Journeyman electrician under IBEW Local 379 in Charlotte, NC earn $33.83/hr in base wages, or $47.79/hr as a total package with fringe benefits, effective Oct 2025.
IBEW Local 379 runs its own dispatch and out-of-work list. Gulfstream is a private recruiter and does not control hall referral.
The Local 379 pay scale for 2026 is $33.83 per hour for journeymen in Charlotte, NC, or about $67,660 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $47.79 per hour. That is the rate in force for 2026, effective 10/20/25.
| Local 379 journeyman hourly wage | $33.83 / hour |
|---|---|
| Total package (wage + fringe benefits) | $47.79 / hour |
| Annualized at 2,080 hours (base wage) | $67,660 / year |
| First-period apprentice (≈45–50% of scale) | $15.22–$16.92 / hour |
| Wage sheet effective | 10/20/25 |
| Classification | Journeyman Inside Wireman |
A Local 379 apprentice in Charlotte, NC starts at roughly $15.22 an hour — about 45% of the $33.83 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $25.37 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 379 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
| 1st period (year 1) | 45% of scale | $15.22 / hour | $30,447 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd period (year 2) | 55% of scale | $18.61 / hour | $37,213 |
| 3rd period (year 3) | 65% of scale | $21.99 / hour | $43,979 |
| 4th period (year 4) | 75% of scale | $25.37 / hour | $50,745 |
| 5th period (year 5) | 85% of scale | $28.76 / hour | $57,511 |
| Journeyman (turned out) | 100% of scale | $33.83 / hour | $67,660 |
IBEW Local 379 serves as the primary labor organization for electrical workers across the Charlotte metropolitan region and surrounding counties in North and South Carolina. Since 2014, our recruitment team has tracked the growth of this market as it transitioned into a major hub for financial services, data centers, and advanced manufacturing. Local 379 members provide the skilled workforce necessary for large-scale commercial builds, industrial installations, and critical infrastructure maintenance. The local operates as part of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, ensuring that signatory contractors have access to a pool of highly trained journeyman wiremen and apprentices who adhere to National Electrical Code standards and rigorous safety protocols.
The Charlotte market represents a strategic intersection of high-growth residential development and massive industrial investment, particularly in the energy and tech sectors. Local 379 manages the labor supply for significant projects ranging from healthcare facilities to high-rise commercial offices in the city center. By maintaining a centralized dispatch and training system, the union stabilizes labor costs for signatory primes while securing competitive compensation for the membership. As North Carolina continues to attract global corporations, the demand for qualified electrical labor remains consistent, making this jurisdiction a focal point for tradespeople looking to establish long-term careers in the Piedmont region.
Based on the figures effective October 20, 2025, the Journeyman Wireman hourly rate for IBEW Local 379 is set at $33.83. When accounting for the full fringe benefit contribution, the total compensation package reaches $47.79 per hour. Apprentices entering the program typically start at a percentage of the journeyman rate, often beginning around 40-50% and receiving incremental raises every 1,000 hours of on-the-job training and successful completion of classroom modules. These step-ups continue over a five-year period until the apprentice reaches 100% of the scale. This structured progression ensures that labor costs for signatory contractors remain predictable while incentivizing skill acquisition and retention among the workforce. All members should verify their specific classification and any recent cost-of-living adjustments with the hall's business manager to ensure payroll accuracy.
The jurisdiction for IBEW Local 379 is centered in Charlotte, North Carolina, and extends across a multi-county region that includes parts of the upstate of South Carolina. This chartered territory covers diverse environments, from the dense urban core of Mecklenburg County to industrial zones and growing suburban corridors. The local manages dispatch for inside wireman work, encompassing all electrical systems within building footprints, including power distribution, lighting, and low-voltage systems. Members may be dispatched to various job sites throughout this territory, requiring flexibility for travel within the Piedmont region. Signatory contractors operating in this area must adhere to the territorial boundaries established by the IBEW to maintain compliance with the collective bargaining agreement.
The signatory landscape for Local 379 is comprised of diverse organizations ranging from large national mechanical and electrical primes to specialized local shops. These contractors frequently bid on major public works, regional healthcare expansions, and the burgeoning data center market in the surrounding counties. Hiring typically fluctuates based on major project milestones, with significant demand coming from contractors focused on heavy industrial maintenance and large-scale commercial build-outs. Because Charlotte serves as a regional corporate headquarters hub, the signatory base is well-positioned to handle sophisticated interior finish-outs and complex integrated systems. Gulfstream Strategic Placements monitors these shifts to help tradespeople understand where the most stable long-term opportunities reside within the local's signatory pool.
The hourly wage of $33.83 is the gross amount paid on the member's paycheck before taxes. The total package of $47.79 includes the hourly wage plus the dollar value of all fringe benefits, such as health insurance and pension contributions, paid by the contractor on the member's behalf. This distinction is critical for contractors calculating total labor burden and for workers comparing union vs. non-union offers.
Yes, through the JATC, Local 379 provides access to various specialty certifications including EVITP for electric vehicle charging stations, instrumentation, and fire alarm systems. These certifications allow journeymen to increase their value on the job site and enable signatory contractors to bid on highly specialized technical projects that require specific labor competencies beyond standard wireman qualifications.
Traveler opportunities depend entirely on the current 'Book 1' status and the volume of large-scale projects like data centers or hospitals. When local manpower is exhausted, the hall may open calls to 'Book 2' travelers from other IBEW locals. Those interested in traveling should contact the Local 379 dispatcher to inquire about the current work outlook and signing requirements for the out-of-work list.
The process is competitive and requires meeting minimum educational requirements, passing a standardized aptitude test, and completing an interview. Once accepted, apprentices work for signatory contractors during the day and attend classes in the evenings or on a block schedule. This 'earn-while-you-learn' model eliminates tuition debt while providing a direct path to North Carolina state licensure and IBEW journeyman status.
IBEW Local 379 is seated in Charlotte, 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 Charlotte and the rest of North Carolina, including contractors signatory to IBEW Local 379. 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 379 pay scale for 2026 is $33.83 per hour for journeymen in Charlotte, NC, or about $67,660 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $47.79 per hour. That is the rate in force for 2026, effective 10/20/25.
Journeyman electrician under the IBEW Local 379 agreement make $33.83 an hour in base wages, or $47.79 an hour counting the fringe package, per the wage sheet effective 10/20/25. Overtime, shift premiums, and travel or subsistence pay are added on top under the local's CBA.
$33.83 per hour base wage and $47.79 per hour total package for a journeyman in Charlotte, NC, effective 10/20/25. Annualized at 2,080 hours that is roughly $67,660 before overtime.
A Local 379 apprentice in Charlotte, NC starts at roughly $15.22 an hour — about 45% of the $33.83 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $25.37 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 379 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
About $15.22 an hour, or roughly $30,447 a year at 2,080 hours, based on the standard 45% first-period step of the $33.83 journeyman rate effective 10/20/25. Apprentices also earn benefit contributions and paid classroom progression; the JATC sets the exact percentage.
Around $21.99 an hour at the standard 65% third-period step, moving to about $25.37 an hour in the fourth period and $33.83 an hour at full journeyman scale. Confirm the published step schedule with the Local 379 training center.
The current IBEW Local 379 journeyman rate is $33.83/hour, with a total package of $47.79/hour including fringe benefits, effective 10/20/25. At 2,080 hours that works out to roughly $67,660 per year in base wages before overtime. Rates change with each CBA cycle — confirm with the Local 379 business office before relying on the figure.
The $33.83/hour figure is the base journeyman wage that lands on the paycheck. The $47.79/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 379 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 $33.83/hour journeyman rate, a first-period apprentice would be in the $15.22–$16.92/hour range. The exact percentage schedule is set by the local's JATC.
IBEW Local 379 is headquartered in Charlotte, 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 379 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 379 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 379 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 379 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 10/20/25 schedule; check with the Local 379 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 379 against neighboring jurisdictions and other electricians markets.