If you’re considering a career in the HVAC and Refrigeration industry as a service technician, you may be wondering if you should join the local HVAC union or take a position in a non-union shop.
Let’s address the most common questions we hear about the HVAC union vs. non union decision.
Is it hard to get into the union for HVAC service technicians?
You may have heard stories about people who waited all day in line just for a chance to apply to the local HVAC union. However, what most people don’t know is that there are two different divisions within the NYC HVAC union (Local 638), and one is easier to join than the other.
One group, known as Steamfitters, consists of workers who install piping for HVAC systems and fire sprinkler systems in new building construction. Without a doubt, this side of the union is difficult to get into. Only a small number of new applicants are accepted periodically, and when that happens there are long lines to apply.
However, the second group, known as Servicefitters, is open to anyone who can secure a job with a union HVACR company. This group consists of HVAC and Refrigeration service technicians who maintain, repair, and install HVAC and Refrigeration equipment. So, if you want to become a service technician, there’s no need to worry about having a hard time joining the union.
Here’s how it works: you start by getting hired by an HVAC union contractor (or Refrigeration contractor) as a “helper,” apprentice, or junior technician. Your employer will refer you for membership in the union within 45 days. You’ll go into the union office and complete some paperwork, and that’s it! You’re in the union.
And, you don’t need experience in the field to get started. As long as you are interested in learning and have a strong work ethic, you are able to get started in this industry! You’ll learn what you need to know on the job while you work as a helper, and from more formal employer training, manufacturer training, and union training.
Learn more:
Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Jobs: What’s Required to Get Hired
HVAC Technician Apprenticeship: What To Expect During the First Year
What are the benefits of joining the HVAC union in NYC?
Paid medical and dental benefits. Especially for job seekers with families to support, where else can you get excellent benefits that you don’t have to pay hundreds of dollars (or more) per month for?
Guaranteed pay raises and overtime pay. HVAC union service technicians start at about $15 per hour for a helper. Every year, your HVAC union wages go up according to a negotiated schedule. After 4-5 years, you’ll be making more than $42 per hour. Plus, you’ll get paid time and a half (and sometimes double time) for overtime work.
Contracted working conditions. As a union worker, you’re also guaranteed an 8 hour regular workday with specific start and end times (again, try to find that in a non-union job!). You’ll also earn paid holidays and vacation time.
Pension. If you are a young person just entering the workforce, thinking about retirement is probably the last thing on your mind. However, don’t overlook the importance of this HUGE benefit. A pension ensures that you CAN retire at a reasonable age and live comfortably.
High quality (and FREE) training program. If you have been reading our blogs, you already know that there’s a lot to learn in this field. And you need to keep learning even once you become an expert. The union offers free training classes to members, as well as more formal training programs that your employer can enroll you in.
Ability to find work. Many HVAC union technicians tend to stay with their employers for the long term. If, however, you do want to look for a new job, being in the union makes it considerably easier by providing a list of union contractors to reach out to.
The union has your back. If you ever have a problem with your employer (with overtime or wrongful termination, for example), the union is there to negotiate on your behalf with your employer.
Get to Know Your NYC Refrigeration & HVAC Union: UA Local 638
How much does it cost to be in the union?
Joining the union is a nominal cost. You do pay union dues, ranging from 30 cents to 45 cents per hour, plus 0.75 percent of your gross pay. For a first year helper, that works out to about $30 per month.
HVAC union vs non-union jobs: which pay more?
The short answer is, it depends.
For entry level jobs, you might find that non-union shops pay a little bit more to start in terms of just wages. However, with guaranteed union pay raises, it doesn’t take long for union technicians to catch up and surpass what non-union techs are making.
And, when you consider the cost of benefits in addition to wages, union employees make more almost without fail. Employer sponsored health care and pension plans let union service technicians put their wages towards the things they want to spend money on, such as living expenses, purchasing homes, and taking care of their families.
Generally speaking, only the most talented and knowledgeable technicians have a chance to make more working in a non-union shop for the long term.
Should a non-union technician consider joining the union?
You definitely can, especially if you’re not getting the benefits you need to support your family. Or if you’re not being paid for overtime.
However, unless you can demonstrate to an employer that your non-union experience should help you start at a higher classification, you might have to take a pay cut to do so. This is one of the ways unions work: the wage scale is generally determined by length of service. That said, if you can make it work for the short term, there is a lot to be gained in the long run from union membership.
Of course, that’s why you’re better off starting out in the union when you begin your career as a service technician.
How can you find jobs with union HVAC contractors?
Check out our list of NYC union employers on HVACR Career Connect!
HVACR Career Connect NY was created to promote the exceptional quality-of-life benefits of a career in HVAC and Refrigeration service, and also to provide a clear path for getting started in the profession. In doing so, we serve as a resource for employers in the New York City metro area to find and hire smart and capable new technicians. We also serve as an educational resource to support business growth and to help service technicians succeed in their chosen profession.
Learn about technical careers in the HVAC & Refrigeration industry, how to get hired and tips to build your career.