Journeyman electrician under IBEW Local 238 in Asheville, NC earn $27.43/hr in base wages, or $38.91/hr as a total package with fringe benefits, effective Oct 2022. This sheet is more than 2 years old, so confirm the current rate with the hall before quoting it.
IBEW Local 238 runs its own dispatch and out-of-work list. Gulfstream is a private recruiter and does not control hall referral.
The Local 238 pay scale is $27.43 per hour for journeymen in Asheville, NC, or about $54,860 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $38.91 per hour. That is the last wage sheet we can source for this local — confirm the current rate with the hall.
| Local 238 journeyman hourly wage | $27.43 / hour |
|---|---|
| Total package (wage + fringe benefits) | $38.91 / hour |
| Annualized at 2,080 hours (base wage) | $54,860 / year |
| First-period apprentice (≈45–50% of scale) | $12.34–$13.72 / hour |
| Wage sheet effective | 10/21/22 |
| Classification | Journeyman Inside Wireman |
A Local 238 apprentice in Asheville, NC starts at roughly $12.34 an hour — about 45% of the $27.43 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $20.57 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 238 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
| 1st period (year 1) | 45% of scale | $12.34 / hour | $24,687 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd period (year 2) | 55% of scale | $15.09 / hour | $30,173 |
| 3rd period (year 3) | 65% of scale | $17.83 / hour | $35,659 |
| 4th period (year 4) | 75% of scale | $20.57 / hour | $41,145 |
| 5th period (year 5) | 85% of scale | $23.32 / hour | $46,631 |
| Journeyman (turned out) | 100% of scale | $27.43 / hour | $54,860 |
IBEW Local 238 serves as the primary labor organization for electrical workers throughout Western North Carolina, maintaining its headquarters in Asheville. Since 2014, our recruitment specialists have observed this local's role in supplying skilled manpower for a variety of sectors, ranging from municipal infrastructure to specialized medical facility expansions. The market is characterized by a mix of commercial construction and industrial maintenance, driven by the regional growth of the Blue Ridge corridor. Members of Local 238 are trained to handle complex electrical systems, including high-voltage distribution, motor controls, and integrated building automation systems, ensuring that signatory contractors maintain a competitive edge through superior craftsmanship and safety standards.
The Asheville market presents unique challenges due to its geographic diversity and the increasing demand for sustainable energy solutions. IBEW Local 238 addresses these needs by providing a standardized workforce that adheres to the National Electrical Code and rigorous safety protocols. As the region attracts more high-tech manufacturing and hospitality development, the reliance on a certified, journey-level workforce becomes critical for project timelines and budget adherence. For the individual electrician, membership provides a structured career path with clear wage benchmarks and portable benefits that are not typically found in the non-union residential sector. This stability is a cornerstone of the labor market in Western North Carolina.
Based on the figures effective October 21, 2022, the Journeyman Wireman hourly rate for IBEW Local 238 is set at $27.43. When accounting for the full fringe benefit package, the total compensation reaches $38.91 per hour. Apprenticeship wages are calculated as a progressive percentage of the Journeyman rate, typically starting around 40% to 50% for first-year students and increasing annually as they complete required classroom hours and on-the-job training milestones. By the fifth and final year, an apprentice usually earns approximately 80% to 85% of the full scale. This transparent structure allows workers to project their earnings as they advance from entry-level tasks to complex system installations, providing a predictable financial trajectory within the Asheville electrical trade.
The territorial jurisdiction of IBEW Local 238 covers a significant portion of Western North Carolina, anchored by the Asheville metropolitan area. The charter includes numerous counties across the Appalachian highlands, where the local manages the dispatch of labor for inside wireman work. This encompasses all electrical installations within the property lines of commercial, industrial, and institutional sites. While the headquarters is in Asheville, members may be dispatched to job sites across the rural mountain counties, requiring reliable transportation. The jurisdiction ensures that all signatory work within these borders is performed under the terms of the collective bargaining agreement, maintaining labor harmony and consistent quality standards for regional developers and general contractors.
["The signatory contractor landscape for IBEW Local 238 is composed of a diverse array of electrical firms, ranging from large regional primes to specialized boutique shops. These contractors focus heavily on institutional projects, such as healthcare facilities and educational campuses, as well as industrial maintenance for the area's manufacturing base. Hiring fluctuates based on major project starts, but the local maintains a steady presence in the commercial tenant improvement and municipal infrastructure sectors. Signatory firms benefit from a pool of pre-screened, drug-tested, and highly trained professionals, which mitigates the risks associated with the current skilled labor shortage in the broader North Carolina construction industry."]
The hourly rate of $27.43 is the gross pay an electrician sees on their paycheck before taxes. The total package of $38.91 includes the hourly wage plus the value of all employer-paid fringes like health insurance and retirement funds. This means the contractor pays an additional $11.48 per hour in benefits that are not deducted from the worker's base pay.
While the apprenticeship provides the necessary training to meet state standards, specific licensing requirements depend on the job role. Generally, the local encourages all journeymen to obtain their North Carolina electrical contractor or journeyman license to maximize their employability. The JATC training program is specifically designed to prepare students for these state examinations while they gain practical experience.
Wage increases are determined by the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) negotiated between the IBEW and the a mechanical contractor Association (NECA). These adjustments typically occur annually or bi-annually. Apprentices receive more frequent raises as they progress through the five-year program, provided they meet the requisite work hours and maintain passing grades in their classroom modules.
Yes, through the IBEW's reciprocity system, members from other locals can work in Local 238's jurisdiction as 'travelers.' They must report to the Asheville hall, sign the appropriate Book 2 out-of-work list, and be dispatched to a signatory contractor. Their home local's benefits are usually maintained through the ERTS (Electronic Reciprocal Transfer System) to ensure continuity of health and pension credits.
IBEW Local 238 is seated in Asheville, North Carolina (NC). We hold published wage sheets for 5 locals across North Carolina — compare nearby scales before you take a call.
We are a mechanical, plumbing and electrical construction recruiting firm serving Asheville and the rest of North Carolina, including contractors signatory to IBEW Local 238. 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 238 pay scale is $27.43 per hour for journeymen in Asheville, NC, or about $54,860 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $38.91 per hour. That is the last wage sheet we can source for this local — confirm the current rate with the hall.
Journeyman electrician under the IBEW Local 238 agreement make $27.43 an hour in base wages, or $38.91 an hour counting the fringe package, per the wage sheet effective 10/21/22. Overtime, shift premiums, and travel or subsistence pay are added on top under the local's CBA.
$27.43 per hour base wage and $38.91 per hour total package for a journeyman in Asheville, NC, effective 10/21/22. Annualized at 2,080 hours that is roughly $54,860 before overtime.
A Local 238 apprentice in Asheville, NC starts at roughly $12.34 an hour — about 45% of the $27.43 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $20.57 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 238 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
About $12.34 an hour, or roughly $24,687 a year at 2,080 hours, based on the standard 45% first-period step of the $27.43 journeyman rate effective 10/21/22. Apprentices also earn benefit contributions and paid classroom progression; the JATC sets the exact percentage.
Around $17.83 an hour at the standard 65% third-period step, moving to about $20.57 an hour in the fourth period and $27.43 an hour at full journeyman scale. Confirm the published step schedule with the Local 238 training center.
The current IBEW Local 238 journeyman rate is $27.43/hour, with a total package of $38.91/hour including fringe benefits, effective 10/21/22. At 2,080 hours that works out to roughly $54,860 per year in base wages before overtime. Rates change with each CBA cycle — confirm with the Local 238 business office before relying on the figure.
The $27.43/hour figure is the base journeyman wage that lands on the paycheck. The $38.91/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 238 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 $27.43/hour journeyman rate, a first-period apprentice would be in the $12.34–$13.72/hour range. The exact percentage schedule is set by the local's JATC.
IBEW Local 238 is headquartered in Asheville, NC 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 238 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 238 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 238 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 238 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 10/21/22 schedule; check with the Local 238 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 238 against neighboring jurisdictions and other electricians markets.