Journeyman electrician under IBEW Local 153 in South Bend, IN earn $49.30/hr in base wages, or $78.34/hr as a total package with fringe benefits, effective Jul 2026.
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IBEW Local 153 runs its own dispatch and out-of-work list. Gulfstream is a private recruiter and does not control hall referral.
The Local 153 pay scale for 2026 is $49.30 per hour for journeymen in South Bend, IN, or about $98,600 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $78.34 per hour. That is the rate in force for 2026, effective 7/26/26.
| Local 153 journeyman hourly wage | $49.30 / hour |
|---|---|
| Total package (wage + fringe benefits) | $78.34 / hour |
| Annualized at 2,080 hours (base wage) | $98,600 / year |
| First-period apprentice (≈45–50% of scale) | $22.19–$24.65 / hour |
| Wage sheet effective | 7/26/26 |
| Classification | Journeyman Inside Wireman |
A Local 153 apprentice in South Bend, IN starts at roughly $22.19 an hour — about 45% of the $49.30 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $36.97 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 153 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
| 1st period (year 1) | 45% of scale | $22.19 / hour | $44,370 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd period (year 2) | 55% of scale | $27.12 / hour | $54,230 |
| 3rd period (year 3) | 65% of scale | $32.05 / hour | $64,090 |
| 4th period (year 4) | 75% of scale | $36.97 / hour | $73,950 |
| 5th period (year 5) | 85% of scale | $41.90 / hour | $83,810 |
| Journeyman (turned out) | 100% of scale | $49.30 / hour | $98,600 |
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Local 153 wages: $49.30 an hour on the journeyman scale, $78.34 an hour with fringe benefits added, effective 7/26/26. That is the most recent South Bend, IN sheet we can source; rates move with each contract cycle, so confirm with the hall before quoting.
Roughly 37% of the IBEW Local 153 package is employer-paid benefits and fringes rather than wages, which is why the package figure and a take-home hourly rate are not the same number.
Unverified: crowd-sourced figure (unionpayscales.com), not confirmed against the local's own wage sheet
Download the IBEW Local 153 pay scale (PDF) — one-page printable rate sheet, effective July 26, 2026.
| Benefit & fringe contributions | $29.04/hr | Derived: total package minus base wage. This is the employer's combined hourly contribution to the funds, not take-home pay. |
|---|---|---|
| What the contributions fund | Health & welfare, pension, annuity, training and industry funds | Standard fund categories in mechanical and electrical agreements. The exact split between funds is set in the local's agreement — the hall or fund office publishes the schedule. |
| Paid on | Every hour worked | Fringe contributions are made per hour worked, so they scale with dispatched hours and are paid to the funds rather than to the member. |
The rates above are the IBEW Local 153 scale used across the South Bend, IN area. Members dispatched out of this hall work commercial and industrial electrical, building automation and controls wiring, data and low-voltage systems and service and retrofit work for signatory contractors throughout the South Bend metro, so a electrician wage quoted locally is normally this scale plus the fringe package shown in the table.
Gulfstream recruits electrician talent for commercial mechanical, plumbing, piping, sheet metal and building automation contractors in and around South Bend. We are a private recruiting firm — we do not dispatch, set, or negotiate Local 153 rates. For current South Bend scale, dispatch standing, or apprenticeship intake, contact the hall directly.
IBEW Local 153 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall — contact the hall to confirm dispatch procedure and what to bring before traveling in. Contact details are imported from the UA, SMART and IBEW public directories. Gulfstream is a private recruiting firm, is not affiliated with the local, and does not control hall dispatch.
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 153 serves as the primary labor organization for skilled electricians across Northern Indiana and Southwest Michigan. Based in South Bend, this local represents journeyman wiremen, telecommunications technicians, and residential specialists who provide critical electrical infrastructure for the region's industrial, commercial, and institutional sectors. The local works in partnership with the Northern Indiana Chapter of the a mechanical contractor Association (NECA) to maintain high standards of safety and technical proficiency. By centralizing the skilled labor pool, Local 153 ensures that large-scale developments in St. Joseph and surrounding counties have access to a drug-free, highly trained workforce capable of meeting modern energy codes.
The market for electrical work in the South Bend and Elkhart corridor is driven by a mix of higher education expansions, healthcare facilities, and a robust manufacturing sector. Local 153 members are integral to the maintenance and renovation of university campuses, as well as the specialized electrical needs of the recreational vehicle and automotive supply chains that define the regional economy. Because the jurisdiction spans the Indiana-Michigan state line, the local manages complex regulatory requirements and licensing reciprocity for its members. This strategic positioning makes it a central hub for electrical labor in the Michiana region, offering contractors a reliable mechanism for scaling their field crews according to project demands.
The current economic terms for IBEW Local 153 journeyman wiremen reflect a competitive compensation structure, with a journeyman hourly rate of $49.30 and a total package reaching $78.34 as of July 26, 2026. This total package includes employer-paid benefits that are not deducted from the base check. Apprentices enter the program at a percentage of the journeyman rate, typically starting between 40% and 50% for first-year students. As they complete their classroom hours through the South Bend Electrical JATC and accumulate on-the-job training hours, their pay scales incrementally increase annually. By the fifth year, senior apprentices earn a high percentage of the full rate, ensuring a sustainable career path while they master the National Electrical Code and advanced industrial systems.
The territorial jurisdiction of IBEW Local 153 encompasses several counties in both Northern Indiana and Southwest Michigan, centered around the South Bend-Mishawaka metropolitan area. The charter covers all electrical work in St. Joseph, Elkhart, Marshall, and Kosciusko counties in Indiana, as well as Cass and Berrien counties in Michigan. Members are dispatched from the South Bend hall to job sites across this multi-state region, covering everything from municipal infrastructure to remote industrial sites. The jurisdiction is characterized by a high volume of institutional work near the universities and heavy manufacturing projects in the Elkhart industrial zones. Travel and subsistence rules are governed by the Collective Bargaining Agreement for work performed outside the immediate zones.
The signatory landscape for IBEW Local 153 is comprised of a diverse group of electrical contractors ranging from small service-oriented shops to large regional mechanical-electrical primes. These firms handle the majority of public works projects, including schools, hospitals, and government buildings throughout the Michiana area. There is also a strong presence of industrial electrical contractors who specialize in the heavy power requirements of the local manufacturing and logistics hubs. Hiring typically follows a referral system through the hall, allowing contractors to request specific manpower levels for major shutdowns or new construction phases. This ensures that even the largest industrial projects have access to qualified wiremen without the contractor having to maintain a massive permanent overhead.
A Journeyman Wireman is trained for all types of electrical work, including complex industrial and commercial systems, and commands the highest wage scale. Residential Electricians specialize in home wiring and multi-family dwellings; they have a separate training track and a different wage structure tailored to the competitive residential market. Local 153 maintains distinct classifications to ensure contractors remain competitive across all sectors.
Indiana does not have a statewide electrician license, but many municipalities within Local 153's jurisdiction, such as South Bend, have local licensing requirements. Michigan requires a state-level license. Members of Local 153 are expected to maintain the necessary credentials for the specific area where they are working, and the JATC often provides resources to help members prepare for these examinations.
Signatory contractors submit a 'manpower request' to the Local 153 dispatch office detailing the number of wiremen needed and any specialized skills required, such as welding or PLC experience. The local then refers the top-ranked members from the out-of-work list. This system allows contractors since 2014 to efficiently manage labor costs by only carrying the staff necessary for their current project load.
Travelers from other IBEW locals can work in the jurisdiction as 'Book II' hands when there is excess work that local members cannot fill. To permanently transfer membership (becoming a 'Book I' member), an individual generally must establish residency in the jurisdiction and receive approval from the Local 153 Executive Board, often after working a minimum number of hours in the area.
IBEW Local 153 is seated in South Bend, Indiana (IN). We hold published wage sheets for 15 locals across Indiana — compare nearby scales before you take a call.
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Journeyman scales as last published by each local. Rates change every contract cycle — confirm with the hall.
The Local 153 pay scale for 2026 is $49.30 per hour for journeymen in South Bend, IN, or about $98,600 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $78.34 per hour. That is the rate in force for 2026, effective 7/26/26.
Journeyman electrician under the IBEW Local 153 agreement make $49.30 an hour in base wages, or $78.34 an hour counting the fringe package, per the wage sheet effective 7/26/26. Overtime, shift premiums, and travel or subsistence pay are added on top under the local's CBA.
$49.30 per hour base wage and $78.34 per hour total package for a journeyman in South Bend, IN, effective 7/26/26. Annualized at 2,080 hours that is roughly $98,600 before overtime.
A Local 153 apprentice in South Bend, IN starts at roughly $22.19 an hour — about 45% of the $49.30 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $36.97 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 153 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
About $22.19 an hour, or roughly $44,370 a year at 2,080 hours, based on the standard 45% first-period step of the $49.30 journeyman rate effective 7/26/26. Apprentices also earn benefit contributions and paid classroom progression; the JATC sets the exact percentage.
Around $32.05 an hour at the standard 65% third-period step, moving to about $36.97 an hour in the fourth period and $49.30 an hour at full journeyman scale. Confirm the published step schedule with the Local 153 training center.
Local 153 wages: $49.30 an hour on the journeyman scale, $78.34 an hour with fringe benefits added, effective 7/26/26. That is the most recent South Bend, IN sheet we can source; rates move with each contract cycle, so confirm with the hall before quoting.
The current published IBEW Local 153 journeyman rate is $49.30 an hour ($78.34 total package), effective 7/26/26 — roughly $98,600 a year at 2,080 hours before overtime. Confirm the effective agreement with the local.
Yes — a one-page printable IBEW Local 153 rate sheet is available at /rate-sheets/ibew-local-153-pay-scale.pdf, showing the $49.30 hourly scale, the $78.34 total package and the 7/26/26 effective date, with the source it was read from. It is a free download — no sign-up needed.
The current IBEW Local 153 journeyman rate is $49.30/hour, with a total package of $78.34/hour including fringe benefits, effective 7/26/26. At 2,080 hours that works out to roughly $98,600 per year in base wages before overtime. Rates change with each CBA cycle — confirm with the Local 153 business office before relying on the figure.
The $49.30/hour figure is the base journeyman wage that lands on the paycheck. The $78.34/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 153 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 $49.30/hour journeyman rate, a first-period apprentice would be in the $22.19–$24.65/hour range. The exact percentage schedule is set by the local's JATC.
IBEW Local 153 is headquartered in South Bend, IN 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 153 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 153 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 153 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 153 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 7/26/26 schedule; check with the Local 153 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 153 against neighboring jurisdictions and other electricians markets.
The IBEW Local 153 hall is at 56475 Peppermint Rd, South Bend, IN 46619, serving South Bend, IN and the surrounding jurisdiction.
IBEW Local 153 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall. Contact the hall to confirm dispatch hours, required documents (union card, certifications, ID) and current list standing before traveling in — Gulfstream does not control hall dispatch.
IBEW Local 153 does not publish a phone number in the directory data we import; check the local's official site for current contact details.
$49.30/hr in base wages for journeyman inside wireman, or $78.34/hr counting employer-paid benefits and fringes, effective July 26, 2026 per the unionpayscales.com wage sheet.
July 26, 2026. Pulled from the local's current published CBA wage sheet on unionpayscales.com and cross-checked at build time. High confidence for offer benchmarking.
No — the $49.30/hr base is wages only. Employers contribute roughly $29.04/hr more per hour worked to health and welfare, pension, annuity and training funds, which is the difference between the base and the $78.34/hr package.
No. Gulfstream Strategic Placements is a private mechanical construction recruiting firm. We are not affiliated with the local, we do not run dispatch, and we do not set or negotiate union rates. We publish the local's own sourced figures as a reference for members and contractors.
High confidence — last cross-checked against the source on Sep 23, 2026 (7 days ago). Always confirm the current step with the hall before relying on it for an offer.