IBEW Local 134 is the Chicago inside hall. As of October 20, 2026 the referral snapshot shows 306 open positions across 5 calls. Inside Journeyman Wireman scale is $63.15 an hour, with $18.30/hr health and welfare (active $12.55 plus retiree $5.75), $11.50/hr defined pension, $7.50/hr annuity, and 2.5% working dues.
300 of those 306 are one Freeman Electric short call at McCormick Place South. It is 1 to 2 days, first day 4 to 6 hours, 3:00 p.m. start, possible OT, at scale. That is not a multi-week data-center hitch. The other four calls add 6 JW. Illinois still has no statewide journeyman card. You work as a W-2 under a Chicago-licensed contractor. GoHereBro tracks 300 IBEW locals; the cards below are Chicago (Local 134), Joliet (Local 176), Lisle (Local 701), and Rockford (Local 364).
Check the Local 134 dispatch page, the Illinois IBEW pay scale table, the national pay scale hub, the map, and Hot Spots. City contractor rules are in the Illinois electrical license IBEW guide.
What is on the Local 134 Chicago board in October 2026
The October 20 referral list is 5 calls. Freeman Electric wants 300 JW at McCormick Place South on a 1-to-2-day short call (first day 4 to 6 hours, 3:00 p.m. start, possible OT, scale, valid state ID and Social Security card or passport, no cell phones or earbuds). The remaining 6 JW are smaller: Nucore in Matteson (2), Maron in East Rogers Park (2), Integrated Electrical Services at BMO banks out of an Alsip shop (1, CDL requested), and Climate Pros nights in Cicero with out-of-town travel (1, Novar and CPC certs).
The contractor list moves. Use the live Local 134 dispatch page and the hall referral PDF for names and start times. The PDF updates Monday through Friday at 4:00 p.m. Central. Neighboring Local 176 Joliet currently has 4 open. Local 701 Lisle has 7. Local 364 Rockford has 13 at $67.09/hr.
Weekly gross pay math on Local 134 scale
Local 134 JW scale is $63.15/hr. The current outlook did not print overscale or double time, so overtime below is time-and-a-half after 40. Do not apply the 60-hour row to the McCormick short call.
| Call | Hours | Straight time (40 hrs) | Overtime | Estimated weekly gross |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40-hour JW at scale | 40 | $2,526.00 | $0.00 | $2,526.00 |
| 50-hour JW at scale | 50 | $2,526.00 | $947.25 | $3,473.25 |
| 60-hour JW at scale | 60 | $2,526.00 | $1,894.50 | $4,420.50 |
| McCormick short call, first day 5 hrs at scale | 5 | $315.75 | $0.00 | $315.75 |
These numbers are estimated gross before taxes, 2.5% working dues, lodging, and Chicago contractor paperwork. Employer-paid pension and H&W are not included. A 1-to-2-day McCormick call is a few hundred dollars, not a $4,400 week.
Compare the Chicago package on the Illinois IBEW pay scale table, the national pay scale hub, and how much union electricians make in 2026.
Chicago licenses the contractor, not your JW card
Illinois does not issue a statewide journeyman electrician license. IDFPR does not list electrician. A referred JW works as an employee of a Chicago-licensed electrical contractor under a supervising electrician. The city contractor license and supervising electrician card are $150 each for 2026 initial and renewal. Class 1 sites (buildings over 55 feet, or Group A assembly with 300 or more occupants) also want DOL 8,000-hour apprenticeship proof.
That is not a traveler JW reciprocity table. Full city-by-city detail is in the Illinois electrical license IBEW guide.
How Local 134 dispatch works
The referral office is at 2722 S Martin Luther King Drive, Chicago, IL 60616. Main hall: (312) 454-1340. Job hotline: (312) 474-4141. Book 1 is 168. Book 2 is not printed on the October 20 snapshot. No residential calls are posted on this referral.
Bring a current dues receipt, OSHA 10 or higher, and a travel letter your home local sent. If this is a first hitch, read how to travel IBEW Book 2 before you leave.
Commutes and housing for a Local 134 hitch
McCormick Place sits on the Near South Side, a short ride from the hall on Martin Luther King Drive.
- Bronzeville / South Loop / Chinatown: closest to the hall and McCormick.
- Alsip / south suburbs: the BMO shop-report call.
- Rogers Park / North Side: the Maron indefinite JW.
- Matteson: the Nucore gas-station short call, south on I-57.
- Cicero and out-of-town nights: Climate Pros. Stay near the west side only if you take that one.
- Joliet or Rockford: only if you will also sign Local 176 or Local 364. Those are different books.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the IBEW Local 134 pay scale in 2026?
As of October 20, 2026, IBEW Local 134 pays an Inside Journeyman Wireman base wage of $63.15/hr, plus $18.30/hr health and welfare, $11.50/hr defined pension, and $7.50/hr annuity. Working dues are 2.5%. The McCormick call is listed at scale.
How many open calls does IBEW Local 134 have right now?
306 open positions across 5 calls. Freeman Electric accounts for 300 JW at McCormick Place South on a 1-to-2-day short call. The other four calls add 6 JW. Neighboring Local 364 has 13 open. Local 701 has 7. Local 176 has 4.
Do I need an Illinois electrician license to take a Local 134 call?
Illinois has no statewide JW license. You work as a W-2 under a Chicago-licensed electrical contractor. Class 1 high-rise and large assembly work also wants an 8,000-hour DOL apprenticeship (completed or in progress). See the Illinois electrical license IBEW guide.
How do I sign Book 2 at Local 134 Chicago?
Start at 2722 S Martin Luther King Drive, Chicago, IL 60616, hall (312) 454-1340, job hotline (312) 474-4141, and the referral PDF that updates at 4:00 p.m. Central Monday through Friday. Book 1 is 168. Book 2 is not on the current snapshot. Confirm sign-in with the referral desk.
Is the 300-man McCormick Place call a long hitch?
No. The outlook prints short call, 1 to 2 days, first day 4 to 6 hours, 3:00 p.m. start. Possible OT. Scale. It can disappear on the next 4:00 p.m. PDF.
What does a 40-hour Local 134 week pay?
At $63.15/hr, 40 hours estimates $2,526 gross before taxes and 2.5% dues. A 60-hour week at time-and-a-half after 40 estimates $4,420.50. That 60-hour math is not the McCormick short call.
Can I take the Freeman McCormick call without a Chicago supervising electrician license?
A referred JW is an employee of the contractor, not the qualifying supervising electrician. The contractor holds the city license. Confirm hire-in with the hall. Class 1 sites still want DOL apprenticeship proof.
Which Illinois IBEW local has the most open calls right now?
Local 134 Chicago at 306, almost all on that one McCormick short call. Then Local 364 Rockford at 13, Local 701 Lisle at 7, and Local 176 Joliet at 4.
