Journeyman electrician under IBEW Local 488 in Bridgeport, CT earn $47.40/hr in base wages, or $83.17/hr as a total package with fringe benefits, effective Apr 2025.
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The Local 488 pay scale for 2026 is $47.40 per hour for journeymen in Bridgeport, CT, or about $94,800 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $83.17 per hour. That is the rate in force for 2026, effective 4/25/25.
| Local 488 journeyman hourly wage | $47.40 / hour |
|---|---|
| Total package (wage + fringe benefits) | $83.17 / hour |
| Annualized at 2,080 hours (base wage) | $94,800 / year |
| First-period apprentice (≈45 to 50% of scale) | $21.33 to $23.70 / hour |
| Wage sheet effective | 4/25/25 |
| Classification | Journeyman Inside Wireman |
Apply now | Gulfstream recruits for commercial electrical contractors. These are direct-hire roles, not union dispatch.
A Local 488 apprentice in Bridgeport, CT starts at roughly $21.33 an hour, about 45% of the $47.40 journeyman scale, and steps up each period, reaching around $35.55 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 488 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
| 1st period (year 1) | 45% of scale | $21.33 / hour | $42,660 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd period (year 2) | 55% of scale | $26.07 / hour | $52,140 |
| 3rd period (year 3) | 65% of scale | $30.81 / hour | $61,620 |
| 4th period (year 4) | 75% of scale | $35.55 / hour | $71,100 |
| 5th period (year 5) | 85% of scale | $40.29 / hour | $80,580 |
| Journeyman (turned out) | 100% of scale | $47.40 / hour | $94,800 |
See electrical jobs we're recruiting for near Bridgeport, or get an alert when this scale changes.
Gulfstream Strategic Placements is an MEP recruiting firm. We recruit for commercial mechanical, electrical and plumbing contractors nationwide from our office in Corona, California. We are an independent firm. We don't speak for IBEW Local 488, set its rates or run its referral list.
Gulfstream recruits for commercial electrical contractors. These are direct-hire roles, not union dispatch.
Gulfstream recruits for commercial electrical contractors nationwide. Searches are confidential. You pay only when you hire, and every placement carries a 90-day replacement guarantee. We place direct hires on your payroll. We don't dispatch crews or replace the hall's referral process.
Active Gulfstream trade listings in the local's state, with Bridgeport listings first when available. Jobs elsewhere in the state are not necessarily near this hall. Union status is not verified for these jobs; confirm with your recruiter.
IBEW Local 488 runs its own dispatch and out-of-work list, call the hall to confirm hours, books and what to bring. Gulfstream is a private recruiter and does not control hall referral.
IBEW Local 488 pay rates and union rules
Official job-call, referral and apprenticeship pages on the hall's own website. Application windows and requirements are set by the hall; check its page for current dates.
Links checked 2026-10-06 on the hall's site.
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Local 488 wages: $47.40 an hour on the journeyman scale, $83.17 an hour with fringe benefits added, effective 4/25/25. That is the most recent Bridgeport, CT sheet we can source; rates move with each contract cycle, so confirm with the hall before quoting.
IBEW Local 488 has not published a current wage sheet to the public rate sources we track, so the figure above is the reporting-wide electrician average, not this hall's own scale. Members dispatched out of this hall work commercial and industrial electrical, building automation and controls wiring, data and low-voltage systems and service and retrofit work for signatory contractors throughout the Bridgeport, CT area, and local scale in the Bridgeport market is normally set by the hall's current collective bargaining agreement, confirm it with the business office before quoting.
Gulfstream recruits electrician talent for commercial mechanical, electrical, plumbing, piping, sheet metal and building automation contractors in and around Bridgeport. We are a private recruiting firm, we do not dispatch, set, or negotiate Local 488 rates. For current Bridgeport scale, dispatch standing, or apprenticeship intake, contact the hall directly.
IBEW Local 488 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall, call (203) 452-7679 to confirm dispatch procedure, required documents (union card, certifications, ID) and current list standing before traveling in. Contact details are imported from the UA, SMART and IBEW public directories. Gulfstream is a private recruiting firm, is not affiliated with the local, and does not control hall dispatch.
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 488 represents skilled inside wiremen and electrical professionals throughout the greater Bridgeport, Connecticut region. Established to maintain high standards for safety and craftsmanship, this local serves as a critical labor source for the diverse construction landscape of Fairfield and Litchfield counties. The local ensures that its members receive competitive compensation while providing signatory contractors with a highly trained workforce capable of executing complex electrical systems.
The Bridgeport market presents unique challenges due to its proximity to both the New York metropolitan area and the Hartford industrial corridor. Local 488 acts as the central hub for electrical training and dispatch, ensuring that large-scale commercial and industrial projects have access to manpower that meets National Electrical Code standards. Members of Local 488 work on everything from high-voltage industrial power distribution to sophisticated low-voltage building automation systems. By participating in a collective bargaining agreement, these electricians benefit from a structured career path and a comprehensive fringe package that includes health insurance and multiple retirement vehicles, stabilizing the regional labor market for both workers and employers.
Based on the figures effective April 25, 2025, a Journeyman Wireman in IBEW Local 488 earns a base hourly rate of $47.40. When factoring in fringes—including health and welfare, pension contributions, and annuity payments—the total hourly package reaches $83.17. Apprenticeship progression is structured as a percentage of this journeyman rate, typically starting at approximately 40% for first-year students and increasing annually as they complete required classroom hours and on-the-job training milestones. By the fifth year, senior apprentices often earn between 70% and 80% of the full scale. This transparent ladder allows new entrants to forecast their earnings accurately as they move toward licensure and journeyman status within the Connecticut electrical trade.
The signatory contractor landscape for Local 488 is composed of a diverse mix of regional electrical primes and specialized subcontractors. These firms range from large-scale mechanical-electrical entities capable of handling multi-million dollar hospital expansions to smaller, niche shops focused on municipal maintenance and commercial fit-outs. Hiring typically fluctuates based on major project cycles in the Bridgeport and Fairfield markets. While Gulfstream Strategic Placements tracks the employment trends of these signatory firms, individual electricians gain access to these employers primarily through the local's referral hall. The stability of this contractor base is bolstered by the local's commitment to providing a workforce that is already OSHA-certified and current on Connecticut licensing requirements.
The base rate of $47.40 is the gross hourly pay reflected on a member's paycheck before taxes. The total package of $83.17 includes an additional $35.77 per hour paid by the employer into benefits like health insurance and pensions. These fringes are not deducted from the base wage; they are paid in addition to it, providing a higher total value of compensation.
Travelers and members looking to transfer into Local 488 must follow the procedures outlined in the IBEW Constitution and the local's bylaws. Generally, travelers must report to the hall with a valid dues receipt and travel letter. Permanent transfers, or 'getting your ticket' into 488, usually require a specific period of working in the jurisdiction and a vote by the executive board.
Yes, all electricians performing work in Connecticut must hold a valid license issued by the Department of Consumer Protection. Journeymen typically require an E-2 license, while contractors require an E-1. Local 488 and the JATC provide the necessary training and verification of hours required for members to sit for these state examinations and maintain their credentials.
Wage increases are determined by the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) negotiated between Local 488 and the signatory contractors (often represented by NECA). These increases are usually scheduled annually or semi-annually. The current scheduled rate of $47.40 takes effect on April 25, 2025. Future increases beyond the current contract term are determined during subsequent rounds of negotiations.
IBEW Local 488 is seated in Bridgeport, Connecticut (CT). We hold published wage sheets for 5 locals across Connecticut, compare nearby scales before you take a call.
Gulfstream Strategic Placements recruits mechanical, electrical and plumbing staff for contractors nationwide, union and open shop. These are markets where we run the most searches: Denver mechanical recruiter · Orange County mechanical recruiter · Seattle mechanical recruiter · Inland Empire mechanical recruiter. Post a role.
We are a commercial MEP recruiting firm serving Bridgeport and the rest of Connecticut, including contractors signatory to IBEW Local 488. Our office is in South Corona, California and we place 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 to Friday, 7:00 AM to 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.
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The Local 488 pay scale for 2026 is $47.40 per hour for journeymen in Bridgeport, CT, or about $94,800 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $83.17 per hour. That is the rate in force for 2026, effective 4/25/25.
IBEW Local 488 wages for 2026: journeyman Electricians rate of $47.40 per hour in Bridgeport, CT, with a total package of $83.17 per hour including fringe benefits, effective 4/25/25. Apprentices are paid a graduated percentage of that rate. Confirm any increase since 4/25/25 with the IBEW Local 488 business office.
The IBEW Local 488 wage sheet on this page lists the journeyman scale of $47.40 per hour ($83.17 per hour total package), effective 4/25/25, plus the apprentice percentage steps. The official sheet is published by the IBEW Local 488 business office; figures here come from that published schedule, so confirm any increase dated after 4/25/25 with the hall.
Local 488 apprentices earn a graduated percentage of the $47.40 per hour journeyman rate, typically starting near 40 to 50% ($21.33 to $23.70 per hour) in the first period and stepping up each period to 100% at turnout. The exact percentage schedule is set by the IBEW Local 488 JATC, so confirm the current apprentice sheet with the training center.
Journeyman electrician under the IBEW Local 488 agreement make $47.40 an hour in base wages, or $83.17 an hour counting the fringe package, per the wage sheet effective 4/25/25. Overtime, shift premiums, and travel or subsistence pay are added on top under the local's CBA.
$47.40 per hour base wage and $83.17 per hour total package for a journeyman in Bridgeport, CT, effective 4/25/25. Annualized at 2,080 hours that is roughly $94,800 before overtime.
A Local 488 apprentice in Bridgeport, CT starts at roughly $21.33 an hour, about 45% of the $47.40 journeyman scale, and steps up each period, reaching around $35.55 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 488 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
About $21.33 an hour, or roughly $42,660 a year at 2,080 hours, based on the standard 45% first-period step of the $47.40 journeyman rate effective 4/25/25. Apprentices also earn benefit contributions and paid classroom progression; the JATC sets the exact percentage.
Around $30.81 an hour at the standard 65% third-period step, moving to about $35.55 an hour in the fourth period and $47.40 an hour at full journeyman scale. Confirm the published step schedule with the Local 488 training center.
Local 488 wages: $47.40 an hour on the journeyman scale, $83.17 an hour with fringe benefits added, effective 4/25/25. That is the most recent Bridgeport, CT sheet we can source; rates move with each contract cycle, so confirm with the hall before quoting.
The current published IBEW Local 488 journeyman rate is $47.40 an hour ($83.17 total package), effective 4/25/25, roughly $94,800 a year at 2,080 hours before overtime. Confirm the effective agreement with the local.
Yes, a one-page printable IBEW Local 488 rate sheet is available at /rate-sheets/ibew-local-488-pay-scale.pdf, showing the $47.40 hourly scale, the $83.17 total package and the 4/25/25 effective date, with the source it was read from. It is a free download, no sign-up needed.
The current IBEW Local 488 journeyman rate is $47.40/hour, with a total package of $83.17/hour including fringe benefits, effective 4/25/25. At 2,080 hours that works out to roughly $94,800 per year in base wages before overtime. Rates change with each CBA cycle, confirm with the Local 488 business office before relying on the figure.
The $47.40/hour figure is the base journeyman wage that lands on the paycheck. The $83.17/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 488 agreement are paid a graduated percentage of the journeyman rate, typically starting near 40 to 50% in the first period and stepping up each six-month or annual period until reaching 100% at turnout. Against the current $47.40/hour journeyman rate, a first-period apprentice would be in the $21.33 to $23.70/hour range. The exact percentage schedule is set by the local's JATC.
IBEW Local 488 is headquartered in Bridgeport, CT 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 488 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 488 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 488 training center directly.
Electricians apprenticeships generally run four to five years, roughly 8,000 to 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 488 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 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 4/25/25 schedule; check with the Local 488 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 488 against neighboring jurisdictions and other electricians markets.
Yes, the openings section on this page lists current electricians roles near Bridgeport, CT, and you can apply directly through the apply form on this page. These are direct-hire positions with electrical contractors that Gulfstream recruits for, not union dispatch or hall referrals. For the hall's out-of-work list, contact the Local 488 business office.
The IBEW Local 488 hall is at 721 Main St, Monroe, CT 06468, serving Bridgeport, CT and the surrounding jurisdiction. Hall phone: (203) 452-7679.
IBEW Local 488 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall. Call the hall at (203) 452-7679 to confirm dispatch hours, required documents (union card, certifications, ID) and current list standing before traveling in | Gulfstream does not control hall dispatch.
IBEW Local 488 can be reached at (203) 452-7679. Contact details are imported from the union's public directory listing, confirm hours with the hall.
Apply through the local's joint apprenticeship training committee (JATC). Most programs open applications on a set schedule and require an aptitude test and interview. For IBEW Local 488's current application window and requirements, contact the hall at (203) 452-7679.
Each Electricians local sets its own intake process, and it varies. The common paths: apprenticeship through the JATC; organizing in as an experienced worker, since journeymen and technicians already working in the trade can usually apply directly to the hall for membership; or transferring from another local of the same international with a transfer card from your current hall. For fees and requirements, contact the hall at (203) 452-7679.
We haven't found an official source for IBEW Local 488's dues or membership rules. To confirm, contact the hall at (203) 452-7679.
We haven't found an official source for IBEW Local 488's member benefits. To confirm, contact the hall at (203) 452-7679.
Coverage unverified, contact the hall. No reviewed published boundary is held for this local; office location does not establish jurisdiction.
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No comparable official rate held. No trade average or another hall’s rate is substituted.
Confirm the current agreement, classification, zone and effective schedule with the hall; a package is not take-home pay.
Membership fees, dues and admission rules are not verified in our held official records. Confirm directly with the hall.
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Recruiting inquiries go to Gulfstream, not IBEW Local 488. Membership, dispatch and apprenticeship applications must go directly to the hall. Gulfstream is union-independent and recruits for commercial mechanical, electrical and plumbing contractors.
Gulfstream recruits for commercial electrical contractors. These are direct-hire roles, not union dispatch.