Jonathan Oosting, Detroit News Lansing Bureau
Published 1:40 p.m. ET May 15, 2018

Lansing – A push to repeal Michigan’s prevailing wage law for construction workers hit a snag on Tuesday.

The Michigan Supreme Court suspended a lower-court order requiring the Board of State Canvassers to certify petition signatures as the seven justices decide whether to hear an appeal.

The high court did not rule on the merits of the case and could still reject an appeal by a coalition of unions and union-friendly contractors.

But the Tuesday afternoon “stay” prompted cancellation of a canvassers meeting and delays likely action in Michigan’s Republican-led Legislature, which is expected to take up the prevailing wage repeal measure if it reaches lawmakers. Approval would bypass a threatened veto by GOP Gov. Rick Snyder.

The 1965 law guarantees union-level pay and benefits for construction workers on projects funded by the state government. Repeal proponents argue prevailing wage inflates construction costs ultimately borne by taxpayers, while opponents maintain repeal would lower wages and limit training programs they fund.

The Michigan Court of Appeals last week ordered the Board of State Canvassers to certify the prevailing wage repeal petition after the panel deadlocked in late April in a 2-2 vote.

The Michigan Bureau of Elections had recommended certification of the prevailing wage ban ballot proposal, but both Democrats on the bipartisan panel voted against the prevailing wage repeal measure amid arguments over false addresses provided by circulators who had collected signatures.

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2018-05-03 / Viewpoint

There’s been plenty of buzz lately around the need for Michigan to update its infrastructure. But when the state sends workers into our communities to fill our potholes, construct our bridges or renovate our schools, we expect the job will be done well. We don’t expect it to take years for them to repave a few blocks of our neighborhood, or that the cherry picker helping assemble an overpass will become part of the community’s scenery as the project lasts indefinitely.

We expect the job will be done on time and will be high quality, and that’s all thanks to Michigan’s prevailing wage laws.

Prevailing wage has gotten a bad reputation lately, but at the end of the day, all it means is that workers are getting paid the local average for construction projects in the area, guaranteeing the workers earn an honest day’s pay for an honest day’s work. That is just common sense.

Critics claim it’s too costly to pay state construction and skilled trades workers a fair wage, and if we repeal our prevailing wage laws, the state will save money and our economy will get on the right path.

But as simple as that sounds, studies show it simply isn’t true.

A study published earlier this year analyzed the effects of repealing prevailing wage on Indiana’s economy in the three years since it’s been eliminated. Rather than enjoying prosperous economic benefits as promised, the state has since suffered with higher worker turnover and lower productivity.

Tim Sneller, State Representative
Burton

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