Journeyman electrician under IBEW Local 659 in Medford, OR earn $45.58/hr in base wages, or $65.78/hr as a total package with fringe benefits, effective Feb 2025.
IBEW Local 659 runs its own dispatch and out-of-work list. Gulfstream is a private recruiter and does not control hall referral.
The Local 659 pay scale for 2026 is $45.58 per hour for journeymen in Medford, OR, or about $91,160 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $65.78 per hour. That is the rate in force for 2026, effective 2/21/25.
| Local 659 journeyman hourly wage | $45.58 / hour |
|---|---|
| Total package (wage + fringe benefits) | $65.78 / hour |
| Annualized at 2,080 hours (base wage) | $91,160 / year |
| First-period apprentice (≈45–50% of scale) | $20.51–$22.79 / hour |
| Wage sheet effective | 2/21/25 |
| Classification | Journeyman Inside Wireman |
A Local 659 apprentice in Medford, OR starts at roughly $20.51 an hour — about 45% of the $45.58 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $34.19 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 659 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
| 1st period (year 1) | 45% of scale | $20.51 / hour | $41,022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd period (year 2) | 55% of scale | $25.07 / hour | $50,138 |
| 3rd period (year 3) | 65% of scale | $29.63 / hour | $59,254 |
| 4th period (year 4) | 75% of scale | $34.19 / hour | $68,370 |
| 5th period (year 5) | 85% of scale | $38.74 / hour | $77,486 |
| Journeyman (turned out) | 100% of scale | $45.58 / hour | $91,160 |
IBEW Local 659 serves as the primary labor organization for electrical workers across Southern Oregon and Northern California. Headquartered in Medford, the local manages a diverse membership that includes inside wiremen, outside linemen, and utility workers. The local is central to the regional infrastructure, providing skilled manpower for commercial development, industrial facilities, and the maintenance of the power grid. As a charter of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 659 ensures that its members adhere to the highest standards of the National Electrical Code while maintaining safe working conditions through collective bargaining agreements with regional signatory partners.
The Medford market serves as a hub for the Rogue Valley, where the demand for qualified electrical labor is driven by healthcare expansions, educational facility upgrades, and the growing renewable energy sector. Local 659 members are responsible for the complex wiring, motor controls, and power distribution systems that keep the region's economy functioning. For contractors, the local provides a scalable workforce that has undergone rigorous safety and technical training. For the tradesperson, the union offers a structured career path with protected wages and benefits that are significantly higher than the non-represented sector in the same geographic territory.
Effective February 21, 2025, the Journeyman Wireman rate for IBEW Local 659 is established at $45.58 per hour. When accounting for the full fringe benefit package, the total compensation reaches $65.78 per hour. Apprentices in the program earn a graduated percentage of this journeyman rate, typically starting around 40% to 50% for first-year students and increasing in roughly 10% increments as they complete required on-the-job training hours and classroom modules. This progression ensures that as an apprentice's skill set and responsibility increase, their compensation mirrors their value to the signatory contractor. The gap between the hourly check and the total package covers essential employer-paid contributions to retirement and healthcare funds, which remain consistent across all signatory employers in the jurisdiction.
The chartered jurisdiction for IBEW Local 659 is extensive, covering several counties in Southern Oregon and extending into portions of Northern California. The Medford office serves as the dispatch point for work spanning from the Pacific coast through the Cascade Range. The jurisdiction includes a mix of urban commercial work in cities like Medford, Ashland, and Grants Pass, as well as industrial and utility work in more remote areas. Members must be prepared for travel within these boundaries, as the local maintains authority over all inside electrical wiring and outdoor line construction within its designated map. This ensures that labor standards remain uniform regardless of whether a project is a downtown office build or a rural substation upgrade.
The contractor landscape for Local 659 is comprised of a mix of large-scale regional electrical primes and smaller, specialized shops focusing on service and maintenance. These signatory contractors bid on a wide array of projects, from municipal public works and schools to large retail developments and industrial processing plants. Because the local provides a steady stream of pre-vetted, highly trained labor, these firms can scale their operations quickly to meet the demands of major capital projects. The relationship between the union and the a mechanical contractor Association (NECA) ensures that labor costs are predictable for contractors while maintaining high production standards that mitigate project risks and safety liabilities.
Inside Wiremen primarily handle the distribution of electricity within structures, including commercial buildings and industrial plants. Outside Linemen, also represented by Local 659, focus on the high-voltage transmission and distribution lines that bring power from the generating source to the end-user. The training paths and safety protocols differ significantly between these two classifications due to the nature of the environment and voltage levels involved.
Yes, IBEW members in good standing can often travel or transfer into Local 659, provided they meet the Oregon state licensing requirements. Oregon is known for strict electrical licensing; therefore, incoming wiremen must typically possess a valid Oregon Journeyman (J) license. The local's dispatcher can provide guidance on current work manning levels and the 'Book' system for travelers looking to sign the out-of-work list.
Wage increases are determined by the Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiated between the Union and NECA. These usually occur annually or semi-annually on specific dates, such as the February 21st adjustment. These increases may be applied to the base hourly rate or allocated toward fringe benefits like health insurance and pensions, depending on the vote of the membership during the contract ratification process.
In the Medford and Southern Oregon market, work is often centered on healthcare facilities like Asante and Providence expansions, as well as educational bond projects for local school districts. There is also a significant amount of work in the timber and agricultural processing industries, where industrial motor controls and automation are required. Additionally, public works projects for the state and various municipalities provide a baseline of infrastructure work.
IBEW Local 659 is seated in Medford, Oregon (OR). We hold published wage sheets for 6 locals across Oregon — compare nearby scales before you take a call.
We are a mechanical, plumbing and electrical construction recruiting firm serving Medford and the rest of Oregon, including contractors signatory to IBEW Local 659. 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 659 pay scale for 2026 is $45.58 per hour for journeymen in Medford, OR, or about $91,160 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $65.78 per hour. That is the rate in force for 2026, effective 2/21/25.
Journeyman electrician under the IBEW Local 659 agreement make $45.58 an hour in base wages, or $65.78 an hour counting the fringe package, per the wage sheet effective 2/21/25. Overtime, shift premiums, and travel or subsistence pay are added on top under the local's CBA.
$45.58 per hour base wage and $65.78 per hour total package for a journeyman in Medford, OR, effective 2/21/25. Annualized at 2,080 hours that is roughly $91,160 before overtime.
A Local 659 apprentice in Medford, OR starts at roughly $20.51 an hour — about 45% of the $45.58 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $34.19 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 659 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
About $20.51 an hour, or roughly $41,022 a year at 2,080 hours, based on the standard 45% first-period step of the $45.58 journeyman rate effective 2/21/25. Apprentices also earn benefit contributions and paid classroom progression; the JATC sets the exact percentage.
Around $29.63 an hour at the standard 65% third-period step, moving to about $34.19 an hour in the fourth period and $45.58 an hour at full journeyman scale. Confirm the published step schedule with the Local 659 training center.
The current IBEW Local 659 journeyman rate is $45.58/hour, with a total package of $65.78/hour including fringe benefits, effective 2/21/25. At 2,080 hours that works out to roughly $91,160 per year in base wages before overtime. Rates change with each CBA cycle — confirm with the Local 659 business office before relying on the figure.
The $45.58/hour figure is the base journeyman wage that lands on the paycheck. The $65.78/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 659 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 $45.58/hour journeyman rate, a first-period apprentice would be in the $20.51–$22.79/hour range. The exact percentage schedule is set by the local's JATC.
IBEW Local 659 is headquartered in Medford, OR 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 659 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 659 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 659 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 659 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 2/21/25 schedule; check with the Local 659 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 659 against neighboring jurisdictions and other electricians markets.