Journeyman pipefitters under UA Local 8 in Kansas City, MO earn $59/hr in base wages, or $82.84/hr as a total package with fringe benefits, effective Jul 2026.
UA Local 8 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 8 pay scale for 2026 is $59.00 per hour for journeymen in Kansas City, MO, or about $118,000 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $82.84 per hour. That is the rate in force for 2026, effective 7/26/26.
| Local 8 journeyman hourly wage | $59.00 / hour |
|---|---|
| Total package (wage + fringe benefits) | $82.84 / hour |
| Annualized at 2,080 hours (base wage) | $118,000 / year |
| First-period apprentice (≈45–50% of scale) | $26.55–$29.50 / hour |
| Wage sheet effective | 7/26/26 |
| Classification | Combo |
A Local 8 apprentice in Kansas City, MO starts at roughly $26.55 an hour — about 45% of the $59.00 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $44.25 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 8 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
| 1st period (year 1) | 45% of scale | $26.55 / hour | $53,100 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd period (year 2) | 55% of scale | $32.45 / hour | $64,900 |
| 3rd period (year 3) | 65% of scale | $38.35 / hour | $76,700 |
| 4th period (year 4) | 75% of scale | $44.25 / hour | $88,500 |
| 5th period (year 5) | 85% of scale | $50.15 / hour | $100,300 |
| Journeyman (turned out) | 100% of scale | $59.00 / hour | $118,000 |
UA Local 8 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall — call 816-363-8888 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.
UA Local 8 represents the professional plumbing trade throughout the Kansas City metropolitan area and surrounding counties in both Missouri and Kansas. As a member of the United Association, this local provides the skilled labor force necessary for large-scale commercial developments, healthcare facilities, and high-rise residential projects. The organization focuses on maintaining rigorous standards for potable water systems, sanitary drainage, and medical gas installations. By centralizing training and dispatch for the region, Local 8 ensures that signatory contractors have access to a pool of mechanics who are certified to meet the specific building codes and safety regulations required by municipal authorities in the Kansas City basin.
The Kansas City market is a critical hub for mechanical construction due to its position as a logistics and healthcare center. UA Local 8 members are instrumental in the development of the region's infrastructure, including data centers, sports complexes, and industrial manufacturing plants. The local operates a sophisticated Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee facility where members receive ongoing education in BIM coordination, backflow prevention, and advanced welding techniques. This commitment to technical proficiency allows the local to maintain a strong market share against non-union competition, providing its members with stable employment opportunities and a comprehensive benefits package that is benchmarks well against other skilled trades in the Midwest.
Effective October 20, 2025, the Journeyman hourly rate for UA Local 8 is established at $59.00, contributing to a total compensation package of $82.84 per hour when fringe benefits are included. This $23.84 difference covers essential employer-paid contributions to retirement and healthcare funds. Apprentices enter the program at a percentage of the Journeyman rate, typically starting around 45% to 50% for first-year trainees. These wages increase incrementally as the apprentice completes required classroom hours and on-the-job training milestones. By the fifth year, senior apprentices earn significantly closer to the full scale. This structured progression ensures that labor costs for signatory contractors remain predictable while providing a clear financial roadmap for individuals entering the plumbing and pipefitting trade in the Kansas City region.
The jurisdiction for UA Local 8 covers a multi-county region spanning the Missouri-Kansas border, centered on the Kansas City metro. This territory includes major urban centers and developing suburban corridors where commercial and industrial plumbing work is governed by the local's collective bargaining agreement. Members are dispatched to job sites ranging from municipal water treatment plants to private sector office developments. The agreement defines the scope of work to include the installation, maintenance, and repair of all piping systems for water, waste, and gas. Contractors operating within these boundaries must adhere to the travel and subsistence rules outlined in the CBA when sending crews across different zones within the local's chartered geographic footprint.
The contractor landscape for UA Local 8 consists of a diverse mix of signatory firms ranging from large-scale mechanical primes to specialized plumbing service providers. These companies often handle the full mechanical scope for major regional projects, including HVAC piping and complex medical gas systems for the area's hospital networks. The market is characterized by long-standing relationships between the union and local mechanical contractor associations, ensuring a steady pipeline of work in the commercial and industrial sectors. Hiring typically fluctuates based on major capital projects in the Kansas City area, with significant demand currently driven by infrastructure upgrades and the expansion of the region's technical and industrial facilities.
The $59.00 hourly wage is the gross amount paid directly on a member's paycheck. The $82.84 total package includes an additional $23.84 in fringe benefits paid by the employer. These benefits cover healthcare, pension contributions, and training funds, which are not deducted from the hourly wage but are paid in addition to it.
Yes, as a UA local, Local 8 participates in the reciprocity agreements that allow members from other locals to have their fringe benefit contributions sent back to their home funds. Travelers should coordinate with the business manager to ensure all paperwork is filed correctly before starting work in the Kansas City jurisdiction.
Membership transfers, or 'traveling cards,' are handled according to the United Association Constitution. A member in good standing from another local may request to transfer, but acceptance is typically subject to the current work volume in Kansas City and the approval of the Local 8 business manager and executive board.
While basic plumbing proficiency is required, many signatory projects in Kansas City require specialized certifications such as Med-Gas, OSHA 30, or specific welding certs (UA-21, etc.). The JATC provides the necessary training for members to obtain and maintain these credentials to stay eligible for high-demand job sites.
UA Local 8 is seated in Kansas City, Missouri (MO). We hold published wage sheets for 13 locals across Missouri — compare nearby scales before you take a call.
We are a mechanical, plumbing and electrical construction recruiting firm serving Kansas City and the rest of Missouri, including contractors signatory to UA Local 8. 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 8 pay scale for 2026 is $59.00 per hour for journeymen in Kansas City, MO, or about $118,000 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $82.84 per hour. That is the rate in force for 2026, effective 7/26/26.
Journeyman pipefitters under the UA Local 8 agreement make $59.00 an hour in base wages, or $82.84 an hour counting the fringe package, per the wage sheet effective 7/26/26. Overtime, shift premiums, and travel or subsistence pay are added on top under the local's CBA.
$59.00 per hour base wage and $82.84 per hour total package for a journeyman in Kansas City, MO, effective 7/26/26. Annualized at 2,080 hours that is roughly $118,000 before overtime.
A Local 8 apprentice in Kansas City, MO starts at roughly $26.55 an hour — about 45% of the $59.00 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $44.25 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 8 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
About $26.55 an hour, or roughly $53,100 a year at 2,080 hours, based on the standard 45% first-period step of the $59.00 journeyman rate effective 7/26/26. Apprentices also earn benefit contributions and paid classroom progression; the JATC sets the exact percentage.
Around $38.35 an hour at the standard 65% third-period step, moving to about $44.25 an hour in the fourth period and $59.00 an hour at full journeyman scale. Confirm the published step schedule with the Local 8 training center.
The current UA Local 8 journeyman rate is $59.00/hour, with a total package of $82.84/hour including fringe benefits, effective 7/26/26. At 2,080 hours that works out to roughly $118,000 per year in base wages before overtime. Rates change with each CBA cycle — confirm with the Local 8 business office before relying on the figure.
The $59.00/hour figure is the base journeyman wage that lands on the paycheck. The $82.84/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 8 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 $59.00/hour journeyman rate, a first-period apprentice would be in the $26.55–$29.50/hour range. The exact percentage schedule is set by the local's JATC.
UA Local 8 is headquartered in Kansas City, MO 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 8 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 8 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 8 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 8 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 7/26/26 schedule; check with the Local 8 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 8 against neighboring jurisdictions and other plumbers & pipefitters markets.
The UA Local 8 hall is at 5950 Manchester Trafficway Ste 2 Kansas City, MO 64130, serving Kansas City, MO and the surrounding jurisdiction. Hall phone: 816-363-8888.
UA Local 8 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall. Call the hall at 816-363-8888 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 8 can be reached at 816-363-8888. Contact details are imported from the union's public directory listing — confirm hours with the hall.