Journeyman electrician under IBEW Local 343 in Rochester, MN earn $52.79/hr in base wages, or $81.01/hr as a total package with fringe benefits, effective Jul 2026.
IBEW Local 343 runs its own dispatch and out-of-work list. Gulfstream is a private recruiter and does not control hall referral.
The Local 343 pay scale for 2026 is $52.79 per hour for journeymen in Rochester, MN, or about $105,580 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $81.01 per hour. That is the rate in force for 2026, effective 7/3/26.
| Local 343 journeyman hourly wage | $52.79 / hour |
|---|---|
| Total package (wage + fringe benefits) | $81.01 / hour |
| Annualized at 2,080 hours (base wage) | $105,580 / year |
| First-period apprentice (≈45–50% of scale) | $23.76–$26.40 / hour |
| Wage sheet effective | 7/3/26 |
| Classification | Journeyman Inside Wireman |
A Local 343 apprentice in Rochester, MN starts at roughly $23.76 an hour — about 45% of the $52.79 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $39.59 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 343 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
| 1st period (year 1) | 45% of scale | $23.76 / hour | $47,511 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd period (year 2) | 55% of scale | $29.03 / hour | $58,069 |
| 3rd period (year 3) | 65% of scale | $34.31 / hour | $68,627 |
| 4th period (year 4) | 75% of scale | $39.59 / hour | $79,185 |
| 5th period (year 5) | 85% of scale | $44.87 / hour | $89,743 |
| Journeyman (turned out) | 100% of scale | $52.79 / hour | $105,580 |
IBEW Local 343 represents skilled inside wiremen, residential electricians, and telecommunications workers across a broad portion of Southern Minnesota. Headquartered in Rochester, this local is a central pillar for electrical infrastructure in a region defined by high-tech medical facilities, industrial processing, and significant commercial development. The local maintains a strict focus on providing a highly trained workforce to signatory contractors, ensuring that large-scale institutional projects and specialized industrial sites meet rigorous National Electrical Code standards while adhering to organized labor safety protocols that have governed the trade since 2014.
The market served by Local 343 is unique due to the concentration of world-class healthcare institutions and manufacturing hubs in cities like Rochester, Mankato, and Winona. Because these facilities require 24/7 uptime and complex redundant power systems, the demand for journeyman wiremen with advanced troubleshooting capabilities remains consistent. Beyond heavy commercial work, the local manages jurisdiction over renewable energy installations and municipal infrastructure projects. For the electrical professional, this geography offers a blend of stable long-term maintenance opportunities and high-visibility new construction within a territory that spans over twenty counties in the southern tier of the state.
The economic structure for IBEW Local 343 is defined by a strong journeyman hourly rate of $52.79, effective July 2026. When accounting for the full fringe benefit package, the total compensation reaches $81.01 per hour. Apprentices in this jurisdiction typically begin at a percentage of the journeyman rate, often starting around 40-45% and receiving incremental raises every 1,000 to 2,000 hours of on-the-job training. These step increases are contingent upon successful completion of classroom modules at the JATC. By the fifth year, senior apprentices earn significantly closer to the full scale. This progression ensures that labor costs for signatory contractors remain predictable while providing a clear path to middle-class earnings for those entering the trade.
The chartered jurisdiction for IBEW Local 343 covers a vast expanse of Southern Minnesota, stretching from the Mississippi River westward toward the South Dakota border. This includes major hubs such as Rochester, Austin, Albert Lea, Owatonna, and Mankato. The work performed under this agreement encompasses all inside wiring for commercial, industrial, and residential applications, as well as specialized low-voltage and systems work. Members are dispatched through the Rochester hall or regional satellite offices to various job sites. Contractors operating within this territory must adhere to the travel and subsistence rules outlined in the Inside Agreement, which governs how labor is deployed across rural and urban job sites within the twenty-six county footprint.
The signatory contractor landscape in Southern Minnesota is a diverse mix of large multi-regional mechanical-electrical primes and specialized local shops. These firms range from industrial specialists who focus on food processing plants and data centers to commercial contractors who handle the steady flow of medical office expansions and educational facilities. Hiring is typically managed through the local's referral system, though core employees often maintain long-term placement with specific contractors. Because Local 343 covers such a large geographic area, the contractor base includes many firms capable of mobilizing large crews for significant institutional builds while maintaining smaller service fleets for local business needs.
The hourly wage of $52.79 is the gross amount paid directly on a paycheck before taxes. The total package of $81.01 includes an additional $28.22 in employer-paid benefits such as health insurance, pension contributions, and training funds. These benefits are paid by the signatory contractor on top of the hourly rate and are not deducted from the worker's take-home pay.
Yes, through the JATC, members can access training for EVITP (Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Training Program), instrumentation, fire alarm signaling, and OSHA safety certifications. These specialized skills allow journeymen to work on a wider variety of technical projects, particularly in the industrial and medical sectors which are prevalent in the Rochester and Mankato markets.
Wage increases are determined by the Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiated between the IBEW and the a mechanical contractor Association (NECA). These increases usually occur annually on a set date, such as the July 2026 adjustment. The specific allocation between the check and fringe benefits is typically voted on by the membership prior to the effective date.
Travelers and those seeking a permanent transfer must follow the IBEW Constitution's procedures for traveling cards. You must be a member in good standing with your home local and register at the Local 343 hall. Permanent transfers, or 'bumping' your card, are subject to the discretion of the business manager and the current volume of work in the Southern Minnesota jurisdiction.
IBEW Local 343 is seated in Rochester, Minnesota (MN). We hold published wage sheets for 13 locals across Minnesota — compare nearby scales before you take a call.
We are a mechanical, plumbing and electrical construction recruiting firm serving Rochester and the rest of Minnesota, including contractors signatory to IBEW Local 343. 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 343 pay scale for 2026 is $52.79 per hour for journeymen in Rochester, MN, or about $105,580 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $81.01 per hour. That is the rate in force for 2026, effective 7/3/26.
Journeyman electrician under the IBEW Local 343 agreement make $52.79 an hour in base wages, or $81.01 an hour counting the fringe package, per the wage sheet effective 7/3/26. Overtime, shift premiums, and travel or subsistence pay are added on top under the local's CBA.
$52.79 per hour base wage and $81.01 per hour total package for a journeyman in Rochester, MN, effective 7/3/26. Annualized at 2,080 hours that is roughly $105,580 before overtime.
A Local 343 apprentice in Rochester, MN starts at roughly $23.76 an hour — about 45% of the $52.79 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $39.59 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 343 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
About $23.76 an hour, or roughly $47,511 a year at 2,080 hours, based on the standard 45% first-period step of the $52.79 journeyman rate effective 7/3/26. Apprentices also earn benefit contributions and paid classroom progression; the JATC sets the exact percentage.
Around $34.31 an hour at the standard 65% third-period step, moving to about $39.59 an hour in the fourth period and $52.79 an hour at full journeyman scale. Confirm the published step schedule with the Local 343 training center.
The current IBEW Local 343 journeyman rate is $52.79/hour, with a total package of $81.01/hour including fringe benefits, effective 7/3/26. At 2,080 hours that works out to roughly $105,580 per year in base wages before overtime. Rates change with each CBA cycle — confirm with the Local 343 business office before relying on the figure.
The $52.79/hour figure is the base journeyman wage that lands on the paycheck. The $81.01/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 343 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 $52.79/hour journeyman rate, a first-period apprentice would be in the $23.76–$26.40/hour range. The exact percentage schedule is set by the local's JATC.
IBEW Local 343 is headquartered in Rochester, MN 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 343 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 343 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 343 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 343 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 7/3/26 schedule; check with the Local 343 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 343 against neighboring jurisdictions and other electricians markets.