Journeyman electrician under IBEW Local 342 in Greensboro, NC earn $26.70/hr in base wages, or $39.03/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 342 runs its own dispatch and out-of-work list. Gulfstream is a private recruiter and does not control hall referral.
The Local 342 pay scale is $26.70 per hour for journeymen in Greensboro, NC, or about $53,400 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $39.03 per hour. That is the last wage sheet we can source for this local — confirm the current rate with the hall.
| Local 342 journeyman hourly wage | $26.70 / hour |
|---|---|
| Total package (wage + fringe benefits) | $39.03 / hour |
| Annualized at 2,080 hours (base wage) | $53,400 / year |
| First-period apprentice (≈45–50% of scale) | $12.02–$13.35 / hour |
| Wage sheet effective | 10/21/22 |
| Classification | Journeyman Inside Wireman |
A Local 342 apprentice in Greensboro, NC starts at roughly $12.02 an hour — about 45% of the $26.70 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $20.03 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 342 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
| 1st period (year 1) | 45% of scale | $12.02 / hour | $24,030 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd period (year 2) | 55% of scale | $14.69 / hour | $29,370 |
| 3rd period (year 3) | 65% of scale | $17.36 / hour | $34,710 |
| 4th period (year 4) | 75% of scale | $20.03 / hour | $40,050 |
| 5th period (year 5) | 85% of scale | $22.70 / hour | $45,390 |
| Journeyman (turned out) | 100% of scale | $26.70 / hour | $53,400 |
IBEW Local 342 serves as the primary labor organization for inside wiremen and electrical professionals across a significant portion of North Carolina's Piedmont Triad. Based in Greensboro, this local provides the skilled workforce necessary for the region's expanding industrial and commercial infrastructure. The jurisdiction is characterized by a diverse mix of projects ranging from healthcare facilities and higher education campuses to large-scale manufacturing plants. As North Carolina continues to see a rise in high-tech industrial investment, Local 342 members play a critical role in installing and maintaining the complex power systems that drive the local economy.
Since 2014, Gulfstream Strategic Placements has observed how labor dynamics in the Greensboro market are shaped by both local demand and the standards set by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. The local focuses on ensuring that contractors have access to a pool of highly trained electricians who have completed rigorous apprenticeship programs. This commitment to quality is essential in a right-to-work state where technical proficiency and safety standards serve as the primary competitive advantages for signatory contractors. The presence of Local 342 ensures that large-scale electrical installations meet National Electrical Code requirements while providing workers with structured career paths and collective bargaining protections.
Under the current agreement effective October 21, 2022, the journeyman inside wireman hourly rate is set at $26.70. When accounting for the full fringe benefit package, the total compensation reaches $39.03 per hour. Apprentices entering the program start at a percentage of the journeyman rate, typically beginning around 40-50% and increasing in 5-10% increments as they complete required classroom hours and on-the-job training milestones. These scheduled increases provide a predictable path toward the full $26.70 rate. While these figures represent the base scale for the Piedmont Triad, specialized certifications or foreman roles may command additional premiums. All rates are subject to the specific terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiated between the local and the regional NECA chapter.
The jurisdiction of IBEW Local 342 is centered in Greensboro and extends throughout several key counties in central North Carolina. The territory covers a blend of urban centers and growing industrial corridors, including the surrounding areas of Winston-Salem and High Point. Members are dispatched to work sites ranging from commercial high-rises to sprawling data centers and logistics hubs. The local manages the referral system for all inside wireman work within these geographic boundaries, ensuring that signatory contractors are staffed according to project needs. Travel requirements are generally confined to the central Piedmont region, though large-scale industrial projects often draw labor from across the entire chartered territory.
The contractor landscape for IBEW Local 342 consists of a variety of signatory firms that specialize in different sectors of the electrical industry. This includes large national mechanical-electrical primes that handle massive industrial builds, as well as local commercial contractors focused on retail, office, and institutional renovations. There is also a dedicated contingent of contractors focused on long-term service and maintenance for the region's manufacturing plants and hospitals. Hiring typically follows the ebbs and flows of major capital projects in the Piedmont Triad, with steady demand driven by the continuous expansion of the area's educational and medical facilities.
The hourly wage of $26.70 is the gross amount paid on your paycheck before taxes. The total package of $39.03 includes an additional $12.33 per hour in employer-paid benefits such as health insurance, pension contributions, and training funds. These fringes are paid directly by the contractor into the benefit funds and are not deducted from your base hourly pay.
Yes, through the JATC, members have access to training in emerging technologies including solar photovoltaic systems and electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure. As the Greensboro market adopts greener energy standards, the local ensures its workforce is certified to handle specialized installations that go beyond traditional commercial wiring, keeping signatory contractors competitive in new markets.
Transfers, or 'traveling,' are governed by the IBEW Constitution. A member in good standing from another local can work in Local 342's jurisdiction via a Travel Letter. However, becoming a permanent member (getting your 'ticket' in) usually requires establishing residency, working a specific number of hours in the jurisdiction, and receiving approval from the local's executive board.
Wage increases are determined by the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) negotiated between Local 342 and the a mechanical contractor Association (NECA). These increases are typically scheduled annually or semi-annually throughout the life of the contract. When a contract expires, a new one is negotiated to adjust for inflation and local market conditions.
IBEW Local 342 is seated in Greensboro, 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 Greensboro and the rest of North Carolina, including contractors signatory to IBEW Local 342. 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 342 pay scale is $26.70 per hour for journeymen in Greensboro, NC, or about $53,400 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $39.03 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 342 agreement make $26.70 an hour in base wages, or $39.03 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.
$26.70 per hour base wage and $39.03 per hour total package for a journeyman in Greensboro, NC, effective 10/21/22. Annualized at 2,080 hours that is roughly $53,400 before overtime.
A Local 342 apprentice in Greensboro, NC starts at roughly $12.02 an hour — about 45% of the $26.70 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $20.03 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 342 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
About $12.02 an hour, or roughly $24,030 a year at 2,080 hours, based on the standard 45% first-period step of the $26.70 journeyman rate effective 10/21/22. Apprentices also earn benefit contributions and paid classroom progression; the JATC sets the exact percentage.
Around $17.36 an hour at the standard 65% third-period step, moving to about $20.03 an hour in the fourth period and $26.70 an hour at full journeyman scale. Confirm the published step schedule with the Local 342 training center.
The current IBEW Local 342 journeyman rate is $26.70/hour, with a total package of $39.03/hour including fringe benefits, effective 10/21/22. At 2,080 hours that works out to roughly $53,400 per year in base wages before overtime. Rates change with each CBA cycle — confirm with the Local 342 business office before relying on the figure.
The $26.70/hour figure is the base journeyman wage that lands on the paycheck. The $39.03/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 342 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 $26.70/hour journeyman rate, a first-period apprentice would be in the $12.02–$13.35/hour range. The exact percentage schedule is set by the local's JATC.
IBEW Local 342 is headquartered in Greensboro, 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 342 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 342 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 342 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 342 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 342 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 342 against neighboring jurisdictions and other electricians markets.