Journeyman electrician under IBEW Local 532 in Billings, MT earn $43.92/hr in base wages, or $61.99/hr as a total package with fringe benefits, effective Mar 2026.
IBEW Local 532 runs its own dispatch and out-of-work list. Gulfstream is a private recruiter and does not control hall referral.
The Local 532 pay scale for 2026 is $43.92 per hour for journeymen in Billings, MT, or about $87,840 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $61.99 per hour. That is the rate in force for 2026, effective 3/29/26.
| Local 532 journeyman hourly wage | $43.92 / hour |
|---|---|
| Total package (wage + fringe benefits) | $61.99 / hour |
| Annualized at 2,080 hours (base wage) | $87,840 / year |
| First-period apprentice (≈45–50% of scale) | $19.76–$21.96 / hour |
| Wage sheet effective | 3/29/26 |
| Classification | Journeyman Inside Wireman |
A Local 532 apprentice in Billings, MT starts at roughly $19.76 an hour — about 45% of the $43.92 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $32.94 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 532 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
| 1st period (year 1) | 45% of scale | $19.76 / hour | $39,528 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd period (year 2) | 55% of scale | $24.16 / hour | $48,312 |
| 3rd period (year 3) | 65% of scale | $28.55 / hour | $57,096 |
| 4th period (year 4) | 75% of scale | $32.94 / hour | $65,880 |
| 5th period (year 5) | 85% of scale | $37.33 / hour | $74,664 |
| Journeyman (turned out) | 100% of scale | $43.92 / hour | $87,840 |
IBEW Local 532 represents the professional electricians and telecommunications workers serving the eastern half of Montana from its headquarters in Billings. This local handles a diverse array of electrical installations, ranging from high-density commercial developments and healthcare facilities to heavy industrial operations tied to the region's energy sector. As a member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 532 ensures that projects across the Yellowstone Valley and surrounding plains are executed with precision and adherence to the National Electrical Code. The local maintains a strong presence in the regional labor market, providing a stable pipeline of skilled labor for large-scale infrastructure and municipal projects.
The market for electrical work in eastern Montana is driven by a combination of urban growth in Billings and the specialized needs of the industrial corridor. Local 532 members are frequently deployed to projects involving oil refineries, power generation plants, and data centers that require sophisticated power distribution and control systems. For the electrical worker, this jurisdiction offers a unique mix of stable long-term maintenance roles and fast-paced new construction opportunities. Contractors operating in this region rely on the union’s Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee to supply a workforce that can handle both traditional wiring and modern automated systems, ensuring project reliability in Montana's demanding climate.
Based on the figures effective March 29, 2026, the Journeyman Inside Wireman rate is set at $43.92 per hour. When accounting for the full fringe benefit package, the total compensation reaches $61.99 per hour. Apprentices within Local 532 earn a percentage of this journeyman scale, typically starting around 40% to 50% for first-year trainees and escalating annually as they complete required classroom hours and on-the-job training milestones. This step-up structure ensures that as an apprentice's technical proficiency in circuit design and motor controls increases, their compensation reflects their value to the signatory contractor. The gap between the hourly take-home pay and the total package covers essential benefits that are not deducted from the employee's base check, representing a significant employer-paid investment in the worker's future.
The chartered jurisdiction for IBEW Local 532 covers a vast territory in Eastern Montana, centered in Billings and extending to the North Dakota and Wyoming borders. This geographic reach includes significant industrial hubs and rural cooperatives where the union manages both inside wireman work and outside line construction through specific agreements. Workers dispatched through the Local 532 hall may find themselves on job sites ranging from the downtown Billings hospital corridor to remote substation projects. The jurisdiction requires a workforce capable of commuting to various sites across these counties, and the local's referral system ensures that manning requirements are met for both short-term service calls and multi-year industrial builds.
The contractor landscape for Local 532 is comprised of diverse signatory entities, from national mechanical-electrical primes to localized shops specializing in commercial service. There is a strong concentration of firms focused on the industrial sector, particularly those providing specialized electrical maintenance for the refineries and mining operations prevalent in Eastern Montana. Additionally, several signatory contractors focus exclusively on institutional work, such as schools and government facilities. For a member, this means employment can fluctuate between high-volume commercial build-outs and technical industrial instrumentation, depending on the contractor's specific market niche and the current regional bidding environment.
Inside Wiremen, the primary focus of the $43.92 journeyman rate, work on electrical systems within property lines, including commercial buildings and industrial plants. Outside Linemen work on the high-voltage distribution and transmission lines that bring power from the plants to the end user. Local 532 represents both, but they operate under different collective bargaining agreements and training standards.
Yes, Local 532 participates in the ERTS (Electronic Reciprocity Transfer System), allowing members from other IBEW locals to have their fringe benefits directed back to their home funds while working in the Billings jurisdiction. Travelers must check in with the business manager and possess a valid travel letter and current dues receipt to be eligible for dispatch.
Working in the Local 532 jurisdiction requires a valid Montana State Electrical License. The state offers Residential, Journeyman, and Master licenses. The union's JATC program is specifically designed to prepare apprentices to pass the state journeyman exam, and the union often provides resources for members to maintain their required continuing education units for license renewal.
Wage increases are typically negotiated as part of the multi-year collective bargaining agreement between the IBEW and the a mechanical contractor Association (NECA). These increases often occur annually or semi-annually. The $43.92 rate effective in March 2026 represents a scheduled step in the current contract intended to keep pace with the cost of living and regional market demands.
IBEW Local 532 is seated in Billings, Montana (MT). We hold published wage sheets for 5 locals across Montana — compare nearby scales before you take a call.
We are a mechanical, plumbing and electrical construction recruiting firm serving Billings and the rest of Montana, including contractors signatory to IBEW Local 532. 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 532 pay scale for 2026 is $43.92 per hour for journeymen in Billings, MT, or about $87,840 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $61.99 per hour. That is the rate in force for 2026, effective 3/29/26.
Journeyman electrician under the IBEW Local 532 agreement make $43.92 an hour in base wages, or $61.99 an hour counting the fringe package, per the wage sheet effective 3/29/26. Overtime, shift premiums, and travel or subsistence pay are added on top under the local's CBA.
$43.92 per hour base wage and $61.99 per hour total package for a journeyman in Billings, MT, effective 3/29/26. Annualized at 2,080 hours that is roughly $87,840 before overtime.
A Local 532 apprentice in Billings, MT starts at roughly $19.76 an hour — about 45% of the $43.92 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $32.94 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 532 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
About $19.76 an hour, or roughly $39,528 a year at 2,080 hours, based on the standard 45% first-period step of the $43.92 journeyman rate effective 3/29/26. Apprentices also earn benefit contributions and paid classroom progression; the JATC sets the exact percentage.
Around $28.55 an hour at the standard 65% third-period step, moving to about $32.94 an hour in the fourth period and $43.92 an hour at full journeyman scale. Confirm the published step schedule with the Local 532 training center.
The current IBEW Local 532 journeyman rate is $43.92/hour, with a total package of $61.99/hour including fringe benefits, effective 3/29/26. At 2,080 hours that works out to roughly $87,840 per year in base wages before overtime. Rates change with each CBA cycle — confirm with the Local 532 business office before relying on the figure.
The $43.92/hour figure is the base journeyman wage that lands on the paycheck. The $61.99/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 532 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 $43.92/hour journeyman rate, a first-period apprentice would be in the $19.76–$21.96/hour range. The exact percentage schedule is set by the local's JATC.
IBEW Local 532 is headquartered in Billings, MT 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 532 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 532 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 532 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 532 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 3/29/26 schedule; check with the Local 532 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 532 against neighboring jurisdictions and other electricians markets.