UA Local 788 represents plumbers & pipefitters in Portsmouth, NH. Below: wage scale context, jurisdiction, apprenticeship routes, and the signatory contractors that hire from this hall.
UA Local 788 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 788 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 788 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall — call 207-438-4092 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 788 serves as the primary labor organization for skilled plumbers, pipefitters, and HVAC technicians across the Seacoast region of New Hampshire and surrounding territories. Based in Portsmouth, this local represents a critical workforce within a specialized geographic corridor that bridges the industrial requirements of Southern Maine and the Greater Boston outskirts. The membership supports a variety of project types, ranging from high-precision a mechanical contractor to complex commercial mechanical systems. Because of the region's climate and the density of aging infrastructure, the demand for licensed professionals capable of performing both new construction and sophisticated system maintenance remains a constant driver for the local's labor force and dispatch operations.
The market surrounding Portsmouth is defined by a mix of high-tech manufacturing, healthcare facility expansion, and essential infrastructure upgrades. UA Local 788 provides signatory contractors with a steady stream of highly trained manpower through its Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (JATC). This ensures that large-scale mechanical projects in the area are staffed by tradespeople who hold the necessary state licenses and safety certifications. For the individual mechanic, the local offers a framework for career longevity through negotiated benefits and standardized working conditions. As part of a larger network of UA locals in New England, Local 788 plays a pivotal role in maintaining high craft standards within the Portsmouth shipyard ecosystem and the broader regional economy.
Because UA Local 788 does not publicly list its current wage scales online, prospective members and contractors should contact the business office directly to obtain the most recent collective bargaining agreement (CBA) rates. In typical UA structures, compensation is divided between the hourly check rate and the total employer-paid package. Apprentices start at a percentage of the journeyman rate, usually beginning around 40-50% and increasing in 5% or 10% increments every six to twelve months as they complete their classroom hours and on-the-job training. By the fifth year, senior apprentices earn near-journeyman wages. These step increases are contingent upon successful progress through the JATC curriculum and are designed to reward the acquisition of specialized skills in welding, brazing, and mechanical system layout.
The jurisdiction of Local 788 is centered in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, covering the vital Seacoast area and extending into several neighboring counties within the state's southeastern corner. The territory is strategically positioned to handle work at major industrial sites, regional medical centers, and public infrastructure projects. Work covered under the agreement includes the installation and service of plumbing systems, process piping, hydronic heating, and cooling systems. The local manages dispatch for its members to various signatory job sites, ensuring that manpower is allocated efficiently across the district. Members often work in close proximity to the New Hampshire-Maine border, requiring a clear understanding of reciprocal agreements and specific state licensing requirements for plumbers and gas fitters.
The contractor landscape for UA Local 788 consists of a diverse mix of mechanical firms ranging from large regional primes to specialized service shops. Signatory contractors in this market focus heavily on the industrial and institutional sectors, where complex piping and strict adherence to building codes are paramount. These firms often compete for substantial contracts at naval facilities, research laboratories, and educational institutions throughout the Seacoast. Hiring activity is generally tied to long-term capital projects and recurring maintenance cycles in the manufacturing sector. For tradespeople, this provides a variety of work environments, from heavy industrial welding to intricate commercial plumbing and high-efficiency HVAC installations.
Tradespeople working within the Local 788 jurisdiction must adhere to New Hampshire state licensing laws for plumbing and fuel gas fitting. Journeymen typically need to hold a valid New Hampshire Plumbers license. The JATC training program is designed to provide the classroom hours and practical experience required by the state to sit for these licensing exams, ensuring all members are fully compliant with regional regulations.
Yes, through the United Association's national training standards, Local 788 provides members with opportunities to earn various UA welding certifications. These certifications are highly valued by signatory industrial contractors, particularly for work involving high-pressure steam, process piping in manufacturing plants, and specialized infrastructure projects. Ongoing training ensures that the local maintains a pool of certified welders capable of meeting stringent quality controls.
Given Portsmouth's location on the Piscataqua River, Local 788 members may work on projects that have interstate implications. The local operates within its chartered jurisdiction, but the United Association maintains reciprocal agreements that manage how members work across local lines. It is essential for members and contractors to confirm which specific local has jurisdiction over a project site before commencing work near state boundaries.
The UA Local 788 apprenticeship program typically lasts five years. During this period, apprentices receive five years of related classroom instruction and approximately 8,500 to 10,000 hours of on-the-job training. This comprehensive approach ensures that every graduate is a well-rounded mechanic capable of handling the diverse needs of the Seacoast's mechanical and piping industry.
UA Local 788 is seated in Portsmouth, New Hampshire (NH). We hold published wage sheets for 1 local across New Hampshire — compare nearby scales before you take a call.
We are a mechanical, plumbing and electrical construction recruiting firm serving Portsmouth and the rest of New Hampshire, including contractors signatory to UA Local 788. 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 788 is headquartered in Portsmouth, NH 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 788 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 788 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 788 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 788 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 788 against neighboring jurisdictions and other plumbers & pipefitters markets.
The UA Local 788 hall is at Po Box 2018 Portsmouth, Nh 3801, serving Portsmouth, NH and the surrounding jurisdiction. Hall phone: 207-438-4092.
UA Local 788 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall. Call the hall at 207-438-4092 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 788 can be reached at 207-438-4092. Contact details are imported from the union's public directory listing — confirm hours with the hall.