# Pay for Industrial Maint. Electrician?



## Sparky81 (Apr 30, 2014)

I've been a Maintenence Electrician for 11 years now at a 100 employee Union factory doing everything from installing new machines from scratch running power and control wiring as well as plc installation and programming to new lighting, receptacles, replacing motors, troubleshooting ect. 
Wisconsin just passed law that we need to be certified so two of us went back to tech school for NEC and got our Journeyman's card. We will be going back this summer again to get Masters. I should have went for that initially, but the other guy only had 5 years in at the time so we both went for Journeyman's. Two of the 30+ year electricians retired within the last 5 years. We never had a licensed Electrician in house. The Electrical Parts rep we buy from weekly has been a licensed master for 20+ years and allways helped us when needed. There are only 3 of us in house, one per shift and new guy going on 3 years now is on 3rd shift. 
Our contract is coming up this fall and with the licensing changes and a lot of added automation and job cuts lately we are going to be asking for a raise. We are currently making $23.92hr after a 4 year internal on the job training program. 
We are thinking of asking to rework the current 4 step yearly pay increase to base rate, after 2 years, Journeyman, Master. 
We typicly take home $60-$65k yr, but thats with lots of overtime after the standard 8hr day 40hr week.​ 
Does anyone here have a similar union factory electrician job, and if so, how much do you make per hour? 
We don't really know how much to ask for, but if this is any indication, our general labor and lift truck operators make $19.16hr and there definitely isn't enough seperation between these unskilled jobs and ours. 
The problem is there are more unskilled workers asking for $ amount pay raises every time instead of % raises.​ 
What would you ask for if you were us?​ 
Thanks​


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## 360max (Jun 10, 2011)

Sparky81 said:


> I've been a Maintenence Electrician for 11 years now at a 100 employee Union factory doing everything from installing new machines from scratch running power and control wiring as well as plc installation and programming to new lighting, receptacles, replacing motors, troubleshooting ect.
> Wisconsin just passed law that we need to be certified so two of us went back to tech school for NEC and got our Journeyman's card. We will be going back this summer again to get Masters. I should have went for that initially, but the other guy only had 5 years in at the time so we both went for Journeyman's. Two of the 30+ year electricians retired within the last 5 years. We never had a licensed Electrician in house. The Electrical Parts rep we buy from weekly has been a licensed master for 20+ years and allways helped us when needed. There are only 3 of us in house, one per shift and new guy going on 3 years now is on 3rd shift.
> Our contract is coming up this fall and with the licensing changes and a lot of added automation and job cuts lately we are going to be asking for a raise. We are currently making $23.92hr after a 4 year internal on the job training program.
> We are thinking of asking to rework the current 4 step yearly pay increase to base rate, after 2 years, Journeyman, Master.
> ...


whats the union journeyman rate and benefit package in your area, are _you_ union?


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## electricmanscott (Feb 11, 2010)

In my opinion you are grossly underpaid. Not sure exactly what you SHOULD be paid but it is definitely more than you ARE paid.

A friend of mine is a plant Electrician at GE and I think he's at about $32-$35 an hour


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## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

Sparky81 said:


> I've been a Maintenence Electrician for 11 years now at a 100 employee Union factory doing everything from installing new machines from scratch running power and control wiring as well as plc installation and programming to new lighting, receptacles, replacing motors, troubleshooting ect.
> Wisconsin just passed law that we need to be certified so two of us went back to tech school for NEC and got our Journeyman's card. We will be going back this summer again to get Masters. I should have went for that initially, but the other guy only had 5 years in at the time so we both went for Journeyman's. Two of the 30+ year electricians retired within the last 5 years. We never had a licensed Electrician in house. The Electrical Parts rep we buy from weekly has been a licensed master for 20+ years and allways helped us when needed. There are only 3 of us in house, one per shift and new guy going on 3 years now is on 3rd shift.
> Our contract is coming up this fall and with the licensing changes and a lot of added automation and job cuts lately we are going to be asking for a raise. We are currently making $23.92hr after a 4 year internal on the job training program.
> We are thinking of asking to rework the current 4 step yearly pay increase to base rate, after 2 years, Journeyman, Master.
> ...


Looks like your union is screwing you guys big, look *here. *

You guys should be making double that.

Welcome to the forum.:thumbsup:


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## Loose Neutral (Jun 3, 2009)

Depends on who's representing. I was recently in a plant that the in house electricians were represented by the commercial food workers. Their rate was only $3 above unskilled.


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## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

Sparky81 said:


> I've been a Maintenence Electrician for 11 years now at a 100 employee Union factory doing everything from installing new machines from scratch running power and control wiring as well as plc installation and programming to new lighting, receptacles, replacing motors, troubleshooting ect.
> Wisconsin just passed law that we need to be certified so two of us went back to tech school for NEC and got our Journeyman's card. We will be going back this summer again to get Masters. I should have went for that initially, but the other guy only had 5 years in at the time so we both went for Journeyman's. Two of the 30+ year electricians retired within the last 5 years. We never had a licensed Electrician in house. The Electrical Parts rep we buy from weekly has been a licensed master for 20+ years and allways helped us when needed. There are only 3 of us in house, one per shift and new guy going on 3 years now is on 3rd shift.
> Our contract is coming up this fall and with the licensing changes and a lot of added automation and job cuts lately we are going to be asking for a raise. We are currently making $23.92hr after a 4 year internal on the job training program.
> We are thinking of asking to rework the current 4 step yearly pay increase to base rate, after 2 years, Journeyman, Master.
> ...


Did you vote for Scott Walker? Maybe you should ask him.


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## Big R (Jan 10, 2008)

Sparky81 said:


> I've been a Maintenence Electrician for 11 years now at a 100 employee Union factory doing everything from installing new machines from scratch running power and control wiring as well as plc installation and programming to new lighting, receptacles, replacing motors, troubleshooting ect. Wisconsin just passed law that we need to be certified so two of us went back to tech school for NEC and got our Journeyman's card. We will be going back this summer again to get Masters. I should have went for that initially, but the other guy only had 5 years in at the time so we both went for Journeyman's. Two of the 30+ year electricians retired within the last 5 years. We never had a licensed Electrician in house. The Electrical Parts rep we buy from weekly has been a licensed master for 20+ years and allways helped us when needed. There are only 3 of us in house, one per shift and new guy going on 3 years now is on 3rd shift. Our contract is coming up this fall and with the licensing changes and a lot of added automation and job cuts lately we are going to be asking for a raise. We are currently making $23.92hr after a 4 year internal on the job training program. We are thinking of asking to rework the current 4 step yearly pay increase to base rate, after 2 years, Journeyman, Master. We typicly take home $60-$65k yr, but thats with lots of overtime after the standard 8hr day 40hr week. Does anyone here have a similar union factory electrician job, and if so, how much do you make per hour? We don't really know how much to ask for, but if this is any indication, our general labor and lift truck operators make $19.16hr and there definitely isn't enough seperation between these unskilled jobs and ours. The problem is there are more unskilled workers asking for $ amount pay raises every time instead of % raises. What would you ask for if you were us? Thanks


John Deere?


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## Sparky81 (Apr 30, 2014)

Yes I am union. Everyone in the plant is. Teamsters. We negotiate only our in plant wages for our factory only.
Not john deere but close. Hoping to find out what similar job pays there as its one of the closest similar union jobs.


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## Sparky81 (Apr 30, 2014)

Btw. Cant stand Walker if that really matters.


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## sparky970 (Mar 19, 2008)

We have union electrical maintenance jobs here that range from $23 to $29 to start. A few may start at $30. We also have non union maintenance jobs that start at $32 to $35. Here in Washington, you do not have to be licensed to work maintenance.


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## Sparky81 (Apr 30, 2014)

HARRY304E said:


> Looks like your union is screwing you guys big, look *here. *
> 
> You guys should be making double that.
> 
> Welcome to the forum.:thumbsup:


How do you figure double? What am I missing? I'm seeing mean wages of less than $1 more than I'm making.


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## jefferyb_2 (Nov 11, 2013)

Sparky81 said:


> Yes I am union. Everyone in the plant is. Teamsters. We negotiate only our in plant wages for our factory only.
> Not john deere but close. Hoping to find out what similar job pays there as its one of the closest similar union jobs.


 John Deere in my area starts electricians out at around $25 an hour.


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## hardworkingstiff (Jan 22, 2007)

Sparky81 said:


> Btw. Cant stand Walker if that really matters.


I took his comment as sarcasm not really directed at you.


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## electricmanscott (Feb 11, 2010)

hardworkingstiff said:


> I took his comment as sarcasm not really directed at you.


We both know that's not sarcasm coming from him. :whistling2:


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## Kryptes (Aug 6, 2013)

I know it's different up here in Canada but I pay my guys $38.50/hr for that kind of work. I have 4 stationed full time at a customers production facility and one full time at another. We are an outside contractor but we have been working full time with the same customers for several years. If we were in house I would predict my guys getting a couple bucks an hour less.


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## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

Sparky81 said:


> How do you figure double? What am I missing? I'm seeing mean wages of less than $1 more than I'm making.


Here the union guys make just about double in Boston .


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## Sparky81 (Apr 30, 2014)

HARRY304E said:


> Here the union guys make just about double in Boston .


Cost of living there is probably double too.


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## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

Sparky81 said:


> Cost of living there is probably double too.


No,,,,,,,just triple :laughing:


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## Big R (Jan 10, 2008)

Horicon John Deere is very similar in pay. After 5 years you max scale at just under $25.


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## lefleuron (May 22, 2010)

Friend,

You guys are taking it in the hinder. 

Between 29 and 42 depending on how much they expect of you.

If you are working for one of those places that expects you to be an EE for cheap- move on down the road. If you are good, there are jobs available.

23 per gets you a guy with a plunger and a paint brush.


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## MTW (Aug 28, 2013)

I'm guessing the pay is so low because industrial work does not require a license.


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## ponyboy (Nov 18, 2012)

Big R said:


> Horicon John Deere is very similar in pay. After 5 years you max scale at just under $25.


That's a standard starting wage around here


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## Sparky81 (Apr 30, 2014)

MTW said:


> I'm guessing the pay is so low because industrial work does not require a license.


Now it does with new state law which is whole reason for this thread. 

I would go elsewhere, but hard to beat a steady job with a 4min drive to work. I am living just fine on my single income with stay at home wife and two kids. House and both vehicles paid off, dont owe a dime to anyone except normal monthly bills and house taxes. 
Never had a thing handed to me unlike some entitled people I worked hard for everything I have. Not saying I dont want a raise, but doubt it will happen where im at now. 
Union steward didn't seem like he even wanted to fight for our raise. He said if it comes down to a vote on one raise or the other there is only 3 of you and 50 unskilled voting to give themselves a raise they'll get it and you won't. He didnt seem to care and I know it bothers him no seperation because he is a machinist in shop by me making same pay as me and why should i get a raise if he doesnt.
As soon as both kids are in school and we get our house in the country im planning on starting my own business working part time and wife can go back to work. Hopefully in less than 5 years. Then none of it will matter.


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