Journeyman base rates at the 3 union locals based in Des Moines, IA run $41.70 to $46.70 an hour on the 2 published sheets we hold — roughly $83,400 a year at the midpoint, before the fringe package. HVAC union pay in Des Moines — the sheet metal and pipefitting locals that cover commercial mechanical work — runs $41.70 to $41.70 an hour on those sheets. Each figure below shows its source and effective date.
| Local | Trade | Hall | Journeyman / hr | Total package | Effective |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IBEW Local 347 rates in Des Moines | Electricians | Des Moines, IA | $46.70 | $78.75 | 6/26/26 |
| UA Local 33 rates in Des Moines | Plumbers & Pipefitters | Des Moines, IA | $41.70 | $62.85 | 3/22/24 |
| SMART Local 45 rates in Des Moines | Sheet Metal Workers | Des Moines, IA | No sheet published | — | — |
Base rates only; fringes are paid on top. Sheet set last cross-checked 2026-09-01.
SMART Local 45 — no published wage sheet on file; contact the hall for current scale.
$41.70 an hour journeyman base at UA Local 33, before fringes.
$46.70 an hour journeyman base at IBEW Local 347, before fringes.
Not journeyed out yet? See Des Moines union apprenticeships — the halls running each program, entry requirements and apprentice pay by period.
Across the 2 Des Moines-area locals with a published wage sheet, journeyman base rates run $41.70 to $46.70 an hour, midpoint near $41.70 — about $83,400 a year at 2,000 hours. Fringes (health, pension, training) are paid on top of that base.
Of the sheets we hold, IBEW Local 347 (Electricians) shows the highest journeyman base rate at $46.70 an hour, effective 6/26/26. Rates reset each agreement cycle, so confirm with the hall before relying on the figure.
Commercial HVAC work in Des Moines, IA is covered by the sheet metal and pipefitting locals — UA Local 33 at $41.70/hr (effective 3/22/24). That puts HVAC union pay in Des Moines between $41.70 and $41.70 an hour on base scale, before the fringe package.
Only on signatory work. Sheet metal service and pipefitting/refrigeration service agreements are dispatched through the hall at the published scale; merit-shop HVAC service pay in Des Moines, IA is set per employer and varies with EPA and controls certifications, on-call and overtime. We recruit for both.
No. The journeyman rate is the base hourly wage. Health and welfare, pension, annuity and training contributions are paid on top — that combined figure is the total package, shown where the sheet publishes it.
Apply to the local's apprenticeship or ask about journeyman organizing directly with the hall, and register on the out-of-work list if you already hold the ticket. We also place union-scale and merit-shop tradespeople with Des Moines contractors — the openings on this page are live.
Each figure is read off that local's published wage sheet, with the source and effective date shown next to it. Our sheet set was last cross-checked 2026-09-01.
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