Compromise afoot in Senate on prevailing wage bill

Posted by National Alliance for Fair Contracting on

Wednesday, February 11, 2015

By Joel Ebert, Capitol Bureau

 

 

Senate Republicans finalized a compromise on a bill that seeks to reform the state’s prevailing wage law late Wednesday afternoon.

The compromise would alter Senate Bill 361, which originally sought an outright repeal of prevailing wage rates for public construction projects.

Under the latest version of the bill, the outright repeal would be removed but two key components would be included.

One aspect would allow state-funded projects under $500,000 to not be subjected to prevailing wage rates.

The second aspect would change the manner in which the prevailing wage rates are determined. Currently the West Virginia Division of Labor determines the hourly prevailing wage rates by sending out a survey to both union and non-union companies throughout the state.

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New Study Released on the Impact of Prevailing Wage Repeal in West Virginia

Posted by National Alliance for Fair Contracting on

January 28, 2015

The Affiliated Construction Trades Foundation, a division of the West Virginia State Building Trades, has just released a study by Michael Kelsay, Ph.D., University of Missouri- Kansas City, Dept. of Economics, on the adverse economic impact from prevailing wage repeal in the state. Please follow the link below for a full copy of the report.

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West Virginia’s Prevailing Wage: Good for Business, Good for Workers

Posted by National Alliance for Fair Contracting on

January 28, 2015 by Sean O’Leary

Construction workers hired for public projects in West Virginia must be paid a minimum “prevailing” wage and benefits level. This prevailing wage level must equal the market wage rates as determined by the West Virginia Division of Labor, and varies by geographical area within the state and by occupation.1 West Virginia’s prevailing wage law was first enacted in 1933, two years after the federal Davis-Bacon Act, which established a prevailing wage for federal construction projects. Read PDF of report.

Thirty-two states, including West Virginia, have prevailing wage laws for state-funded construction projects, while there is also a federal prevailing wage law for federally funded construction projects.2 These prevailing wage laws help ensure that government-funded construction projects are done with highly skilled workers from the community, increasing productivity and strengthening the economy with good-paying local jobs.

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ACT pickets local health center

Posted by National Alliance for Fair Contracting on

August 24, 2013

By Wendy Holdren Register-Herald Reporter
A group of pickets with Affiliated Construction Trades Foundation were gathered on the roadway outside the Beckley VA Medical Center this week, holding signs that read “Demand Local Jobs for Local Workers.”

Representative Wayne Rebich said his group is concerned that the company hired to build an MRI center and an adult day care center at the VA, Seawolf Construction, is not following the same laws that West Virginia contractors are obligated to follow.

Seawolf Construction is a GSA-approved contractor, according to a representative for the Beckley VA Medical Center, and is based in Jersey City, N.J.

Rebich explained that Seawolf was the lowest bidder for both of the VA projects, so his organization contacted Seawolf to encourage them to hire local subcontractors.

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