YOUR SKILLS
BELONG HERE
You've worked hard to become an expert in the pipetrades. Now find a market that treats you like it. Northeast Wisconsin is hiring — and the full picture looks a lot different than you'd expect.
MORE THAN A PAYCHECK
Unlike other jobs where you use your paycheck to cover the cost of benefits, your fringe benefits are covered in addition to your wages with Local 400's Total Package (TP) wage complete benefits package. The total package wage includes your base hourly pay, plus health insurance, pension & retirement, and education. The TP increases annually (no need to worry about asking the boss for a raise).
Add it all up and the total compensation picture looks a lot different than a base wage comparison. The money that stays in your pocket matters.
The 2026-2027 total package wage is $79.39. The total package wage includes your base hourly pay, plus health insurance, plus pension & retirement, and education. The TP increases annually (no need to worry about asking the boss for a raise). You can download the 2026-2027 Local 400 Pay schedule here.
Wages are one line on the ledger. This is what the rest of life here looks like.
WORK
In Wisconsin, fabrication isn’t just an industry—it’s in our DNA.
We pioneered the nation’s first Registered Apprenticeship system in 1911, and today we rank #1 in the nation for manufacturing employment in fabricated metal products and #2 for manufacturing employment concentration.
#1
Fabricated Metal Manufacturing Employment in the U.S.
Wisconsin leads the nation. Our jurisdiction includes 14 off-site fabrication shops. If you came out of a welding program, this is where your skills command respect.
8 of 10
World's Largest Food Companies Operate Here
The world's biggest food processors run operations across NE Wisconsin. For a welder, that means a steady, diverse project calendar — not feast-or-famine work.
#2
Manufacturing Employment in the Nation
Wisconsin's manufacturing concentration runs nearly 3x the national average. It's an active, growing industrial economy that needs skilled hands to keep it running.
Top 10
One of the Lowest Unemploymenet Rates in the Country
Wisconsin consistently ranks at the bottom of state unemployment lists, coming in at 43 for the end of 2025. Trades are in demand here and the work isn't going anywhere.
Four genuine seasons aren't just good for the soul, they're good for your work schedule. HVAC/R technicians work year-round here.
FAMILY
Top-rated national rankings for the best places to live often highlight mid-sized, affordable cities that offer a mix of excellent quality of life, robust job markets, and high safety. Just like Green Bay, Appleton, and Oshkosh, WI, which consistently receive top scores on best-places-to-live lists in the Midwest... and the U.S.
-40%
Appleton's Crime Rate is 40% Lower than the National Average
Appleton (No. 10), Oshkosh (No. 37) and Green Bay (No. 72), are three of the six Wisconsin cities to rank in the top 75 safest mid-sized cities. Thesee are the kind of cities where you know your neighbors, your kids play outside, and you leave for work without looking over your shoulder.
Top 10
State for Healthcare (WalletHub.com)
Wisconsin ranks top 10 nationally for healthcare cost, access, and outcomes. Your union benefits work harder here with shorter wait times, strong regional hospitals, and quality care close to home. Forbes gave hospitals in Green Bay, Neenah, and Appleton their top 5-Star rating.
6th
Best Public K-12 Schools in the Nation
Wisconsin ties for the highest median SAT score in the country (1,298) and holds a 15:1 student-to-teacher ratio, so your kids won't get lost in the system. And when they're ready for what's next, Wisconsin has 89 colleges and universities to choose from. Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, right here in the jurisdiction, was just named a national top-25 finalist for community college excellence.
-7%
Cost-of-Living Index of 93.5 is Nearly 7% Lower than US Ave.
A journeyman's wage buys a house here. Wisconsin's cost-of-living index is 93.5, almost 7% below the national average. In most of Northeast Wisconsin, a tradesman's income means home ownership, not apartment renting. You'll gain equity, not a landlord.
Wisconsin has seen a net inflow of adults ages 25–54 for nearly a decade. Working-age people are choosing this state. The community you're moving into is growing, not shrinking.
Wisconsin is a working-class state through and through. Hard work, community, and straight talk, the same values that drew you to the trades in the first place. You'll feel at home here.
RECREATION
This is where you live when you're not working. 5 million acres of public hunting land. That's roughly 100 acres for every licensed hunter in the state. Turkey, pheasant, black bear, whitetail — you don't need to know the right landowner to find a great hunt here. Wisconsin has it open and waiting.
If hunting isn't your pastime pleasure, boat on our 15,000 lakes, fish in our 84,000 miles of rivers and streams or enjoy sports like golf and softball.
#1
State for Boone & Crockett Whitetail Records
2,132 all-time B&C entries, more than any state in the Lower 48. Buffalo County, right here in Wisconsin, is the #1 trophy whitetail county in North America. If you hunt deer, this is an upgrade, not a compromise.
#1
State for Public Golf
(Golf Digest)
More courses in Golf Digest's Top 100 than any other state. Whistling Straits in Kohler, host of the 2021 Ryder Cup and three PGA Championships, is right here in the jurisdiction. 532 courses statewide, ranked 6th in the nation for golfers per capita.
15,000+
Lakes. 84,000+ Miles of Rivers & Streams.
Summer fishing, winter ice shanties, plus kayaking, swimming, and boating. Two Great Lakes on your doorstep: Superior and Michigan. This isn't a weekend destination. It's your backyard. Plus, no sharks, gators, crocs or anything else wanting to eat you.
539,000
Shareholders of the NFL's Only Publically-Owned Team
Packer country is a real thing.
There is nothing else like it in professional sports. Green Bay is a small city with an NFL team that its residents actually own. On game day, the whole region cheers together. That kind of community identity is something you move into, not something you visit from the outside.
The outdoors at your doorstep: Lake Michigan, the Bay of Green Bay, hundreds of inland lakes, hunting land, Door County. It's not a weekend trip. It's where you live.
PIPE FABRICATION
Put your welding skills to work in a purpose-built fabrication environment. Wisconsin's industrial base, from paper mills to food processing to manufacturing, runs on pipe.
JOIN UA LOCAL 400
2,700 members. 105+ signatory contractors. Full union benefits, pension, and a training program that makes you better every year. This is a career, not just a job.