansions to regional commercial plumbing contractors focused on the Houston medical and educational sectors. Hiring typically follows the fluctuations of major capital projects, with large calls for labor occurring during industrial turnarounds or the commencement of significant commercial developments. Because the Houston market is highly competitive, signatory contractors rely on the local's training to provide a productivity advantage over non-union alternatives, particularly on projects requiring high-pressure welding certifications or specialized medical gas credentials.
The Journeyman rate of $40.28 is the gross hourly wage seen on a member's paycheck before taxes. The total package of $52.84 includes an additional $12.56 per hour paid by the employer into fringe benefits like health insurance, pensions, and training funds. These benefits are paid on top of the wage, meaning they are not deducted from your hourly pay.
Local 68 members are frequently deployed to industrial sites including refineries and chemical plants along the Ship Channel. These projects often require specialized welding certifications and safety training. The local's JATC provides the necessary training for members to maintain these credentials, ensuring signatory contractors can meet the strict safety and quality standards required by industrial facility owners in the Houston market.
Yes, UA members in good standing from other locals can request to travel or transfer into Local 68. This process typically involves reporting to the Business Manager or Dispatcher with a valid travel card. Transfers are subject to local work availability and the specific provisions of the UA Constitution regarding the acceptance of travelers into the permanent membership of the local.
Yes, Local 68 provides training and testing for various Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners endorsements. This includes Medical Gas, Multipurpose Residential Fire Sprinkler, and Water Supply Protection Specialist endorsements. By offering these certifications through the JATC, the local ensures its members remain the most qualified workforce for high-specification projects in the Houston Texas Medical Center and surrounding areas.
UA Local 68 is seated in Houston, Texas (TX). We hold published wage sheets for 20 locals across Texas — compare nearby scales before you take a call.
We are a mechanical, plumbing and electrical construction recruiting firm serving Houston and the rest of Texas, including contractors signatory to UA Local 68. 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 68 pay scale for 2026 is $40.28 per hour for journeymen in Houston, TX, or about $80,560 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $52.84 per hour. That is the rate in force for 2026, effective 10/4/25.
Journeyman pipefitters under the UA Local 68 agreement make $40.28 an hour in base wages, or $52.84 an hour counting the fringe package, per the wage sheet effective 10/4/25. Overtime, shift premiums, and travel or subsistence pay are added on top under the local's CBA.
$40.28 per hour base wage and $52.84 per hour total package for a journeyman in Houston, TX, effective 10/4/25. Annualized at 2,080 hours that is roughly $80,560 before overtime.
A Local 68 apprentice in Houston, TX starts at roughly $18.13 an hour — about 45% of the $40.28 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $30.21 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 68 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
About $18.13 an hour, or roughly $36,252 a year at 2,080 hours, based on the standard 45% first-period step of the $40.28 journeyman rate effective 10/4/25. Apprentices also earn benefit contributions and paid classroom progression; the JATC sets the exact percentage.
Around $26.18 an hour at the standard 65% third-period step, moving to about $30.21 an hour in the fourth period and $40.28 an hour at full journeyman scale. Confirm the published step schedule with the Local 68 training center.
The current UA Local 68 journeyman rate is $40.28/hour, with a total package of $52.84/hour including fringe benefits, effective 10/4/25. At 2,080 hours that works out to roughly $80,560 per year in base wages before overtime. Rates change with each CBA cycle — confirm with the Local 68 business office before relying on the figure.
The $40.28/hour figure is the base journeyman wage that lands on the paycheck. The $52.84/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 68 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 $40.28/hour journeyman rate, a first-period apprentice would be in the $18.13–$20.14/hour range. The exact percentage schedule is set by the local's JATC.
UA Local 68 is headquartered in Houston, TX 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 68 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 68 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 68 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 68 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 10/4/25 schedule; check with the Local 68 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 68 against neighboring jurisdictions and other plumbers & pipefitters markets.
The UA Local 68 hall is at Po Box 8746 Houston, TX 77249, serving Houston, TX and the surrounding jurisdiction. Hall phone: 713-869-3592.
UA Local 68 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall. Call the hall at 713-869-3592 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 68 can be reached at 713-869-3592. Contact details are imported from the union's public directory listing — confirm hours with the hall.