IBEW Local 494 in Milwaukee is the busiest inside hall in Wisconsin right now. As of October 17, 2026 it has 223 open positions across 50 active calls, Book 1 at 27 and Book 2 at 57. Inside Journeyman Wireman scale is $52.51 an hour, with $10.60/hr health and welfare, $6.80/hr defined pension, and $3.10/hr contribution pension.
The volume is concentrated at the Port Washington Data Center in Ozaukee County. Gurtz Electric wants 57 journeyman wiremen on 60 hours a week at scale plus $10.00/hr ($62.51/hr). Cupertino Electric wants 30 more on 58-60 hour weeks at the same overscale. Almost every Port Washington call requires a valid Wisconsin electrical license, a drug test before site access, and a physical Passport or two government IDs. GoHereBro tracks 300 IBEW locals nationwide; the live cards below show Milwaukee (Local 494), Racine (Local 430), Madison (Local 159), and Eau Claire (Local 14).
Check the IBEW Local 494 job calls and Milwaukee dispatch page for 15-minute updates, compare wages on the Wisconsin IBEW pay scales table, or scan the live job call map and Hot Spots dashboard. Wisconsin DSPS rules for travelers are in the Wisconsin journeyman electrician license guide.
What is on the Local 494 Milwaukee board in October 2026
The hall lists 50 active calls. The table below is the live Journeyman Wireman picture that actually moves travelers, plus the C-Tech and residential slots that sit beside them.
| Contractor | Open positions | Project & location | Schedule | Pay | Hire-in notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gurtz Electric | 57 JW | Port Washington Data Center | 60 hrs/week (more available, not required) | $52.51 + $10.00 over ($62.51/hr) | Start 10/20, 7:30 AM orientation; WI electrical license; Passport or DL + SSN card; drug test |
| Cupertino Electric | 30 JW | Port Washington Data Center | 58-60 hrs/week | $52.51 + $10.00 over ($62.51/hr) | Start ASAP, 7 AM; WI license; Passport or two government IDs; drug test before site access |
| Wil-Surge Electric | 12 JW | Location not specified | Not stated | Scale | Start ASAP, 7 AM |
| MJ Electric | 10 JW | Port Washington Data Center | 50-58 hrs/week | $52.51 + $10.00 over ($62.51/hr) | Outside underground duct bank and MV; 6 AM; WI license; safety-toe boots; drug test |
| Staff Electric | 8 JW | Various Milwaukee jobsites | Not stated | Scale | Start ASAP, 7:30 AM; valid electrical license; drug test |
| Tri-City Electric | 7 JW | Port Washington Data Center | Not stated | $52.51 + $10.00 over ($62.51/hr) | Start ASAP, 7 AM; WI registered or JW license; safety-toe boots |
| Staff Electric | 6 JW | Port Washington Data Center | 50+ hrs/week | $52.51 + $10.00 over ($62.51/hr) | Start ASAP, 7:30 AM; WI license; Passport or two IDs; drug test |
| Gurtz Electric | 5 JW | MKE Airport International Terminal | 40 hrs/week; up to 20 OT at other sites | Scale | Start ASAP, 7:30 AM orientation; drug test |
| Pieper Electric | 5 JW | Port Washington Data Center | 50+ hrs/week | $52.51 + $10.00 over ($62.51/hr) | Start 10/19, 6 AM; WI license; Passport or two IDs; drug test |
| Pieper Electric | 5 JW | Location not specified | Not stated | Scale | Start 10/19, 7 AM; solar construction preferred; WI license; drug test |
| Lemberg | 5 JW | Location not specified | Not stated | Scale | Start ASAP, 6 AM; valid Wisconsin JW license |
| Cupertino Electric | 4 JW | Port Washington Data Center QA/QC | 58-60 hrs; 6 AM-4:30 PM | $52.51 + $10.00 over ($62.51/hr) | Start 10/19, 7 AM; WI license; drug test |
| Roman Electric | 4 JW | Port Washington Data Center | 58+ hrs/week | $52.51 + $10.00 over ($62.51/hr) | Start ASAP, 6 AM; WI license; drug test |
| Terminal-Andrae | 4 JW | Location not specified | 40 hrs/week | $52.51 + $10.00 over ($62.51/hr) | Start 10/26, 7 AM; OSHA 30, NFPA 70E, Code of Excellence; industrial or food-plant preferred |
| Wil-Surge | 4 JW | West Allis Department of Public Works | Not stated | Scale + $3.00 over | Start ASAP, 7 AM |
| Uihlein Electric | 2 JW | Port Washington Data Center | 58+ hrs/week | $52.51 + $10.00 over ($62.51/hr) | Start ASAP, 6 AM; WI license; drug test |
| Wil-Surge Electric | 9 C-Tech | Location not specified | Not stated | C-Tech scale | Start ASAP, 7 AM |
| Roman Electric | 4 RW | Location not specified | Not stated | Scale | Service truck experience; WI Residential JW or JW license |
Neighboring Local 430 in Racine is running a separate Microsoft cluster: 96 open positions, including Gurtz 40 JW on 6-10s at $62.51/hr. That is the same overscale number as Port Washington, on a different campus. Sign both books if you can sit in-person at both halls.
Weekly gross pay math on Port Washington +$10 calls
Local 494 scale is $52.51/hr. The Port Washington overscale is $62.51/hr. Overtime below uses time-and-a-half after 40 hours because the outlook did not advertise double time.
| Call | Hours | Straight time (40 hrs) | Overtime | Estimated weekly gross |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Local 494 40-hour shop or airport call at scale | 40 | $2,100.40 | $0.00 | $2,100.40 |
| MJ Electric Port Washington 50 hrs at $62.51 | 50 | $2,500.40 | $937.65 | $3,438.05 |
| Cupertino Electric Port Washington 58 hrs at $62.51 | 58 | $2,500.40 | $1,687.77 | $4,188.17 |
| Gurtz Electric Port Washington 60 hrs at $62.51 | 60 | $2,500.40 | $1,875.30 | $4,375.70 |
| Local 430 Gurtz Microsoft 6-10s at $62.51 | 60 | $2,500.40 | $1,875.30 | $4,375.70 |
Gurtz says more than 60 hours are available but not required. These numbers are estimated weekly gross before taxes, 2.5% working dues, lodging, and the DSPS credential fee. Employer-paid pension and H&W are not included.
Compare the Milwaukee package on the Wisconsin IBEW pay scale table, the national IBEW pay scale table, and how much union electricians make in 2026.
Wisconsin DSPS license is on almost every Port Washington call
Wisconsin has a statewide journeyman electrician license. Cities cannot issue a separate individual electrician card. Port Washington contractors are printing valid Wisconsin electrical license (or registered electrician plus JW) on the call, not treating an out-of-state IBEW ticket as enough.
Inbound reciprocity without exam is Iowa and New Hampshire only, and you must have held that license by exam for at least one year. Everyone else qualifies through a completed IBEW apprenticeship or 8,000 hours and sits the Wisconsin exam. Apply through LicensE. Full statute and fee detail is in the Wisconsin journeyman electrician license IBEW guide. DSPS is at (608) 266-2112.
A Registered Electrician credential is the lawful way to work under direct supervision while the journeyman application is pending. Confirm with the contractor and DSPS before you treat that as a Port Washington hire-in.
How Local 494 Book 2 sign-in and bidding work
Local 494 does in-person book sign only. Bring:
- OSHA 10 construction certification or higher
- Current dues receipt
- Embossed or directly sent travel letter
The Milwaukee / Kettle Moraine hall is at 3303 S 103rd Street, Milwaukee, WI 53227. Office hours are 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM Monday through Friday. Main hall phone: (414) 327-5202. Referral desk: (414) 327-0699.
Bids are accepted online 4:30 PM to 7:30 AM daily. If this is your first hitch, read how to travel IBEW Book 2 before you leave with a travel letter.
Local 159 Madison currently has 8 open positions (Epic/Verona nights, Cambridge solar, Wisconsin History Center). Local 14 Eau Claire has 28 open positions. Sign those books only if you will actually take a western or Madison call; Port Washington commuting from Madison is a long daily drive.
Commutes and housing for Port Washington and Milwaukee
Port Washington sits on Lake Michigan in Ozaukee County, about 25 miles north of downtown Milwaukee along I-43.
- Port Washington / Grafton / Saukville: shortest drive to the data center. Weekly rentals fill when 100-plus JW calls are on the board.
- Mequon, Cedarburg, Thiensville: reverse commute from the north Milwaukee suburbs without crossing downtown.
- West Allis / Greenfield / 103rd Street: close to the Local 494 hall for morning book business, longer shot up I-43 to Port Washington.
- Racine / Kenosha: useful if you also sign Local 430 for the Microsoft 6-10s. That is a south-shore commute, not a Port Washington commute.
- Airport terminal (Gurtz, 5 JW): Mitchell International is on the south side. Stay near Oak Creek or the airport rather than Ozaukee County if that is the call you catch.
Frequently asked questions
What is the IBEW Local 494 pay scale in 2026?
As of October 17, 2026, IBEW Local 494 pays an Inside Journeyman Wireman base wage of $52.51/hr, plus $10.60/hr health and welfare, $6.80/hr defined pension, and $3.10/hr contribution pension. Port Washington Data Center calls add $10.00/hr over scale ($62.51/hr).
How many open calls does IBEW Local 494 have right now?
223 open positions across 50 active calls, with 27 on Book 1 and 57 on Book 2. The largest single call is Gurtz Electric at Port Washington (57 JW, 60 hours, +$10/hr). Neighboring Local 430 has 96 open positions on Microsoft work at the same $62.51 overscale.
Do I need a Wisconsin electrician license to take a Local 494 call?
Most Port Washington data center calls require a valid Wisconsin electrical license (journeyman or registered, as printed on the call). Wisconsin does not issue a municipal journeyman card. Reciprocity without exam is Iowa and New Hampshire only. See the Wisconsin journeyman license guide.
How do I sign Book 2 at Local 494 Milwaukee?
In person only, at 3303 S 103rd Street, Milwaukee, WI 53227 during 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM Monday through Friday. Bring OSHA 10 or higher, a current dues receipt, and an embossed or directly sent travel letter. Bid online 4:30 PM to 7:30 AM. Referral desk: (414) 327-0699.
Where is Port Washington relative to Milwaukee?
Port Washington is in Ozaukee County on Lake Michigan, about 25 miles north of downtown Milwaukee on I-43. The data center calls are Local 494 jurisdiction. Racine Microsoft calls are Local 430, south of Milwaukee.
What does a 60-hour Port Washington week pay?
At the advertised $62.51/hr overscale, a 60-hour week estimates $4,375.70 gross before taxes and dues (40 hours at $62.51 plus 20 hours at time-and-a-half). Confirm overtime rules with the hall. The outlook did not advertise double time.
Can a C-Tech or residential JW take the 57-man Gurtz call?
No. That Gurtz call is posted for Journeyman Wiremen. Separate C-Tech and residential JW slots exist on the same board (Wil-Surge 9 C-Tech, Roman 4 RW). Bid the classification printed on the call.
Which Wisconsin IBEW local has the most open calls right now?
Local 494 Milwaukee at 223, then Local 430 Racine at 96, then Local 14 Eau Claire at 28. Local 159 Madison has 8.
