Journeyman electrician under IBEW Local 768 in Kalispell, MT earn $36.66/hr in base wages, or $52.10/hr as a total package with fringe benefits, effective Jan 2024.
IBEW Local 768 runs its own dispatch and out-of-work list. Gulfstream is a private recruiter and does not control hall referral.
The Local 768 pay scale is $36.66 per hour for journeymen in Kalispell, MT, or about $73,320 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $52.10 per hour. That is the rate in force, effective 1/28/24.
| Local 768 journeyman hourly wage | $36.66 / hour |
|---|---|
| Total package (wage + fringe benefits) | $52.10 / hour |
| Annualized at 2,080 hours (base wage) | $73,320 / year |
| First-period apprentice (≈45–50% of scale) | $16.50–$18.33 / hour |
| Wage sheet effective | 1/28/24 |
| Classification | Journeyman Inside Wireman |
A Local 768 apprentice in Kalispell, MT starts at roughly $16.50 an hour — about 45% of the $36.66 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $27.49 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 768 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
| 1st period (year 1) | 45% of scale | $16.50 / hour | $32,994 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd period (year 2) | 55% of scale | $20.16 / hour | $40,326 |
| 3rd period (year 3) | 65% of scale | $23.83 / hour | $47,658 |
| 4th period (year 4) | 75% of scale | $27.49 / hour | $54,990 |
| 5th period (year 5) | 85% of scale | $31.16 / hour | $62,322 |
| Journeyman (turned out) | 100% of scale | $36.66 / hour | $73,320 |
IBEW Local 768 represents professional electricians, telecommunications technicians, and line workers across Western Montana, centered in the Kalispell market. Established to maintain high safety and technical standards, this local serves as the primary labor source for complex electrical infrastructure in a region characterized by rugged geography and rapid residential and commercial growth. Members operate under strict collective bargaining agreements that ensure rigorous quality control for signatory contractors performing work in Flathead County and the surrounding mountainous territories. The local maintains a strong presence in the regional construction economy by providing a stable, highly skilled workforce for critical regional projects.
The market for Local 768 is influenced by the unique demands of the Intermountain West, requiring electricians to be proficient in everything from standard commercial builds to heavy industrial applications and remote site infrastructure. As the electrical industry evolves toward smart building technology and renewable energy integration, the local's role in workforce development becomes increasingly central to the region's stability. For contractors, the local provides a scalable labor pool that mitigates the risks associated with the skilled labor shortages common in rural states. For the tradesperson, it offers a path to middle-class earnings and comprehensive benefits that are often unavailable in the non-union electrical sector.
As of January 28, 2024, the Journeyman Wireman hourly rate for IBEW Local 768 is set at $36.66, contributing to a total compensation package of $52.10 per hour when including fringes. The $15.44 difference covers essential benefits such as healthcare and retirement security. Apprentices enter a multi-year progression where their pay is calculated as a fixed percentage of the journeyman rate. These steps typically begin at approximately 40% to 50% for first-year students and increase incrementally as the apprentice completes classroom hours and on-the-job training milestones. By the final year of the apprenticeship, workers often earn 80% to 90% of the full scale. This structured advancement ensures that pay remains commensurate with the increasing technical proficiency and safety responsibilities required of an electrical professional.
The jurisdiction of IBEW Local 768 covers a massive geographic footprint in Western and Northwestern Montana. While headquartered in Kalispell, the local's charter extends through the Flathead Valley and reaches several neighboring counties characterized by a mix of municipal centers and vast wilderness areas. Work within this territory includes commercial electrical systems, industrial plant maintenance, and residential distribution. Members are dispatched through the Kalispell business office, and the jurisdiction requires adaptability for travel to project sites across the Rocky Mountains. The agreement governs all electrical installations, including power, lighting, and low-voltage systems within these boundaries, ensuring that signatory contractors maintain a consistent labor cost across the diverse regional landscape.
The signatory contractor landscape for Local 768 consists of a diverse mix of regional electrical firms and specialized industrial contractors. These entities range from local family-owned shops focusing on residential and small commercial service to large-scale electrical primes capable of handling major healthcare facilities, data centers, and industrial processing plants. Because the Western Montana market is spread across large distances, these contractors rely on the local's referral system to man projects in remote areas without maintaining high permanent overhead. Hiring fluctuates based on seasonal construction cycles and large-scale infrastructure investments, with the local providing a mechanism for contractors to scale their workforce up or down rapidly.
The hourly wage of $36.66 is the gross amount paid directly on the member's paycheck before taxes. The total package of $52.10 includes an additional $15.44 in employer-paid benefits. These benefits include health insurance premiums and retirement contributions, which are paid on top of the hourly wage, meaning the member does not have these costs deducted from their base pay.
Local 768 follows standard IBEW procedures for travelers, allowing members from other locals to work within its jurisdiction through the Book 2 signing process. Travelers must provide a current dues receipt and a travel letter from their home local. The ability to work depends on the current local labor demand and the exhaustion of the Book 1 list.
Journeyman wiremen in Montana must complete a specific number of continuing education units (CEUs) to maintain their state licenses. Local 768 facilitates these requirements through the JATC, offering courses on the latest National Electrical Code (NEC) updates, safety protocols, and specialized technical certifications to ensure members remain compliant with both state law and union standards.
Due to the vast geography of Western Montana, the collective bargaining agreement includes provisions for travel pay or per diem in certain circumstances. When signatory contractors take on projects outside the immediate Kalispell zone, specific radius or zone-based pay scales may apply to compensate members for the time and expense associated with reaching remote job sites.
IBEW Local 768 is seated in Kalispell, 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 Kalispell and the rest of Montana, including contractors signatory to IBEW Local 768. 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 768 pay scale is $36.66 per hour for journeymen in Kalispell, MT, or about $73,320 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $52.10 per hour. That is the rate in force, effective 1/28/24.
Journeyman electrician under the IBEW Local 768 agreement make $36.66 an hour in base wages, or $52.10 an hour counting the fringe package, per the wage sheet effective 1/28/24. Overtime, shift premiums, and travel or subsistence pay are added on top under the local's CBA.
$36.66 per hour base wage and $52.10 per hour total package for a journeyman in Kalispell, MT, effective 1/28/24. Annualized at 2,080 hours that is roughly $73,320 before overtime.
A Local 768 apprentice in Kalispell, MT starts at roughly $16.50 an hour — about 45% of the $36.66 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $27.49 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 768 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
About $16.50 an hour, or roughly $32,994 a year at 2,080 hours, based on the standard 45% first-period step of the $36.66 journeyman rate effective 1/28/24. Apprentices also earn benefit contributions and paid classroom progression; the JATC sets the exact percentage.
Around $23.83 an hour at the standard 65% third-period step, moving to about $27.49 an hour in the fourth period and $36.66 an hour at full journeyman scale. Confirm the published step schedule with the Local 768 training center.
The current IBEW Local 768 journeyman rate is $36.66/hour, with a total package of $52.10/hour including fringe benefits, effective 1/28/24. At 2,080 hours that works out to roughly $73,320 per year in base wages before overtime. Rates change with each CBA cycle — confirm with the Local 768 business office before relying on the figure.
The $36.66/hour figure is the base journeyman wage that lands on the paycheck. The $52.10/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 768 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 $36.66/hour journeyman rate, a first-period apprentice would be in the $16.50–$18.33/hour range. The exact percentage schedule is set by the local's JATC.
IBEW Local 768 is headquartered in Kalispell, 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 768 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 768 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 768 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 768 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 1/28/24 schedule; check with the Local 768 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 768 against neighboring jurisdictions and other electricians markets.