Journeyman electrician under IBEW Local 728 in FT. Lauderdale, FL earn $38.40/hr in base wages, or $53.39/hr as a total package with fringe benefits, effective Oct 2024.
IBEW Local 728 runs its own dispatch and out-of-work list. Gulfstream is a private recruiter and does not control hall referral.
The Local 728 pay scale is $38.40 per hour for journeymen in FT. Lauderdale, FL, or about $76,800 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $53.39 per hour. That is the rate in force, effective 10/10/24.
| Local 728 journeyman hourly wage | $38.40 / hour |
|---|---|
| Total package (wage + fringe benefits) | $53.39 / hour |
| Annualized at 2,080 hours (base wage) | $76,800 / year |
| First-period apprentice (≈45–50% of scale) | $17.28–$19.20 / hour |
| Wage sheet effective | 10/10/24 |
| Classification | Journeyman Inside Wireman |
A Local 728 apprentice in FT. Lauderdale, FL starts at roughly $17.28 an hour — about 45% of the $38.40 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $28.80 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 728 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
| 1st period (year 1) | 45% of scale | $17.28 / hour | $34,560 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd period (year 2) | 55% of scale | $21.12 / hour | $42,240 |
| 3rd period (year 3) | 65% of scale | $24.96 / hour | $49,920 |
| 4th period (year 4) | 75% of scale | $28.80 / hour | $57,600 |
| 5th period (year 5) | 85% of scale | $32.64 / hour | $65,280 |
| Journeyman (turned out) | 100% of scale | $38.40 / hour | $76,800 |
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 728 represents skilled inside wiremen and electrical professionals throughout the Broward County region and surrounding South Florida territories. As a central hub for electrical labor in the Fort Lauderdale market, Local 728 provides the skilled workforce necessary for high-density residential high-rises, commercial developments, and critical infrastructure projects. The local operates in a Right-to-Work state, making its role in collective bargaining and safety standards essential for maintaining professional labor conditions. Their members are the primary source of electrical expertise for the area's largest signatory contractors, ensuring complex power systems and telecommunications networks meet strict National Electrical Code requirements.
The electrical market in Fort Lauderdale is characterized by rapid urban intensification and a robust tourism infrastructure. Local 728 manages the labor supply for diverse sectors including aviation facilities at FLL, marine-related industrial electrical work, and large-scale healthcare campus expansions. By maintaining a rigorous Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (JATC) program, the local ensures that the workforce stays ahead of emerging technologies like electric vehicle charging infrastructure and sustainable energy systems. For contractors, the local provides a scalable, pre-vetted labor pool, while members benefit from structured wage increases and portable fringe benefits that are often unavailable in the non-union sector of the Florida market.
As of October 10, 2024, the Journeyman Wireman rate for IBEW Local 728 is established at $38.40 per hour, contributing to a total compensation package of $53.39 when including fringe benefits. This package reflects the negotiated balance between take-home pay and long-term security. Apprentices enter the program at a percentage of the journeyman rate, typically starting around 40-50% and receiving scheduled incremental raises every six to twelve months based on successful completion of classroom hours and on-the-job training milestones. By the final year of the five-year program, an apprentice's wage closely mirrors the full scale. This transparent progression ensures that as a worker's technical proficiency increases, their compensation reflects their value to the signatory mechanical and electrical contractors in the South Florida region.
The jurisdiction of IBEW Local 728 is headquartered in Fort Lauderdale and encompasses the entirety of Broward County, extending into portions of the surrounding South Florida geography to ensure consistent labor standards across the metropolitan corridor. The local manages dispatch for inside wireman work, which includes the installation and maintenance of electrical systems within commercial, industrial, and residential structures. Members may be required to travel to various jobsites within this territory, from the coastal ports to inland suburban developments. The geographic footprint is designed to provide contractors with a unified labor agreement that simplifies bidding and mobilization across city lines within the Greater Fort Lauderdale area, maintaining a level playing field for signatory firms.
The signatory landscape for Local 728 consists of a diverse mix of electrical firms ranging from national mechanical-electrical primes to specialized regional shops. These contractors primarily focus on large-scale commercial builds, municipal infrastructure, and high-end hospitality projects where reliability and safety are paramount. The market is highly competitive, and signatory status allows these firms to bid on project labor agreement (PLA) work that requires a specific ratio of apprentices to journeymen. Hiring fluctuates based on the South Florida construction cycle, with significant activity often centered around airport renovations, data center construction, and luxury residential towers that demand high-volume, high-quality electrical installations.
Inside Wiremen are trained to install and maintain all types of electrical systems in commercial and industrial buildings. Unlike residential-only specialists or linesmen who work on high-voltage utility poles, Local 728 inside wiremen handle everything from lighting and power distribution to complex motor controls and fire alarm systems within a building's footprint, ensuring versatile career opportunities across the Fort Lauderdale market.
Yes, through the JATC, Local 728 provides journeymen with advanced certifications in areas such as EVITP (Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Training Program), instrumentation, and specialized safety training like OSHA 30. These courses ensure that union members remain the most qualified workforce in South Florida, allowing them to adapt to new technologies and maintain their value to signatory contractors as the industry evolves.
While Florida is a Right-to-Work state, Local 728 maintains its strength through the superior quality of its training and the collective bargaining power that secures higher wages and better benefits than non-union alternatives. The local serves as a professional association that provides portable benefits, meaning members can move between signatory contractors without losing their health insurance or retirement credits, a significant advantage in the transient construction industry.
Transferring into Local 728, often referred to as 'jamming a book,' is subject to the international union's bylaws and the local's current work volume. Travelers must typically register at the hall and work under the local's jurisdiction for a specific period before requesting a permanent transfer. Approval depends on the local executive board and the needs of the Fort Lauderdale electrical market at that time.
IBEW Local 728 is seated in FT. Lauderdale, Florida (FL). We hold published wage sheets for 16 locals across Florida — compare nearby scales before you take a call.
We are a mechanical, plumbing and electrical construction recruiting firm serving FT. Lauderdale and the rest of Florida, including contractors signatory to IBEW Local 728. 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 728 pay scale is $38.40 per hour for journeymen in FT. Lauderdale, FL, or about $76,800 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $53.39 per hour. That is the rate in force, effective 10/10/24.
Journeyman electrician under the IBEW Local 728 agreement make $38.40 an hour in base wages, or $53.39 an hour counting the fringe package, per the wage sheet effective 10/10/24. Overtime, shift premiums, and travel or subsistence pay are added on top under the local's CBA.
$38.40 per hour base wage and $53.39 per hour total package for a journeyman in FT. Lauderdale, FL, effective 10/10/24. Annualized at 2,080 hours that is roughly $76,800 before overtime.
A Local 728 apprentice in FT. Lauderdale, FL starts at roughly $17.28 an hour — about 45% of the $38.40 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $28.80 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 728 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
About $17.28 an hour, or roughly $34,560 a year at 2,080 hours, based on the standard 45% first-period step of the $38.40 journeyman rate effective 10/10/24. Apprentices also earn benefit contributions and paid classroom progression; the JATC sets the exact percentage.
Around $24.96 an hour at the standard 65% third-period step, moving to about $28.80 an hour in the fourth period and $38.40 an hour at full journeyman scale. Confirm the published step schedule with the Local 728 training center.
The current IBEW Local 728 journeyman rate is $38.40/hour, with a total package of $53.39/hour including fringe benefits, effective 10/10/24. At 2,080 hours that works out to roughly $76,800 per year in base wages before overtime. Rates change with each CBA cycle — confirm with the Local 728 business office before relying on the figure.
The $38.40/hour figure is the base journeyman wage that lands on the paycheck. The $53.39/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 728 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 $38.40/hour journeyman rate, a first-period apprentice would be in the $17.28–$19.20/hour range. The exact percentage schedule is set by the local's JATC.
IBEW Local 728 is headquartered in FT. Lauderdale, FL 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 728 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 728 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 728 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 728 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 10/10/24 schedule; check with the Local 728 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 728 against neighboring jurisdictions and other electricians markets.