Efforts to repeal prevailing wage laws are gaining momentum across the country.
Anti-prevailing wage bills that apply to state-funded construction projects have been passed in West Virginia and Nevada. Similar laws could be passed in Indiana and Illinois. Lawmakers in Michigan, Missouri, and Wisconsin are also making waves for repeal.
The momentum is fueled by Republican-controlled legislatures across the country. Republicans control 68 of 98 partisan state legislative chambers, the most in the party’s history.
In Indiana, Brian C. Bosma, the House speaker, told the New York Times that he believed the change would save at least 10% on government construction projects without gutting the wages of workers.
Opponents say repeals would lower wages and see them as a new front in a battle by Republican legislatures to weaken labor unions. Proponents say the bills are aimed at sparing the budgets of struggling cities and states and ending an inconsistent, sometimes politicized system for calculating what wage should be the standard.
Related Stories
Codes and Standards | Nov 2, 2020
Wildfires can make drinking water toxic
Updated building codes could mitigate the danger.
Adaptive Reuse | Oct 26, 2020
Mall property redevelopments could result in dramatic property value drops
Retail conversions to fulfillment centers, apartments, schools, or medical offices could cut values 60% to 90%.
Codes and Standards | Oct 26, 2020
New seismic provisions for the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program released
The provisions present a set of recommended improvements to the ASCE/SEI 7-16 Standard.
Codes and Standards | Oct 22, 2020
More than 130 building projects have engaged LEED’s Safety First Credits in response to COVID-19
Best practices helping companies develop and measure healthy, sustainable, and resilient reopening efforts.
Codes and Standards | Oct 21, 2020
New technologies and techniques can ‘future-proof’ buildings
Net-zero principles may give buildings longer lives.
Codes and Standards | Oct 20, 2020
Updated AIA Contractor’s Qualification Statement and Warranty Bond documents available
Statement now includes safety protocols and plans, sustainability, and BIM experience.
Codes and Standards | Oct 19, 2020
NEXT Coalition chooses five pilot projects to fight COVID-19 on jobsites
Mobile platforms, wearable sensors, AI video systems among the trial solutions.
Codes and Standards | Oct 15, 2020
Neighborhoods Now offers cost-effective, DIY designs in response to COVID-19 pandemic
Designs include barriers for outdoor dining, sidewalk retail displays, and modular seating for public spaces.
Codes and Standards | Oct 14, 2020
Standard contract document for prefab and modular building released
ConsensusDocs addresses the most common prefabricated construction use-case scenario.
Codes and Standards | Oct 13, 2020
Austin is first major Texas city to adopt wildfire code
New ordinance based on the International Wildland-Urban Interface Code.
