Last updated August 23, 2026
UA Local 85 journeyman scale is $45.50/hr ($67.25/hr with benefits) on the 2026 union determination. Below: the full pay scale, apprentice steps, whether applications are open right now, and a free alert the moment the next window opens.
Journeyman scale at UA Local 85 (Saginaw, MI) is $38.01–$45.50/hr base, $67.25/hr with benefits.
This local's rate genuinely differs across its jurisdiction, so the range above is the honest answer — a single number would be wrong somewhere. Which rate applies depends on the county the job is in.
UA Local 85 has not published an apprentice wage schedule we could verify. UA locals do not share a national percentage ladder — each local negotiates its own — so we don't estimate one. See the 10 verified ladders for what the steps typically look like.
2026 Davis-Bacon union determination MI20260107 (pipefitter), observed in 2 counties. Source: SAM.gov wage determination ↗
Compare all 170 UA pay scales →Applications are accepted year-round.
Official application page ↗Status last verified August 23, 2026. Source: official local/JATC site. Windows can change on short notice — always confirm details with the local before making plans.
Windows at competitive locals can cap out in days. We watch Saginaw’s application status and email you the moment it opens — so you apply on day one, not day last.
UA Local 85 is based in Saginaw, Michigan. It represents and trains: Plumber, Steamfitter, HVAC/R.
Union hall: (989) 799-5261
From our last verification: Online application form available year-round on the apprenticeships page (separate forms for Pipe Trades apprentice and HVACR Service); paper applications also available at the hall (3535 Bay Rd, Saginaw) during business hours 8am-5pm. Requirements: 18+, US citizen, live within Local 85's 31-county jurisdiction, HS diploma/GED, valid Michigan driver's license, general knowledge aptitude exam, interview, drug testing. Submit diploma/transcripts or GED, driver's license or birth certificate copy, DD-214 if applicable.
Most UA locals rank applicants by aptitude-test score and fill seats from the top down. The applicants who get in prepped early — start with a free GAN-style practice test or the GAN aptitude test guide.
As of August 23, 2026: Applications are accepted year-round. Application schedules are set by the local and its training fund and can change on short notice — always confirm on the local's own site before making plans.
Applications go through the local's apprenticeship/training program (https://ualocal85.org/apprenticeships/). The usual process: submit the application with your HS diploma or GED and ID, take the aptitude test, then complete a scored interview that sets your rank on the eligibility list.
UA Local 85 (Saginaw, Michigan) represents Plumber, Steamfitter, HVAC/R — its apprenticeship program trains those trades. If you want a different pipe trade, check the neighboring UA locals in the directory.
Journeyman scale at UA Local 85 is $45.50/hr base, $67.25/hr including fringe benefits. The rate varies across the local's jurisdiction ($38.01–$45.50/hr), so which figure applies depends on the county. That is the 2026 union wage determination MI20260107, which is the local's own negotiated scale because the Department of Labor adopts collective-bargaining rates wholesale.
UA Local 85 has not published an apprentice wage schedule we could verify. UA locals do not share a national percentage ladder — each local negotiates its own — so we don't estimate one from the $45.50/hr journeyman rate. Ask the local for its current schedule. What is true everywhere: you are paid from day one and there is no tuition.
Most UA locals test applicants with the GAN aptitude battery — reading comprehension, numerical computation and reasoning, problem solving, paper folding, and mechanical comprehension — and rank candidates by score. Your test score plus interview decide your ranking, so prep before the window opens.
Or compare every Michigan local side by side: union plumber pay in Michigan.
Applying is step one — the aptitude battery and the scored interview decide your rank. Set this local in the app and your study plan gets paced to its deadline.
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PipePrep AI is an independent directory and study tool — not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the United Association (UA), any UA local, any JATC or training fund, or GAN Human Resources. Application windows, fees, and requirements change constantly; always verify details on the local's own website before you act on anything here.