Journeyman electrician under IBEW Local 1253 in Augusta, ME earn $37.10/hr in base wages, or $54.03/hr as a total package with fringe benefits, effective Sep 2024.
IBEW Local 1253 runs its own dispatch and out-of-work list. Gulfstream is a private recruiter and does not control hall referral.
The Local 1253 pay scale is $37.10 per hour for journeymen in Augusta, ME, or about $74,200 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $54.03 per hour. That is the rate in force, effective 9/27/24.
| Local 1253 journeyman hourly wage | $37.10 / hour |
|---|---|
| Total package (wage + fringe benefits) | $54.03 / hour |
| Annualized at 2,080 hours (base wage) | $74,200 / year |
| First-period apprentice (≈45–50% of scale) | $16.70–$18.55 / hour |
| Wage sheet effective | 9/27/24 |
| Classification | Journeyman Inside Wireman |
A Local 1253 apprentice in Augusta, ME starts at roughly $16.70 an hour — about 45% of the $37.10 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $27.83 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 1253 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
| 1st period (year 1) | 45% of scale | $16.70 / hour | $33,390 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd period (year 2) | 55% of scale | $20.41 / hour | $40,810 |
| 3rd period (year 3) | 65% of scale | $24.12 / hour | $48,230 |
| 4th period (year 4) | 75% of scale | $27.83 / hour | $55,650 |
| 5th period (year 5) | 85% of scale | $31.54 / hour | $63,070 |
| Journeyman (turned out) | 100% of scale | $37.10 / hour | $74,200 |
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 1253 represents skilled inside wiremen and electrical professionals across Central and Northern Maine. Based in Augusta, this local provides the technical workforce required for the region's diverse infrastructure, spanning commercial developments, healthcare facilities, and heavy industrial sites. Since 2014, Gulfstream Strategic Placements has monitored the labor trends in the Pine Tree State, observing how Local 1253 maintains rigorous training standards through its Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (JATC). This ensures that signatory contractors have access to electricians capable of handling complex power distribution, lighting systems, and integrated control work in demanding environments.
The market for Local 1253 is defined by its vast geographic footprint and the critical role of electrical systems in Maine's industrial heritage. Members work on projects ranging from large-scale institutional upgrades to sensitive technological installations. By adhering to the National Electrical Code and local amendments, the union ensures safety and reliability for both public and private sector clients. The local's presence in Augusta allows it to interface effectively with state-level infrastructure planning and regional development initiatives. For the tradesperson, this means a career backed by collective bargaining, providing a stable framework for wage increases, comprehensive benefits, and a path toward master electrician licensure within the state of Maine.
["As of the September 27, 2024 update, the Journeyman Inside Wireman rate for IBEW Local 1253 is established at $37.10 per hour. When factoring in the fringe benefit package, the total compensation reaches $54.03 per hour. Apprentices typically enter the program at a percentage of the journeyman rate, often starting around 40-50% 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 progress through the five-year JATC curriculum. By the final year of the apprenticeship, workers typically earn approximately 80-85% of the full scale. This structured progression ensures that pay remains commensurate with the individual's growing technical proficiency and safety knowledge."]
["IBEW Local 1253 holds a broad charter covering several key counties in Central and Northern Maine. The jurisdiction includes Kennebec, Somerset, Piscataquis, and Penobscot counties, among others, reaching from the state capital in Augusta up through Bangor and into the northern rural reaches. Dispatch for members is managed through the Augusta office, where calls are filled based on the out-of-work list and specific project requirements. The work covered under the Inside Wireman agreement includes all electrical construction, maintenance, and repair within the property lines of commercial and industrial sites. Due to the large territory, travel is a common component of the local's workflow, with members often commuting to major healthcare expansions or industrial mill renovations."]
["The signatory contractor landscape for Local 1253 consists of a mix of large regional mechanical-electrical primes and specialized local shops. These firms handle the bulk of the commercial construction in Augusta and Bangor, as well as critical maintenance contracts for Maine's industrial sector. Hiring typically fluctuates based on major capital projects, such as hospital expansions or higher education facility upgrades. Because the local serves a large geographic area, signatory contractors often rely on the union's ability to mobilize a skilled workforce to remote sites that lack a sufficient local labor pool. This partnership allows contractors to bid on high-complexity projects with the assurance that the labor force meets national IBEW standards."]
The hourly wage of $37.10 is the gross amount paid on a member's paycheck. The total package of $54.03 includes an additional $16.93 per hour in employer-paid benefits. These benefits cover health insurance, pension contributions, and training funds, which are paid by the contractor in addition to the base wage, rather than being deducted from the worker's $37.10 hourly rate.
While the primary focus of Local 1253 is Inside Wireman work for commercial and industrial projects, the union may have specific residential agreements or classifications. However, the $37.10 journeyman rate typically applies to commercial and industrial construction. Residential rates, if they exist under a separate addendum, are usually lower and follow different progression rules than the building trades agreement.
Yes, IBEW members in good standing can work in Local 1253's jurisdiction via a travel letter, often referred to as 'signing Book 2.' To permanently transfer your membership (becoming a 'Book 1' hand), you must generally reside in the jurisdiction for a specific period and receive approval from the Local 1253 executive board, depending on the current work outlook and bylaws.
Wage increases are determined by the Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiated between the Union and NECA. These increases are usually scheduled annually or bi-annually throughout the life of the contract. The current $37.10 rate became effective in September 2024. Future adjustments will depend on the terms of the next contract cycle, reflecting cost-of-living changes and the regional economic climate.
IBEW Local 1253 is seated in Augusta, Maine (ME). We hold published wage sheets for 2 locals across Maine — compare nearby scales before you take a call.
We are a mechanical, plumbing and electrical construction recruiting firm serving Augusta and the rest of Maine, including contractors signatory to IBEW Local 1253. Our office is in South Corona, California and we place union-scale tradespeople and field leadership nationwide.
Gulfstream Strategic Placements, 4160 Temescal Canyon Road, Suite 401, Corona, CA 92883. Phone (951) 208-7780. Email hello@gulfstreamsp.com. Monday–Friday, 7:00 AM–5:00 PM Pacific.View our verified Google Business Profile
Journeyman scales as last published by each local. Rates change every contract cycle — confirm with the hall.
The Local 1253 pay scale is $37.10 per hour for journeymen in Augusta, ME, or about $74,200 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $54.03 per hour. That is the rate in force, effective 9/27/24.
Journeyman electrician under the IBEW Local 1253 agreement make $37.10 an hour in base wages, or $54.03 an hour counting the fringe package, per the wage sheet effective 9/27/24. Overtime, shift premiums, and travel or subsistence pay are added on top under the local's CBA.
$37.10 per hour base wage and $54.03 per hour total package for a journeyman in Augusta, ME, effective 9/27/24. Annualized at 2,080 hours that is roughly $74,200 before overtime.
A Local 1253 apprentice in Augusta, ME starts at roughly $16.70 an hour — about 45% of the $37.10 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $27.83 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 1253 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
About $16.70 an hour, or roughly $33,390 a year at 2,080 hours, based on the standard 45% first-period step of the $37.10 journeyman rate effective 9/27/24. Apprentices also earn benefit contributions and paid classroom progression; the JATC sets the exact percentage.
Around $24.12 an hour at the standard 65% third-period step, moving to about $27.83 an hour in the fourth period and $37.10 an hour at full journeyman scale. Confirm the published step schedule with the Local 1253 training center.
The current IBEW Local 1253 journeyman rate is $37.10/hour, with a total package of $54.03/hour including fringe benefits, effective 9/27/24. At 2,080 hours that works out to roughly $74,200 per year in base wages before overtime. Rates change with each CBA cycle — confirm with the Local 1253 business office before relying on the figure.
The $37.10/hour figure is the base journeyman wage that lands on the paycheck. The $54.03/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 electricians labor costs across locals.
Apprentices under the IBEW Local 1253 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 $37.10/hour journeyman rate, a first-period apprentice would be in the $16.70–$18.55/hour range. The exact percentage schedule is set by the local's JATC.
IBEW Local 1253 is headquartered in Augusta, ME and dispatches electricians 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 electricians work. Some Local 1253 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 IBEW Local 1253 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 1253 training center directly.
Electricians 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 IBEW Local 1253 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 electricians 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 9/27/24 schedule; check with the Local 1253 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 1253 against neighboring jurisdictions and other electricians markets.