Prevailing wage (Davis-Bacon) laws ensure that we have a highly skilled construction workforce and that our infrastructure is built safely under local area standards. This skilled workforce produces higher productivity, better efficiency, and superior workmanship, which reduces cost while ensuring taxpayers benefit from quality projects. Because local wage rates are set as prevailing on local publicly funded projects, local workers are protected and the money spent on those projects go right back into the local economy through money spent at local businesses and through income tax revenue.
Right now, across the United States, a big push is being made by deep pocketed financial interests and anti-union groups like the Associated Builders and Contractors to eliminate the prevailing wage from local and state funded projects. They are doing this under the misleading perception that paying less for low cost labor will result in cost savings for local contractors, when time after time again, in studies and in real world examples, those ideas have been found to be wrong. In fact, the elimination of prevailing wage laws have led to massive increases in cost overruns and expensive change orders.
Your state senators and house members need to hear from their constituents, urging them to NOT repeal the prevailing wage.
You, your family, friends and co-workers can make an enormous difference by taking five minutes and sending a message to your state lawmakers about the importance and the benefits of the prevailing wage.
Click here to take action.
Related News
- RME members: Make your voices heard ahead of national negotiations!
- Tom Wiant moves from International rep. to assistant to the general president
- SMART TD, TTD Set For Victory Over Carriers On Train Length Data Collection
- BE4ALL Canadian Labour Spotlight: Helen Jury Armstrong
- SMART-TD, RME members secure paid sick leave for rail workers at Union Pacific
- SMART-TD Leaders take to the UAW picket line at a Jeep plant in Toledo, OH.
- SMART statement on Inflation Reduction Act anniversary
- Minnesota SMART members win legislative victories across sheet metal and transportation
- SMART remembers and honors all who have made the ultimate sacrifice
- SMART Women’s Committee welcomes new members