Journeyman electrician under IBEW Local 861 in Lake Charles, LA earn $31.98/hr in base wages, or $47.12/hr as a total package with fringe benefits, effective Sep 2024.
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IBEW Local 861 runs its own dispatch and out-of-work list. Gulfstream is a private recruiter and does not control hall referral.
The Local 861 pay scale is $31.98 per hour for journeymen in Lake Charles, LA, or about $63,960 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $47.12 per hour. That is the rate in force, effective 9/1/24.
| Local 861 journeyman hourly wage | $31.98 / hour |
|---|---|
| Total package (wage + fringe benefits) | $47.12 / hour |
| Annualized at 2,080 hours (base wage) | $63,960 / year |
| First-period apprentice (≈45–50% of scale) | $14.39–$15.99 / hour |
| Wage sheet effective | 9/1/24 |
| Classification | Journeyman Inside Wireman |
A Local 861 apprentice in Lake Charles, LA starts at roughly $14.39 an hour — about 45% of the $31.98 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $23.99 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 861 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
| 1st period (year 1) | 45% of scale | $14.39 / hour | $28,782 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd period (year 2) | 55% of scale | $17.59 / hour | $35,178 |
| 3rd period (year 3) | 65% of scale | $20.79 / hour | $41,574 |
| 4th period (year 4) | 75% of scale | $23.99 / hour | $47,970 |
| 5th period (year 5) | 85% of scale | $27.18 / hour | $54,366 |
| Journeyman (turned out) | 100% of scale | $31.98 / hour | $63,960 |
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Local 861 wages: $31.98 an hour on the journeyman scale, $47.12 an hour with fringe benefits added, effective 9/1/24. That is the most recent Lake Charles, LA sheet we can source; rates move with each contract cycle, so confirm with the hall before quoting.
Roughly 32% of the IBEW Local 861 package is employer-paid benefits and fringes rather than wages, which is why the package figure and a take-home hourly rate are not the same number.
Verified from official source: U.S. Department of Labor Davis-Bacon general wage determination LA20260016 (rev 1), building construction, ELEC0861-003 09/01/2024: base rate $31.98 plus printed fringes $15.14
Download the IBEW Local 861 pay scale (PDF) — one-page printable rate sheet, effective September 1, 2024.
| Benefit & fringe contributions | $15.14/hr | Derived: total package minus base wage. This is the employer's combined hourly contribution to the funds, not take-home pay. |
|---|---|---|
| What the contributions fund | Health & welfare, pension, annuity, training and industry funds | Standard fund categories in mechanical and electrical agreements. The exact split between funds is set in the local's agreement — the hall or fund office publishes the schedule. |
| Paid on | Every hour worked | Fringe contributions are made per hour worked, so they scale with dispatched hours and are paid to the funds rather than to the member. |
The rates above are the IBEW Local 861 scale used across the Lake Charles, LA area. Members dispatched out of this hall work commercial and industrial electrical, building automation and controls wiring, data and low-voltage systems and service and retrofit work for signatory contractors throughout the Lake Charles metro, so a electrician wage quoted locally is normally this scale plus the fringe package shown in the table.
Gulfstream recruits electrician talent for commercial mechanical, plumbing, piping, sheet metal and building automation contractors in and around Lake Charles. We are a private recruiting firm — we do not dispatch, set, or negotiate Local 861 rates. For current Lake Charles scale, dispatch standing, or apprenticeship intake, contact the hall directly.
IBEW Local 861 represents skilled inside wiremen and electrical professionals across the Southwest Louisiana corridor, centered in Lake Charles. This local is a critical labor partner for the region's heavy industrial sector, which includes significant liquefied natural gas facilities, petrochemical refineries, and maritime operations along the Gulf Coast. The membership provides specialized electrical expertise required for complex power distribution, motor controls, and instrumentation systems that define the local economy. Since 2014, Gulfstream Strategic Placements has monitored this market as a hub for industrial electrical demand, noting that the local maintains a rigorous standard for safety and technical proficiency in hazardous environments.
The market surrounding Lake Charles is characterized by large-scale capital projects and ongoing maintenance turnarounds at massive industrial complexes. Local 861 serves as the primary pipeline for qualified electrical labor to signatory contractors who manage these multi-billion dollar installations. Beyond the industrial sector, the local also covers commercial construction and institutional work, ensuring a broad scope of employment for its members. As the energy landscape shifts toward sustainable infrastructure and expanded export capabilities, the demand for IBEW-trained electricians in this jurisdiction remains high, making Local 861 a focal point for tradespeople seeking stable, high-stakes work in the Deep South.
As of the October 2022 update, the Journeyman Wireman hourly rate for IBEW Local 861 is set at $29.83. When accounting for the full fringe benefit package, the total compensation reaches $43.22 per hour. Apprentices within the Lake Charles JATC program earn a progressive percentage of the journeyman rate, typically starting around 40-50% for first-year students and increasing annually as they complete classroom hours and on-the-job training milestones. These scheduled raises ensure that as an apprentice's skill set grows, their compensation reflects their increasing value to the signatory contractor. Members should note that specialized certifications or foreman roles often carry additional premiums above the base scale, which should be verified directly with the hall or through the current collective bargaining agreement.
The chartered jurisdiction for IBEW Local 861 covers the southwest corner of Louisiana, primarily centered on Calcasieu Parish. The territory extends to include the industrial and rural stretches of surrounding parishes, ensuring that electrical work from the Sabine River to the eastern reaches of the Lake Charles metro area falls under their agreement. This jurisdiction is particularly active due to the density of industrial facilities along the Calcasieu Ship Channel. Members dispatched through the hall may work on a variety of sites, from downtown commercial developments to remote energy infrastructure, requiring a versatile understanding of both the National Electrical Code and specific industrial safety protocols mandated by Gulf Coast refinery owners.
The signatory contractor landscape in Lake Charles is dominated by large-scale industrial electrical firms and national mechanical-electrical primes. These entities specialize in long-term maintenance contracts and massive new-build projects within the petrochemical and LNG sectors. There is also a robust contingent of medium-sized commercial contractors who handle municipal work, healthcare facilities, and retail developments. Because the local economy is so closely tied to global energy markets, hiring fluctuates with major project cycles, often leading to periods of intense manpower demand where the local utilizes travelers from other IBEW jurisdictions to supplement the core membership of Local 861.
The $29.83 hourly wage is the gross amount paid directly to the member on their paycheck, subject to taxes. The $43.22 total package includes the hourly wage plus the employer-paid fringe benefits like health insurance and pension contributions. These benefits are paid by the contractor on top of the wage, meaning they are not deducted from your $29.83 hourly rate.
No previous electrical experience is required to apply for the apprenticeship. The program is designed to take individuals with a high school diploma and an aptitude for math and science and train them from the ground up. However, having a background in construction or technical vocational classes can be beneficial during the committee interview process.
Much of the work in Lake Charles is industrial. Local 861 members often undergo specialized safety training, including TWIC card acquisition and site-specific orientations. The work involves high-voltage systems, explosion-proof wiring, and complex control systems. Contractors in this sector rely on the local's ability to provide a drug-free, highly skilled workforce that can adhere to strict federal and industrial safety regulations.
Yes, IBEW Local 861 often utilizes 'travelers' from other locals when there is a surge in work, such as during a large refinery expansion or new LNG plant construction. Travelers must check in with the hall and follow the proper Book 2 signing procedures. All visiting electricians must meet the licensing requirements for the state of Louisiana and follow local work rules.
IBEW Local 861 is seated in Lake Charles, Louisiana (LA). We hold published wage sheets for 8 locals across Louisiana — compare nearby scales before you take a call.
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We are a mechanical, plumbing and electrical construction recruiting firm serving Lake Charles and the rest of Louisiana, including contractors signatory to IBEW Local 861. Our office is in South Corona, California and we place union-scale tradespeople and field leadership nationwide.
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Journeyman scales as last published by each local. Rates change every contract cycle — confirm with the hall.
The Local 861 pay scale is $31.98 per hour for journeymen in Lake Charles, LA, or about $63,960 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $47.12 per hour. That is the rate in force, effective 9/1/24.
Journeyman electrician under the IBEW Local 861 agreement make $31.98 an hour in base wages, or $47.12 an hour counting the fringe package, per the wage sheet effective 9/1/24. Overtime, shift premiums, and travel or subsistence pay are added on top under the local's CBA.
$31.98 per hour base wage and $47.12 per hour total package for a journeyman in Lake Charles, LA, effective 9/1/24. Annualized at 2,080 hours that is roughly $63,960 before overtime.
A Local 861 apprentice in Lake Charles, LA starts at roughly $14.39 an hour — about 45% of the $31.98 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $23.99 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 861 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
About $14.39 an hour, or roughly $28,782 a year at 2,080 hours, based on the standard 45% first-period step of the $31.98 journeyman rate effective 9/1/24. Apprentices also earn benefit contributions and paid classroom progression; the JATC sets the exact percentage.
Around $20.79 an hour at the standard 65% third-period step, moving to about $23.99 an hour in the fourth period and $31.98 an hour at full journeyman scale. Confirm the published step schedule with the Local 861 training center.
Local 861 wages: $31.98 an hour on the journeyman scale, $47.12 an hour with fringe benefits added, effective 9/1/24. That is the most recent Lake Charles, LA sheet we can source; rates move with each contract cycle, so confirm with the hall before quoting.
Yes — a one-page printable IBEW Local 861 rate sheet is available at /rate-sheets/ibew-local-861-pay-scale.pdf, showing the $31.98 hourly scale, the $47.12 total package and the 9/1/24 effective date, with the source it was read from. It is a free download — no sign-up needed.
The current IBEW Local 861 journeyman rate is $31.98/hour, with a total package of $47.12/hour including fringe benefits, effective 9/1/24. At 2,080 hours that works out to roughly $63,960 per year in base wages before overtime. Rates change with each CBA cycle — confirm with the Local 861 business office before relying on the figure.
The $31.98/hour figure is the base journeyman wage that lands on the paycheck. The $47.12/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 861 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 $31.98/hour journeyman rate, a first-period apprentice would be in the $14.39–$15.99/hour range. The exact percentage schedule is set by the local's JATC.
IBEW Local 861 is headquartered in Lake Charles, LA 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 861 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 861 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 861 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 861 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 9/1/24 schedule; check with the Local 861 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 861 against neighboring jurisdictions and other electricians markets.
$31.98/hr in base wages for journeyman inside wireman, or $47.12/hr counting employer-paid benefits and fringes, effective September 1, 2024 per the U.S. Department of Labor Davis-Bacon general wage determination LA20260016 (rev 1), building construction, ELEC0861-003 09/01/2024: base rate $31.98 plus printed fringes $15.14 wage determination.
September 1, 2024. The negotiated rate on this primary source (U.S. Department of Labor Davis-Bacon general wage determination LA20260016 (rev 1), building construction, ELEC0861-003 09/01/2024: base rate $31.98 plus printed fringes $15.14) is dated more than 18 months back, so a mid-term raise may already be in effect. Confirm the current step with the local's business office before extending an offer.
No — the $31.98/hr base is wages only. Employers contribute roughly $15.14/hr more per hour worked to health and welfare, pension, annuity and training funds, which is the difference between the base and the $47.12/hr package.
No. Gulfstream Strategic Placements is a private mechanical construction recruiting firm. We are not affiliated with the local, we do not run dispatch, and we do not set or negotiate union rates. We publish the local's own sourced figures as a reference for members and contractors.
Moderate confidence — last cross-checked against the source on Sep 22, 2026 (8 days ago). Always confirm the current step with the hall before relying on it for an offer.