Journeyman electrician under IBEW Local 702 in West Frankfort, IL earn $53.22/hr in base wages, or $80.63/hr as a total package with fringe benefits, effective Sep 2025.
IBEW Local 702 runs its own dispatch and out-of-work list. Gulfstream is a private recruiter and does not control hall referral.
The Local 702 pay scale for 2026 is $53.22 per hour for journeymen in West Frankfort, IL, or about $106,440 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $80.63 per hour. That is the rate in force for 2026, effective 9/21/25.
| Local 702 journeyman hourly wage | $53.22 / hour |
|---|---|
| Total package (wage + fringe benefits) | $80.63 / hour |
| Annualized at 2,080 hours (base wage) | $106,440 / year |
| First-period apprentice (≈45–50% of scale) | $23.95–$26.61 / hour |
| Wage sheet effective | 9/21/25 |
| Classification | Journeyman Inside Wireman |
A Local 702 apprentice in West Frankfort, IL starts at roughly $23.95 an hour — about 45% of the $53.22 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $39.92 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 702 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
| 1st period (year 1) | 45% of scale | $23.95 / hour | $47,898 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd period (year 2) | 55% of scale | $29.27 / hour | $58,542 |
| 3rd period (year 3) | 65% of scale | $34.59 / hour | $69,186 |
| 4th period (year 4) | 75% of scale | $39.92 / hour | $79,830 |
| 5th period (year 5) | 85% of scale | $45.24 / hour | $90,474 |
| Journeyman (turned out) | 100% of scale | $53.22 / hour | $106,440 |
IBEW Local 702, headquartered in West Frankfort, Illinois, serves as a cornerstone for skilled electrical labor across a vast territory encompassing Southern Illinois and portions of surrounding states. As a mixed local, it represents a diverse membership including inside wiremen, outside linemen, and utility workers. The local is instrumental in maintaining the electrical infrastructure of the region, providing the specialized labor force required for everything from commercial high-voltage installations to complex industrial control systems. Since 2014, Gulfstream Strategic Placements has monitored this market, noting that Local 702 remains a critical hub for technical expertise in a territory characterized by heavy industrial assets, power generation facilities, and growing commercial corridors.
The market served by Local 702 is unique due to its heavy involvement in the utility and energy sectors, which creates a stable demand for highly qualified electricians. Unlike metro-centric locals, 702 manages a geographically expansive jurisdiction that necessitates a mobile and adaptable workforce. Signatory contractors in this region rely on the local's Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (JATC) to produce wiremen who are proficient in the latest National Electrical Code requirements and safety protocols. For the tradesperson, this local offers access to a high standard of living supported by collective bargaining, ensuring that wages and benefits remain competitive with neighboring urban centers while serving the specific needs of the Southern Illinois economy.
Effective September 21, 2025, the Journeyman Wireman hourly rate for IBEW Local 702 is established at $53.22, contributing to a comprehensive total package of $80.63 when fringes are included. This rate reflects the high level of technical proficiency required for the jurisdiction's complex industrial and commercial projects. Apprentices progress through a multi-year program where their pay is calculated as a graduated percentage of the Journeyman rate. Typically starting around 40-50% for first-year students, these percentages increase annually or upon completion of specific work-hour milestones and classroom modules. This structured ladder ensures that as an apprentice's value to the signatory contractor increases through skill acquisition, their compensation rises accordingly until reaching full scale upon passing the journeyman exam and completing the JATC curriculum.
The chartered jurisdiction of IBEW Local 702 is one of the largest in the region, covering more than two dozen counties in Southern Illinois. The headquarters in West Frankfort acts as the central dispatch point for projects ranging from the Indiana border to the Mississippi River. The work covered under the Inside Agreement includes all electrical construction, maintenance, and repair within the property lines of industrial, commercial, and institutional facilities. Due to the rural and industrial mix of the territory, members may be dispatched to diverse sites, including hospitals, coal mines, manufacturing plants, and municipal infrastructure projects. Contractors operating in this zone must adhere to the specific travel and per diem stipulations outlined in the local's collective bargaining agreement when work falls outside designated free zones.
The signatory contractor landscape for IBEW Local 702 is comprised of a robust mix of large-scale industrial specialists and regional commercial shops. Because the jurisdiction includes significant energy and manufacturing infrastructure, many signatory firms focus on long-term maintenance contracts and heavy industrial builds. These primes often require electricians with specific certifications in instrumentation, motor controls, and medium-voltage splicing. In addition to these large entities, several medium-sized contractors service the retail and institutional sectors, providing a steady stream of work for the local membership. Hiring typically fluctuates based on major planned outages at regional power plants and large-scale public works projects, with the local union hall facilitating the dispatch of qualified labor to meet these varying demands.
The hourly wage of $53.22 is the gross amount paid on the member's paycheck before taxes. The total package of $80.63 includes an additional $27.41 in employer-paid benefits such as health insurance, pension contributions, and training funds. These fringes are paid directly by the contractor into the respective funds and are not deducted from the hourly base rate.
Yes, while headquartered in West Frankfort, IL, Local 702's jurisdiction is unique as it covers parts of Southern Illinois, Southeast Missouri, and Southwest Indiana. However, the specific terms and wage scales may vary depending on whether the work falls under the Inside, Outside, or Utility agreements, as well as the specific geographic zone of the project.
Wage increases are determined through collective bargaining between the local union and the signatory contractors (often represented by NECA). These increases are typically scheduled annually or semi-annually throughout the life of the contract. The current scheduled rate of $53.22 becomes effective in September 2025, reflecting a negotiated adjustment for the membership.
Journeyman wiremen in good standing with another IBEW local can work in Local 702's jurisdiction via 'Book 2' travel. A permanent transfer of membership, known as 'depositing a traveler's card,' is at the discretion of the Local 702 business manager and executive board, usually depending on long-term manning reports and local work outlook.
IBEW Local 702 is seated in West Frankfort, Illinois (IL). We hold published wage sheets for 26 locals across Illinois — compare nearby scales before you take a call.
We are a mechanical, plumbing and electrical construction recruiting firm serving West Frankfort and the rest of Illinois, including contractors signatory to IBEW Local 702. 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 702 pay scale for 2026 is $53.22 per hour for journeymen in West Frankfort, IL, or about $106,440 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $80.63 per hour. That is the rate in force for 2026, effective 9/21/25.
Journeyman electrician under the IBEW Local 702 agreement make $53.22 an hour in base wages, or $80.63 an hour counting the fringe package, per the wage sheet effective 9/21/25. Overtime, shift premiums, and travel or subsistence pay are added on top under the local's CBA.
$53.22 per hour base wage and $80.63 per hour total package for a journeyman in West Frankfort, IL, effective 9/21/25. Annualized at 2,080 hours that is roughly $106,440 before overtime.
A Local 702 apprentice in West Frankfort, IL starts at roughly $23.95 an hour — about 45% of the $53.22 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $39.92 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 702 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
About $23.95 an hour, or roughly $47,898 a year at 2,080 hours, based on the standard 45% first-period step of the $53.22 journeyman rate effective 9/21/25. Apprentices also earn benefit contributions and paid classroom progression; the JATC sets the exact percentage.
Around $34.59 an hour at the standard 65% third-period step, moving to about $39.92 an hour in the fourth period and $53.22 an hour at full journeyman scale. Confirm the published step schedule with the Local 702 training center.
The current IBEW Local 702 journeyman rate is $53.22/hour, with a total package of $80.63/hour including fringe benefits, effective 9/21/25. At 2,080 hours that works out to roughly $106,440 per year in base wages before overtime. Rates change with each CBA cycle — confirm with the Local 702 business office before relying on the figure.
The $53.22/hour figure is the base journeyman wage that lands on the paycheck. The $80.63/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 702 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 $53.22/hour journeyman rate, a first-period apprentice would be in the $23.95–$26.61/hour range. The exact percentage schedule is set by the local's JATC.
IBEW Local 702 is headquartered in West Frankfort, IL 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 702 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 702 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 702 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 702 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 9/21/25 schedule; check with the Local 702 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 702 against neighboring jurisdictions and other electricians markets.