Journeyman pipefitters under UA Local 81 in Syracuse, NY earn $48.26/hr in base wages, or $74.13/hr as a total package with fringe benefits, effective Jul 2025.
UA Local 81 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 81 pay scale for 2026 is $48.26 per hour for journeymen in Syracuse, NY, or about $96,520 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $74.13 per hour. That is the rate in force for 2026, effective 7/20/25.
| Local 81 journeyman hourly wage | $48.26 / hour |
|---|---|
| Total package (wage + fringe benefits) | $74.13 / hour |
| Annualized at 2,080 hours (base wage) | $96,520 / year |
| First-period apprentice (≈45–50% of scale) | $21.72–$24.13 / hour |
| Wage sheet effective | 7/20/25 |
| Classification | Combo |
A Local 81 apprentice in Syracuse, NY starts at roughly $21.72 an hour — about 45% of the $48.26 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $36.20 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 81 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
| 1st period (year 1) | 45% of scale | $21.72 / hour | $43,434 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd period (year 2) | 55% of scale | $26.54 / hour | $53,086 |
| 3rd period (year 3) | 65% of scale | $31.37 / hour | $62,738 |
| 4th period (year 4) | 75% of scale | $36.20 / hour | $72,390 |
| 5th period (year 5) | 85% of scale | $41.02 / hour | $82,042 |
| Journeyman (turned out) | 100% of scale | $48.26 / hour | $96,520 |
UA Local 81 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall — call 315-437-7397 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 81 represents skilled plumbers, pipefitters, and service technicians across the Syracuse and Central New York corridor. This local serves as a critical labor source for the region's diverse construction landscape, ranging from massive industrial manufacturing facilities to essential healthcare infrastructure. Since 2014, Gulfstream Strategic Placements has monitored the demand for UA labor in this market, where the specialized skills of Local 81 members support high-pressure steam systems, medical gas piping, and complex HVAC installations. The union maintains a strong presence in the regional economy by ensuring a steady pipeline of certified craftsmen who adhere to rigorous safety and quality standards mandated by the International Union.
The Central New York market is currently experiencing significant investment in the semiconductor and advanced manufacturing sectors, placing UA Local 81 at the center of large-scale mechanical contracting needs. Because the jurisdiction includes major academic institutions and research centers, the work often requires advanced certifications in orbital welding and cleanroom protocols. For signatory mechanical primes, the local provides a scalable workforce capable of meeting strict project timelines. For the individual tradesperson, Local 81 offers a structured career path backed by a collective bargaining agreement that establishes transparent pay scales and comprehensive benefits, ensuring that labor costs remain predictable for contractors while maintaining a high standard of living for the membership.
Based on the figures effective July 20, 2025, the Journeyman hourly rate for UA Local 81 is $48.26. When accounting for the full fringe benefit contribution, the total taxable and non-taxable package reaches $74.13 per hour. Apprentices typically begin their progression at a percentage of the Journeyman rate, often starting near 45-50% and receiving incremental raises every six to twelve months as they complete required classroom hours and on-the-job training milestones. These scheduled increases are contingent upon satisfactory performance in the JATC program and documented work hours. By the fifth year, senior apprentices earn a high percentage of the scale, ensuring a smooth transition to full Journeyman status once they pass their final examinations and licensing requirements.
UA Local 81 holds a broad geographic charter centered in Syracuse and extending across multiple counties in Central and Northern New York. The jurisdiction covers a mix of urban commercial centers, industrial zones, and rural territories, requiring members to be mobile for various project sites. Work performed under this agreement includes the installation and maintenance of all piping systems, plumbing fixtures, and mechanical equipment in residential, commercial, and industrial settings. Dispatch typically originates from the Syracuse headquarters, with specific travel provisions outlined in the collective bargaining agreement for projects located at the outer edges of the territorial map. This ensures that signatory contractors have access to local labor regardless of the specific project location within the designated counties.
The signatory contractor landscape for Local 81 is comprised of diverse entities ranging from national mechanical primes to localized plumbing and heating firms. A significant portion of the work is driven by institutional projects, including university expansions and hospital renovations, which require contractors with deep bonding capacity and a highly skilled workforce. Large-scale industrial projects in the region often utilize Project Labor Agreements (PLAs), ensuring that Local 81 members are the primary labor source for critical piping infrastructure. Service-oriented signatory firms also maintain a steady presence, providing ongoing maintenance and emergency repairs for commercial boiler systems and cooling towers across the Syracuse metropolitan area.
Members have access to a wide array of industry-recognized certifications, including UA Weld certifications (SMAW, TIG, Orbital), Medical Gas Installer certification, Backflow Prevention, and OSHA safety training. These credentials allow members to work on highly specialized projects and remain competitive in the regional labor market. Training is conducted by certified instructors using the latest industry technology.
Travel pay and subsistence allowances are governed by the specific terms of the collective bargaining agreement. Generally, if a project is located beyond a specific mileage radius from the Syracuse city center or the member's residence, additional compensation may be triggered. These rates are designed to offset the costs of fuel and time for members commuting to distant job sites within the jurisdiction.
Travelers and members looking to transfer must follow the UA Constitution's procedures, which involve contacting their home local's Business Manager and the Local 81 Business Manager. Acceptance of a travel card depends on the current local work volume and the availability of jobs for the existing Local 81 membership. Permanent transfers usually require a period of working in the jurisdiction as a traveler.
Yes, Local 81 includes a dedicated path for HVAC service technicians. This training focuses on the diagnostic repair and maintenance of commercial refrigeration, chillers, and building automation systems. Service technicians follow a similar apprenticeship structure but with a specialized curriculum focused on electrical troubleshooting, thermodynamics, and refrigerant handling to meet the needs of the service-heavy commercial sector.
UA Local 81 is seated in Syracuse, New York (NY). We hold published wage sheets for 27 locals across New York — compare nearby scales before you take a call.
We are a mechanical, plumbing and electrical construction recruiting firm serving Syracuse and the rest of New York, including contractors signatory to UA Local 81. 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 81 pay scale for 2026 is $48.26 per hour for journeymen in Syracuse, NY, or about $96,520 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $74.13 per hour. That is the rate in force for 2026, effective 7/20/25.
Journeyman pipefitters under the UA Local 81 agreement make $48.26 an hour in base wages, or $74.13 an hour counting the fringe package, per the wage sheet effective 7/20/25. Overtime, shift premiums, and travel or subsistence pay are added on top under the local's CBA.
$48.26 per hour base wage and $74.13 per hour total package for a journeyman in Syracuse, NY, effective 7/20/25. Annualized at 2,080 hours that is roughly $96,520 before overtime.
A Local 81 apprentice in Syracuse, NY starts at roughly $21.72 an hour — about 45% of the $48.26 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $36.20 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 81 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
About $21.72 an hour, or roughly $43,434 a year at 2,080 hours, based on the standard 45% first-period step of the $48.26 journeyman rate effective 7/20/25. Apprentices also earn benefit contributions and paid classroom progression; the JATC sets the exact percentage.
Around $31.37 an hour at the standard 65% third-period step, moving to about $36.20 an hour in the fourth period and $48.26 an hour at full journeyman scale. Confirm the published step schedule with the Local 81 training center.
The current UA Local 81 journeyman rate is $48.26/hour, with a total package of $74.13/hour including fringe benefits, effective 7/20/25. At 2,080 hours that works out to roughly $96,520 per year in base wages before overtime. Rates change with each CBA cycle — confirm with the Local 81 business office before relying on the figure.
The $48.26/hour figure is the base journeyman wage that lands on the paycheck. The $74.13/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 81 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 $48.26/hour journeyman rate, a first-period apprentice would be in the $21.72–$24.13/hour range. The exact percentage schedule is set by the local's JATC.
UA Local 81 is headquartered in Syracuse, NY 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 81 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 81 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 81 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 81 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 7/20/25 schedule; check with the Local 81 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 81 against neighboring jurisdictions and other plumbers & pipefitters markets.
The UA Local 81 hall is at 107 Twin Oaks Dr Syracuse, NY 13206, serving Syracuse, NY and the surrounding jurisdiction. Hall phone: 315-437-7397.
UA Local 81 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall. Call the hall at 315-437-7397 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 81 can be reached at 315-437-7397. Contact details are imported from the union's public directory listing — confirm hours with the hall.