Journeyman pipefitters under UA Local 761 in Burbank, CA earn $58.28/hr in base wages, or $84.54/hr as a total package with fringe benefits, effective May 2026.
UA Local 761 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 761 pay scale for 2026 is $58.28 per hour for journeymen in Burbank, CA, or about $116,560 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $84.54 per hour. That is the rate in force for 2026, effective 5/26/26.
| Local 761 journeyman hourly wage | $58.28 / hour |
|---|---|
| Total package (wage + fringe benefits) | $84.54 / hour |
| Annualized at 2,080 hours (base wage) | $116,560 / year |
| First-period apprentice (≈45–50% of scale) | $26.23–$29.14 / hour |
| Wage sheet effective | 5/26/26 |
| Classification | Combo |
A Local 761 apprentice in Burbank, CA starts at roughly $26.23 an hour — about 45% of the $58.28 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $43.71 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 761 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
| 1st period (year 1) | 45% of scale | $26.23 / hour | $52,452 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd period (year 2) | 55% of scale | $32.05 / hour | $64,108 |
| 3rd period (year 3) | 65% of scale | $37.88 / hour | $75,764 |
| 4th period (year 4) | 75% of scale | $43.71 / hour | $87,420 |
| 5th period (year 5) | 85% of scale | $49.54 / hour | $99,076 |
| Journeyman (turned out) | 100% of scale | $58.28 / hour | $116,560 |
UA Local 761 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall — call 818-843-8670 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 761 represents a highly skilled workforce of plumbers and pipefitters headquartered in Burbank, California. Operating as a critical component of the Southern California pipe trades, this local provides the specialized labor required for complex mechanical systems throughout the San Fernando Valley and surrounding areas. Since 2014, Gulfstream Strategic Placements has monitored the regional labor market where Local 761 members maintain infrastructure for essential facilities, including the entertainment industry's massive studio lots, healthcare complexes, and critical municipal water systems. Their jurisdiction sits at a strategic intersection of high-density commercial development and industrial utility maintenance, requiring a versatile membership capable of executing both new construction and long-term service contracts.
The market demand for Local 761 labor is driven by stringent California building codes and the necessity for high-purity piping in the region's technical sectors. Signatory contractors rely on this local to supply journeymen who are certified in advanced welding, medical gas installation, and backflow prevention. For a contractor or tradesperson, Local 761 represents the standard for professional pipe trades in the northern Los Angeles basin. The local's commitment to rigorous training ensures that large-scale mechanical primes can meet project deadlines while adhering to the complex regulatory environment of Southern California. As the region continues to invest in sustainable water infrastructure and high-tech commercial space, the role of Local 761 remains central to the area's physical and economic growth.
As of the May 2024 update, a Journeyman in UA Local 761 earns a base hourly rate of $58.28, contributing to a comprehensive total package of $84.54 per hour when fringes are included. This gap of $26.26 covers essential benefits that provide long-term security beyond the weekly paycheck. Apprentices enter the program at a percentage of the journeyman rate, typically starting around 40% to 45% and receiving scheduled increments every six to twelve months. These raises are contingent upon the successful completion of classroom hours at the JATC and the accumulation of on-the-job training hours. By the fifth year, senior apprentices earn near-journeyman wages as they prepare for their final certification exams. This structured progression ensures that labor costs remain predictable for contractors while incentivizing skill acquisition for the workforce.
The jurisdiction of UA Local 761 is centered in Burbank and extends across the San Fernando Valley and northern portions of Los Angeles County. This territory includes high-traffic zones where commercial plumbing and a mechanical contractor are in constant demand. Members are dispatched to a variety of sites, from the major motion picture studios in Burbank to the sprawling residential and commercial developments in the Valley. The local manages the dispatch of plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters to ensure that signatory contractors have the correct manning levels for both short-term emergency repairs and multi-year capital projects. Travel within this jurisdiction is common, and the local maintains strict oversight of work standards to ensure all piping installations meet the high-quality benchmarks required by the United Association.
The contractor landscape for Local 761 is characterized by a mix of large-scale mechanical primes and specialized service contractors. These firms handle diverse portfolios, including the installation of HVAC systems in high-rise office buildings, process piping for industrial facilities, and massive plumbing systems for healthcare campuses. Signatory contractors range from national mechanical giants to local boutique firms that specialize in studio maintenance and municipal infrastructure. Hiring fluctuates based on large project starts, but the consistent need for facility maintenance in the Burbank area provides a stable baseline for employment. Contractors benefit from a streamlined dispatch process that allows them to scale their workforce rapidly in response to the aggressive construction schedules typical of the Southern California market.
While both trades fall under the Local 761 umbrella, plumbers generally focus on potable water, drainage, and gas systems within commercial and residential buildings. Pipefitters typically work on high-pressure industrial systems, including chilled water, steam, and chemical processing lines. The training at the Burbank JATC provides foundational skills for both, though members often specialize in one path during their apprenticeship.
Yes, given its Burbank headquarters, Local 761 members often work on specialized piping for film studios and sound stages. This includes high-capacity fire suppression systems and complex HVAC configurations designed for sound-sensitive environments. Members have access to ongoing training to stay current on the specific mechanical requirements of the major studio lots located within their jurisdiction.
Wages are governed by the Master Labor Agreement negotiated between the United Association and the a mechanical contractor Association (MCA). These agreements typically run for three to five years, with scheduled annual or semi-annual increases to the total package. These increases are often split between the base hourly wage and various fringe benefit funds as voted on by the membership.
Members from other UA locals can work in the Burbank area as 'travelers' if there is a shortage of local labor. This process requires checking in with the Local 761 business manager and obtaining a travel card. Priority is always given to local members, but the high volume of construction in Los Angeles often creates opportunities for travelers on large-scale projects.
UA Local 761 is seated in Burbank, California (CA). We hold published wage sheets for 46 locals across California — compare nearby scales before you take a call.
We are a mechanical, plumbing and electrical construction recruiting firm serving Burbank and the rest of California, including contractors signatory to UA Local 761. Our office is in South Corona, California and we place union-scale 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 761 pay scale for 2026 is $58.28 per hour for journeymen in Burbank, CA, or about $116,560 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $84.54 per hour. That is the rate in force for 2026, effective 5/26/26.
Journeyman pipefitters under the UA Local 761 agreement make $58.28 an hour in base wages, or $84.54 an hour counting the fringe package, per the wage sheet effective 5/26/26. Overtime, shift premiums, and travel or subsistence pay are added on top under the local's CBA.
$58.28 per hour base wage and $84.54 per hour total package for a journeyman in Burbank, CA, effective 5/26/26. Annualized at 2,080 hours that is roughly $116,560 before overtime.
A Local 761 apprentice in Burbank, CA starts at roughly $26.23 an hour — about 45% of the $58.28 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $43.71 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 761 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
About $26.23 an hour, or roughly $52,452 a year at 2,080 hours, based on the standard 45% first-period step of the $58.28 journeyman rate effective 5/26/26. Apprentices also earn benefit contributions and paid classroom progression; the JATC sets the exact percentage.
Around $37.88 an hour at the standard 65% third-period step, moving to about $43.71 an hour in the fourth period and $58.28 an hour at full journeyman scale. Confirm the published step schedule with the Local 761 training center.
The current UA Local 761 journeyman rate is $58.28/hour, with a total package of $84.54/hour including fringe benefits, effective 5/26/26. At 2,080 hours that works out to roughly $116,560 per year in base wages before overtime. Rates change with each CBA cycle — confirm with the Local 761 business office before relying on the figure.
The $58.28/hour figure is the base journeyman wage that lands on the paycheck. The $84.54/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 761 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 $58.28/hour journeyman rate, a first-period apprentice would be in the $26.23–$29.14/hour range. The exact percentage schedule is set by the local's JATC.
UA Local 761 is headquartered in Burbank, CA 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 761 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 761 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 761 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 761 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 5/26/26 schedule; check with the Local 761 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 761 against neighboring jurisdictions and other plumbers & pipefitters markets.
The UA Local 761 hall is at 1305 N Niagara St Burbank, CA 91505, serving Burbank, CA and the surrounding jurisdiction. Hall phone: 818-843-8670.
UA Local 761 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall. Call the hall at 818-843-8670 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 761 can be reached at 818-843-8670. Contact details are imported from the union's public directory listing — confirm hours with the hall.