Journeyman electrician under IBEW Local 681 in Wichita Falls, TX earn $30.44/hr in base wages, or $41.15/hr as a total package with fringe benefits, effective May 2024.
IBEW Local 681 runs its own dispatch and out-of-work list. Gulfstream is a private recruiter and does not control hall referral.
The Local 681 pay scale is $30.44 per hour for journeymen in Wichita Falls, TX, or about $60,880 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $41.15 per hour. That is the rate in force, effective 5/18/24.
| Local 681 journeyman hourly wage | $30.44 / hour |
|---|---|
| Total package (wage + fringe benefits) | $41.15 / hour |
| Annualized at 2,080 hours (base wage) | $60,880 / year |
| First-period apprentice (≈45–50% of scale) | $13.70–$15.22 / hour |
| Wage sheet effective | 5/18/24 |
| Classification | Journeyman Inside Wireman |
A Local 681 apprentice in Wichita Falls, TX starts at roughly $13.70 an hour — about 45% of the $30.44 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $22.83 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 681 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
| 1st period (year 1) | 45% of scale | $13.70 / hour | $27,396 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd period (year 2) | 55% of scale | $16.74 / hour | $33,484 |
| 3rd period (year 3) | 65% of scale | $19.79 / hour | $39,572 |
| 4th period (year 4) | 75% of scale | $22.83 / hour | $45,660 |
| 5th period (year 5) | 85% of scale | $25.87 / hour | $51,748 |
| Journeyman (turned out) | 100% of scale | $30.44 / hour | $60,880 |
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 681 represents professional inside wiremen and electrical workers serving the Wichita Falls, Texas, metropolitan area and surrounding rural districts. Since 2014, Gulfstream Strategic Placements has monitored the North Texas labor market, observing how Local 681 maintains the standard for skilled electrical installations in commercial, industrial, and institutional environments. The local ensures that its workforce is trained to meet the rigorous demands of the National Electrical Code (NEC) while providing signatory contractors with a reliable pipeline of journey-level talent. This presence is vital for the region's infrastructure, supporting everything from municipal developments to industrial manufacturing facilities.
The Wichita Falls market serves as a critical hub for the North Texas economy, and Local 681 is the primary advocate for high-voltage and low-voltage electrical standards within this jurisdiction. By coordinating with the a mechanical contractor Association (NECA), the local facilitates a stable labor relations environment that minimizes work stoppages and maximizes project efficiency. For the individual electrician, membership provides access to a structured career path, comprehensive healthcare, and retirement security that is often absent in the non-union residential sector. For contractors, the local offers a scalable workforce capable of handling large-scale commercial builds that require specialized certifications and documented safety protocols.
As of the May 18, 2024 update, the Journeyman Inside Wireman rate for IBEW Local 681 is set at $30.44 per hour. When factoring in the fringe benefit contributions, the total compensation package reaches $41.15 per hour. Apprentices in the Wichita Falls JATC program earn a progressive percentage of the journeyman rate, typically starting around 40% to 50% and increasing annually as they complete required classroom hours and on-the-job training milestones. These scheduled increases provide a clear financial roadmap for new entrants into the trade. The $10.71 difference between the base wage and the total package represents employer-paid contributions toward health insurance, pension funds, and training, which are not deducted from the worker's gross hourly pay.
The chartered jurisdiction of IBEW Local 681 covers several counties in North Texas centered around Wichita Falls. This territory includes a mix of urban commercial zones and significant industrial corridors where signatory contractors perform work on hospitals, schools, and military-related infrastructure. Members are dispatched through the Wichita Falls hiring hall based on a referral system that prioritizes experience and residency. The jurisdiction requires electricians to be mobile, as projects may be located throughout the Red River region. Signatory agreements ensure that regardless of the specific job site location within this multi-county area, the standardized wage and benefit protections remain in full effect for all dispatched members.
The signatory contractor landscape for Local 681 in Wichita Falls consists of a mix of local electrical shops and regional mechanical-electrical firms. These companies range from specialized service contractors focusing on long-term facility maintenance to large-scale commercial primes that handle new construction for the public sector. The market is particularly influenced by regional healthcare systems and educational institutions, which frequently utilize signatory labor for complex electrical upgrades. Hiring cycles are often driven by major capital improvement projects and federal work within the North Texas region, requiring contractors to fluctuate their workforce through the local's referral hall to meet peak demand.
The base wage of $30.44 is the gross amount paid on your paycheck. The total package of $41.15 includes an additional $10.71 per hour paid by the contractor into your benefits, such as health insurance and pension. These fringes are over and above your hourly pay, meaning your benefits do not reduce your take-home wages.
Yes, all journeymen working within the jurisdiction must hold a valid Texas Journeyman Electrician license issued by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR). The local and the JATC provide the necessary continuing education units (CEUs) and training to help members maintain their licensure and stay current with code changes.
Wage increases are determined by the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) negotiated between the IBEW and NECA. These typically involve annual or semi-annual adjustments to the base rate or fringe contributions. The most recent adjustment occurred on May 18, 2024. Members should attend local meetings to stay informed on future negotiations.
Travelers and those seeking to transfer their membership must follow the procedures outlined in the IBEW Constitution. This generally involves obtaining a travel letter from your home local and signing the Book 2 out-of-work list in Wichita Falls. Permanent transfers (reclassifications) are subject to the approval of the Local 681 executive board and current work outlook.
IBEW Local 681 is seated in Wichita Falls, Texas (TX). We hold published wage sheets for 20 locals across Texas — compare nearby scales before you take a call.
We are a mechanical, plumbing and electrical construction recruiting firm serving Wichita Falls and the rest of Texas, including contractors signatory to IBEW Local 681. 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 681 pay scale is $30.44 per hour for journeymen in Wichita Falls, TX, or about $60,880 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $41.15 per hour. That is the rate in force, effective 5/18/24.
Journeyman electrician under the IBEW Local 681 agreement make $30.44 an hour in base wages, or $41.15 an hour counting the fringe package, per the wage sheet effective 5/18/24. Overtime, shift premiums, and travel or subsistence pay are added on top under the local's CBA.
$30.44 per hour base wage and $41.15 per hour total package for a journeyman in Wichita Falls, TX, effective 5/18/24. Annualized at 2,080 hours that is roughly $60,880 before overtime.
A Local 681 apprentice in Wichita Falls, TX starts at roughly $13.70 an hour — about 45% of the $30.44 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $22.83 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 681 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
About $13.70 an hour, or roughly $27,396 a year at 2,080 hours, based on the standard 45% first-period step of the $30.44 journeyman rate effective 5/18/24. Apprentices also earn benefit contributions and paid classroom progression; the JATC sets the exact percentage.
Around $19.79 an hour at the standard 65% third-period step, moving to about $22.83 an hour in the fourth period and $30.44 an hour at full journeyman scale. Confirm the published step schedule with the Local 681 training center.
The current IBEW Local 681 journeyman rate is $30.44/hour, with a total package of $41.15/hour including fringe benefits, effective 5/18/24. At 2,080 hours that works out to roughly $60,880 per year in base wages before overtime. Rates change with each CBA cycle — confirm with the Local 681 business office before relying on the figure.
The $30.44/hour figure is the base journeyman wage that lands on the paycheck. The $41.15/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 681 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 $30.44/hour journeyman rate, a first-period apprentice would be in the $13.70–$15.22/hour range. The exact percentage schedule is set by the local's JATC.
IBEW Local 681 is headquartered in Wichita Falls, TX 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 681 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 681 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 681 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 681 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 5/18/24 schedule; check with the Local 681 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 681 against neighboring jurisdictions and other electricians markets.