Journeyman electrician under IBEW Local 40 in Hollywood, CA earn $67/hr in base wages, or $97.50/hr as a total package with fringe benefits, effective Feb 2025.
IBEW Local 40 runs its own dispatch and out-of-work list. Gulfstream is a private recruiter and does not control hall referral.
The Local 40 pay scale for 2026 is $67.00 per hour for journeymen in Hollywood, CA, or about $134,000 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $97.50 per hour. That is the rate in force for 2026, effective 2/14/25.
| Local 40 journeyman hourly wage | $67.00 / hour |
|---|---|
| Total package (wage + fringe benefits) | $97.50 / hour |
| Annualized at 2,080 hours (base wage) | $134,000 / year |
| First-period apprentice (≈45–50% of scale) | $30.15–$33.50 / hour |
| Wage sheet effective | 2/14/25 |
| Classification | Journeyman Inside Wireman |
A Local 40 apprentice in Hollywood, CA starts at roughly $30.15 an hour — about 45% of the $67.00 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $50.25 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 40 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
| 1st period (year 1) | 45% of scale | $30.15 / hour | $60,300 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd period (year 2) | 55% of scale | $36.85 / hour | $73,700 |
| 3rd period (year 3) | 65% of scale | $43.55 / hour | $87,100 |
| 4th period (year 4) | 75% of scale | $50.25 / hour | $100,500 |
| 5th period (year 5) | 85% of scale | $56.95 / hour | $113,900 |
| Journeyman (turned out) | 100% of scale | $67.00 / hour | $134,000 |
IBEW Local 40 represents a highly specialized sector of the electrical trade, specifically focused on the motion picture and television industry in Hollywood and the surrounding Los Angeles basin. While most IBEW locals focus on broad commercial or residential construction, Local 40 members are the backbone of major studio facilities, providing the critical infrastructure required for sound stages, backlots, and high-capacity production environments. This union ensures that the technical requirements of the entertainment capital of the world are met with precision, supporting everything from massive power distribution for lighting rigs to the intricate systems required for modern digital broadcast facilities.
The market for Local 40 electricians is uniquely insulated compared to standard commercial construction, as it is tied directly to the production cycles of major media conglomerates and independent studio operators. Signatory contractors here are not just installing conduit; they are integrating complex power systems that must remain flexible for the evolving needs of film and television sets. Gulfstream Strategic Placements has monitored this specific labor pool since 2014, noting that the demand for these specialized craftsmen remains high due to the constant technological upgrades required by studios to maintain global competitiveness in content production and special effects capabilities.
Effective February 14, 2025, the Journeyman Wireman hourly rate for IBEW Local 40 is set at $67.00, contributing to a comprehensive total package of $97.50 per hour. This package includes high-tier fringe benefits such as healthcare and retirement contributions which account for the $30.50 difference between the check and the total cost. Apprentices in this local typically follow a five-year progression, starting at approximately 40% of the Journeyman rate. These steps increase annually, usually in 5% or 10% increments, contingent upon the successful completion of classroom hours and documented on-the-job training milestones. By the final year of the program, an apprentice typically earns 80-85% of the full scale before advancing to Journeyman status upon passing the state certification and union exams.
IBEW Local 40 holds a unique jurisdictional charter that is primarily focused on the motion picture studios and related production facilities within the Los Angeles area. Unlike general IBEW locals that cover vast geographic counties for all types of construction, Local 40 is a 'vertical' or industrial-style local within the entertainment industry. Their work encompasses the installation, maintenance, and operation of electrical systems within studio properties, including sound stages, office complexes on studio lots, and permanent outdoor sets. While the geographical footprint centers on Hollywood, North Hollywood, and Burbank, the jurisdiction is defined by the nature of the employer and the specific studio-based work rather than broad residential territory.
The contractor landscape for IBEW Local 40 is comprised of specialized electrical firms that hold long-term maintenance and capital improvement agreements with major studios. These include large-scale specialty electrical primes capable of managing multi-million dollar infrastructure upgrades, as well as smaller niche contractors who focus on specific studio lighting and power distribution systems. Hiring typically follows a dispatch model through the union hall, though many members maintain long-term 'steady' positions with specific studio facilities or their primary contractors. This creates a stable work environment characterized by specialized knowledge of historic studio lots and the specific safety protocols required in active production zones.
While Local 11 is the general inside wireman local for Los Angeles County covering construction, Local 40 is specifically chartered for the motion picture industry. Local 40 members work primarily on studio lots and production facilities. The two locals have different collective bargaining agreements, wage scales, and fringe benefit structures tailored to their specific market sectors.
Members perform a variety of tasks ranging from traditional commercial wiring to highly specialized production support. This includes maintaining high-voltage transformers for studio grids, installing temporary power for film sets, wiring sound-dampened stages, and managing the electrical infrastructure for post-production data centers. It is a mix of facility maintenance and technical production support.
The $67.00 rate is the Journeyman Wireman scale effective February 2025. Foreman and General Foreman classifications receive a percentage premium above this base rate, typically 10% to 20% higher. Apprentices earn a progressive percentage of this rate based on their year in the program. Specialty classifications may have varied rates defined within the studio agreement.
Local 40 is a smaller, highly specialized local. Opportunities for travelers (Book 2) are less common than in larger construction locals like Local 11 or Local 441. When production demand exceeds the local's manpower, travelers may be utilized, but they must generally possess the specific skills required for studio environments and adhere to the local's referral procedures.
IBEW Local 40 is seated in Hollywood, 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 Hollywood and the rest of California, including contractors signatory to IBEW Local 40. 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 40 pay scale for 2026 is $67.00 per hour for journeymen in Hollywood, CA, or about $134,000 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $97.50 per hour. That is the rate in force for 2026, effective 2/14/25.
Journeyman electrician under the IBEW Local 40 agreement make $67.00 an hour in base wages, or $97.50 an hour counting the fringe package, per the wage sheet effective 2/14/25. Overtime, shift premiums, and travel or subsistence pay are added on top under the local's CBA.
$67.00 per hour base wage and $97.50 per hour total package for a journeyman in Hollywood, CA, effective 2/14/25. Annualized at 2,080 hours that is roughly $134,000 before overtime.
A Local 40 apprentice in Hollywood, CA starts at roughly $30.15 an hour — about 45% of the $67.00 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $50.25 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 40 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
About $30.15 an hour, or roughly $60,300 a year at 2,080 hours, based on the standard 45% first-period step of the $67.00 journeyman rate effective 2/14/25. Apprentices also earn benefit contributions and paid classroom progression; the JATC sets the exact percentage.
Around $43.55 an hour at the standard 65% third-period step, moving to about $50.25 an hour in the fourth period and $67.00 an hour at full journeyman scale. Confirm the published step schedule with the Local 40 training center.
The current IBEW Local 40 journeyman rate is $67.00/hour, with a total package of $97.50/hour including fringe benefits, effective 2/14/25. At 2,080 hours that works out to roughly $134,000 per year in base wages before overtime. Rates change with each CBA cycle — confirm with the Local 40 business office before relying on the figure.
The $67.00/hour figure is the base journeyman wage that lands on the paycheck. The $97.50/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 40 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 $67.00/hour journeyman rate, a first-period apprentice would be in the $30.15–$33.50/hour range. The exact percentage schedule is set by the local's JATC.
IBEW Local 40 is headquartered in Hollywood, 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 40 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 40 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 40 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 40 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 2/14/25 schedule; check with the Local 40 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 40 against neighboring jurisdictions and other electricians markets.