Evers would eliminate ‘swap’ mandate for federal transportation money (WI)

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By: Nate Beck March 8, 2019

Gov. Tony Evers’ proposed budget would undo a bill passed during the Legislature’s lame-duck session that would concentrate federal money into fewer highway projects to curtail prevailing-wage requirements and other federal regulations.

The provision tucked into Evers’ biennial budget request would waive a requirement passed during the Legislature’s December extraordinary session calling for federal money to make up 70 percent of the funding of large highway projects, or highway rehabilitation jobs worth less than $10 million. Packing federal money into fewer projects has long been a goal for some GOP lawmakers, who argue that doing that will save money by decreasing the number of projects that fall under federal Davis Bacon prevailing-wage requirements and other rules.

“It is frustrating that Gov. Evers wants to repeal a pro-taxpayer reform in order to pay back the special interests who championed his election,” said Duey Stroebel, R-Cedarburg. “Allowing the DOT to spread federal funds across numerous projects only increases the number of projects subject to costly federal mandates. If Gov. Evers wants to win support for increased transportation taxes, proposals like this that reduce efficiencies are not a good way to make that case.”

Evers’ budget, which Republicans derided as a liberal wish list, would undo many of the laws that the GOP-controlled legislature passed in a lame-duck session just before he took over as Governor in early January. The budget would also reinstate a number of policies eliminated during the Walker administration, repeal the state’s right-to-work law and bring back prevailing wage on state projects.

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Evers takes aim at right-to-work law, seeks prevailing-wage protections (WI)

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By Michael Carroll
3-7-2019

Gov. Tony Evers has called for the repeal of Wisconsin’s right-to-work law and the restoration of prevailing-wage guarantees in public-works projects, despite critics’ concerns that those proposals could become a drag on the state’s economy.

The governor’s February budget blueprint supports the elimination of the state’s right-to-work statute, which restricts private employers from entering into agreements that compel union membership as a condition of employment or mandating the payment of dues to a labor union.

Evers also supports the restoration of the prevailing wage on state and local public-works projects to ensure that workers are not underpaid in comparison to employees performing similar tasks in the region.

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Restoring the prevailing wage would be helpful to both the construction industry and the employees who work in it, according to Emspak. Allowing companies with public-works contracts to pay their workers less than their counterparts in a region means those firms are undercutting the competition by cutting labor costs, which in turn drives down wages and working conditions, he said.

Having the prevailing wage in place means the construction companies would be in a better position to focus on providing high-quality, skilled work at a competitive cost, according to Emspak.

Labor union officials generally support Evers’ proposals. Stephanie Bloomingdale, president of the Wisconsin AFL-CIO, said Evers’ budget blueprint strikes the right note for workers and the state’s economy.

“The repeal of right to work is a step towards a healthier middle class with strong union rights,” Bloomingdale said in a prepared statement. “Restoring prevailing wage and the right to a project labor agreement will grow our economy with family-supporting jobs while ensuring tour construction projects are completed safely on time and on budget.”

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Gov. Wolf signs executive order to create Keystone Economic Development and Workforce Command Center (PA)

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BY KEVIN RANDOLPH  |   FEBRUARY 21, 2019

Gov. Tom Wolf signed Tuesday an executive order to create the Keystone Economic Development and Workforce Command Center, which will work to expand collaboration between government and the private sector to address the skills gap and worker shortages.

“Our economy is transitioning and it’s a race to keep up,” Wolf said. “We either strengthen workforce development or we risk falling behind. We must be bold and ambitious and break from the status quo.”

The command center will make recommendations to improve coordination of workforce and economic development programs across state agencies and identify barriers that may prevent people from working or prevent businesses from hiring skilled workers.

The command center will also review the recommendations of the Auditor General and implement those it believes will deliver the best results. It will also monitor implementation and progress of the workforce and education proposals outlined in the governor’s Statewide Workforce, Education and Accountability Program (SWEAP) proposal.

Wolf appointed three leaders from the private sector and three cabinet secretaries to lead the command center. They include Gene Barr, president and CEO of the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry; Tony Bartolomeo, co-chair of Team Pennsylvania; Rick Bloomingdale, president of the AFL-CIO; Acting Secretary Kathy Boockvar, Department of State; Secretary Dennis Davin, Department of Community and Economic Development; and Secretary Jerry Oleksiak, Department of Labor & Industry.

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