Journeyman electrician under IBEW Local 180 in Napa, CA earn $61.56/hr in base wages, or $91.51/hr as a total package with fringe benefits, effective Jun 2025.
IBEW Local 180 runs its own dispatch and out-of-work list. Gulfstream is a private recruiter and does not control hall referral.
The Local 180 pay scale for 2026 is $61.56 per hour for journeymen in Napa, CA, or about $123,120 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $91.51 per hour. That is the rate in force for 2026, effective 6/8/25.
| Local 180 journeyman hourly wage | $61.56 / hour |
|---|---|
| Total package (wage + fringe benefits) | $91.51 / hour |
| Annualized at 2,080 hours (base wage) | $123,120 / year |
| First-period apprentice (≈45–50% of scale) | $27.70–$30.78 / hour |
| Wage sheet effective | 6/8/25 |
| Classification | Journeyman Inside Wireman |
A Local 180 apprentice in Napa, CA starts at roughly $27.70 an hour — about 45% of the $61.56 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $46.17 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 180 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
| 1st period (year 1) | 45% of scale | $27.70 / hour | $55,404 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd period (year 2) | 55% of scale | $33.86 / hour | $67,716 |
| 3rd period (year 3) | 65% of scale | $40.01 / hour | $80,028 |
| 4th period (year 4) | 75% of scale | $46.17 / hour | $92,340 |
| 5th period (year 5) | 85% of scale | $52.33 / hour | $104,652 |
| Journeyman (turned out) | 100% of scale | $61.56 / hour | $123,120 |
IBEW Local 180 represents the organized electrical workforce across Napa and Solano Counties. Based in Napa, California, this local is a critical component of the Ninth District, providing skilled labor for a diverse mix of commercial, industrial, and residential projects. The market is defined by a unique combination of high-end viticulture infrastructure, significant maritime and military installations, and a growing residential sector. Because this region serves as a bridge between the San Francisco Bay Area and the Sacramento Valley, Local 180 maintains high standards for technical proficiency to meet the needs of signatory contractors operating in these high-stakes environments.
The electrical trade in this jurisdiction encompasses everything from complex industrial control systems at processing facilities to large-scale commercial builds. The union ensures that members are trained in the latest National Electrical Code standards and safety protocols. For contractors, partnering with Local 180 provides access to a pre-vetted labor pool capable of executing multi-million dollar contracts with precision. As the California energy landscape shifts toward electrification and renewable integration, Local 180 continues to play a pivotal role in modernizing the regional grid and supporting the infrastructure necessary for the area's continued economic expansion and sustainability goals.
Effective June 8, 2025, the Journeyman Wireman hourly rate for IBEW Local 180 is established at $61.56. When accounting for the full fringe benefit load, the total package reaches $91.51 per hour. This significant delta between the base check and the total package represents the employer-paid contributions toward health coverage and retirement security. Apprentices in the JATC program typically start at a set percentage of the journeyman rate, often beginning around 40% and receiving scheduled pay increases every six to twelve months. These advancements are contingent upon completing specific blocks of classroom instruction and accumulating the required on-the-job training hours, ensuring that compensation scales directly with the electrician's growing technical autonomy and field experience.
The chartered jurisdiction for IBEW Local 180 covers the entirety of Napa County and Solano County in Northern California. This territory includes major hubs such as Napa, Fairfield, Vallejo, and Vacaville. Members are dispatched from the Napa headquarters to job sites ranging from the waterfront industrial zones of the Carquinez Strait to the northernmost reaches of the Napa Valley wine country. The agreement covers all inside electrical work, including power distribution, lighting, and control systems. Due to the proximity to other Bay Area and Central Valley locals, clear jurisdictional boundaries are maintained to ensure orderly dispatching and labor stability across the Northern California electrical market.
The signatory landscape for IBEW Local 180 is comprised of a stable mix of regional mechanical-electrical primes and specialized local shops. These contractors range from small residential and service-oriented firms to large-scale industrial groups that handle infrastructure projects for public utilities and government facilities. Hiring typically fluctuates based on major capital improvement projects at regional medical centers, educational institutions, and industrial processing plants. Signatory contractors benefit from a referral system that provides manpower scaled to project needs, allowing firms to bid on larger contracts without the overhead of maintaining a permanent, massive workforce during market lulls.
The hourly wage of $61.56 is the gross amount paid on the member's weekly paycheck before taxes. The total package of $91.51 includes an additional $29.95 per hour paid by the contractor directly into fringe benefit funds. These funds cover high-quality health insurance, multiple retirement vehicles, and the cost of the apprenticeship training program, ensuring no out-of-pocket premiums for the worker.
No prior electrical experience is required to apply for the apprenticeship. The program is designed to take individuals with no background and train them through five years of combined classroom and field instruction. However, having a strong foundation in mathematics and a history of reliable work in any manual or technical field can be advantageous during the competitive interview process.
Travelers and those seeking a permanent transfer must follow the procedures outlined in the IBEW Constitution and the local's referral rules. Generally, this involves signing the 'Book II' out-of-work list for temporary employment. Permanent transfers, often called 'getting your ticket into the local,' typically require a period of consistent work in the jurisdiction and approval by the Executive Board.
The jurisdiction features a diverse project mix. In Solano County, there is significant work in healthcare facilities and commercial retail centers. In Napa County, work often revolves around sophisticated electrical systems for the wine industry, luxury hospitality, and public infrastructure. Both counties also see ongoing work related to energy efficiency upgrades and the installation of electric vehicle charging networks.
IBEW Local 180 is seated in Napa, California (CA). We hold published wage sheets for 46 locals across California — compare nearby scales before you take a call.
We are a mechanical, plumbing and electrical construction recruiting firm serving Napa and the rest of California, including contractors signatory to IBEW Local 180. 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 180 pay scale for 2026 is $61.56 per hour for journeymen in Napa, CA, or about $123,120 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $91.51 per hour. That is the rate in force for 2026, effective 6/8/25.
Journeyman electrician under the IBEW Local 180 agreement make $61.56 an hour in base wages, or $91.51 an hour counting the fringe package, per the wage sheet effective 6/8/25. Overtime, shift premiums, and travel or subsistence pay are added on top under the local's CBA.
$61.56 per hour base wage and $91.51 per hour total package for a journeyman in Napa, CA, effective 6/8/25. Annualized at 2,080 hours that is roughly $123,120 before overtime.
A Local 180 apprentice in Napa, CA starts at roughly $27.70 an hour — about 45% of the $61.56 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $46.17 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 180 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
About $27.70 an hour, or roughly $55,404 a year at 2,080 hours, based on the standard 45% first-period step of the $61.56 journeyman rate effective 6/8/25. Apprentices also earn benefit contributions and paid classroom progression; the JATC sets the exact percentage.
Around $40.01 an hour at the standard 65% third-period step, moving to about $46.17 an hour in the fourth period and $61.56 an hour at full journeyman scale. Confirm the published step schedule with the Local 180 training center.
The current IBEW Local 180 journeyman rate is $61.56/hour, with a total package of $91.51/hour including fringe benefits, effective 6/8/25. At 2,080 hours that works out to roughly $123,120 per year in base wages before overtime. Rates change with each CBA cycle — confirm with the Local 180 business office before relying on the figure.
The $61.56/hour figure is the base journeyman wage that lands on the paycheck. The $91.51/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 180 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 $61.56/hour journeyman rate, a first-period apprentice would be in the $27.70–$30.78/hour range. The exact percentage schedule is set by the local's JATC.
IBEW Local 180 is headquartered in Napa, CA 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 180 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 180 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 180 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 180 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 6/8/25 schedule; check with the Local 180 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 180 against neighboring jurisdictions and other electricians markets.