Prevailing Wages for Contractors in PA
Pennsylvania’s prevailing wage law
Right-Wing Target of the Week: Building Trades
On Monday, October 3rd the PA House Labor Committee was scheduled to vote
on 7 pieces of legislation, all of which would negatively impact Pennsylvania’s
prevailing wage law. These bills, if passed, would undoubtedly lead to lower
wages and fewer benefits for construction workers. Likewise, these bills would
also promote the use of under-skilled, cheap labor.
Please call your legislator ask them to OPPOSE the following house bills being
considered in the House Labor and Industry Committee: HB 709, HB 1191, HB 1271,
HB 1329, HB 1367, HB 1541 and HB 1685.
Source: Pennsylvania AFL-CIO
Where:
House Labor and Industry
11:00 a.m., Room 205, Ryan Office Building
To consider: HB 1271 Marsico Amends PA Prevailing Wage Act re
definitions HB 1685 Bear Amends PA Prevailing Wage Act re defs & admin HB
1329 Keller, F Amends PA Prevailing Wage Act re applicability HB 1367 Miller
Amends PA Prevailing Wage Act re admin. HB 1541 Perry Amends PA Prevailing
Wage Act re definitions HB 709 Kampf Amends PA Prevailing Wage Act re schl
district HB 1191 Marsico Amends PA Prevailing Wage Act re ordinances To
re-refer: SB 637 Ward Amends Title 62 re employment verification
Results are:
October 3, 2011, 2:15 pm
The House Labor and Industry Committee voted today on a package of bills
amending the Pennsylvania Prevailing Wage Act. Having filed a series of
amendments to each bill that Chairman Ron Miller (R-York) advised there
had not been time to review and would face opposition from Republicans
in committee, Minority Chairman Bill Keller (D-Philadelphia) made a
motion to postpone the meeting so all members could have enough time to
assess the proposals. The motion failed and the bills were moved forward
to the House Floor along a series of largely party line votes. Look
for the full story in the Capitol Toolbox later this afternoon.
Source: http://www.fyibypls.com/
State House Moves
Anti-Prevailing Wage Bills from Committee, But Hits Road Block on Floor
Vote.
On Monday, the House Labor and Industry Committee moved a package of six
bills which attacked current prevailing wage laws. The bills included
an opt-out provision for local governments, raising the threshold, and
overturning favorable court decisions.
Leading this attack was Chairman of the Labor and Industry Committee,
Representative Ron Miller (R-York). At a press conference on Wednesday,
he was thanked by several members of the House Republican Leadership, as
being instrumental in moving these bills.
House Bill 1271,
Introduced by Representative Ron Marsico (R-Dauphin), was scheduled to
run on the House floor on Wednesday, October 5th, but due to the
solidarity of the House Democratic Caucus, and the moderate group of
Republican Representatives that remain in the State House, proponents
were unsuccessful in garnering enough votes to pass the bill.
HB 1271 would have overturned a recent court decision that road
construction such as milling, is to be covered by the prevailing wage
laws of Pennsylvania.
"We're pleased that enough of our legislators understand how harmful
this bill would be to working families," PA AFL-CIO President Richard
Bloomingdale said. "We will continue to closely monitor the movement of
all anti-prevailing wage bills, and will continue to educate the members
of the State House and Senate to the harmful repercussions to workers
and local economies, that passing these bills will have."
The GOP bills are House Bills 1271, 1685, 1329, 1541, 709 and 1191. They
can be found at www.legis.state.pa.us.
Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11276/1179493-100-0.stm#ixzz1Zl0YErd3
UPDATE Oct 17, 2011
Legislature Returns to Harrisburg
{Source
The Pennsylvania AFL-CIO }
On Monday, October 17, the General Assembly returns to Harrisburg, where many
high-profile legislative items remain outstanding. Issues such as vouchers and
charter schools are expected to be ongoing, in response to Governor Corbett’s
education “reform” press conference last Tuesday.
Additionally, the PA AFL-CIO Utility Caucus is meeting Monday to discuss House
Bill 1294, a utilities alternative rate making bill, which has passed in the
House of Representative and is now in the Senate Consumer Affairs Committee.
Currently the PA AFL-CIO and the Utility Caucus oppose the bill with the hope of
amending the legislation, to ensure better safety guidelines, industry
standards, and a trained workforce.
Bridges over Troubled Waters and Roads
Leaders from Area Labor Federations, Central Labor Councils, and Local Unions
held press conferences and actions at closed and structurally deficient bridges
throughout Pennsylvania this week to underscore the need to invest in
infrastructure and put people back to work.
The events were held in conjunction with the AFL-CIO Week of Action – in support
of increased investment in infrastructure to create jobs.
Pennsylvania leads the nation in the number of structurally deficient bridges
(5,096 bridges) providing a dramatic example of the need to fund these
investments. The labor sponsored events included small business owners, state
and local elected officials and community organizations, all who stressed the
need to rebuild Pennsylvania’s crumbling infrastructure to promote jobs and
economic recovery.
Area labor leaders representing a vast majority of unions, drove the issue home
by emphasizing that trained and skilled workers in each area are ready to go to
work on these projects. All that is needed is for our National and State elected
leaders to rise to the challenge and begin funding infrastructure projects,
boosting economic activity on Main Streets across the Commonwealth and the
country.
Many of the events attracted media attention. Check out some of the clips and
articles on our website.
To add articles, email the links to: kgownley@paaflcio.org.
Putting Pennsylvania Back To Work: A "Bottom Line" Television Forum
Join us on October 26th for a televised forum to discuss creating jobs through
the rebuilding and modernization of Pennsylvania's infrastructure.
The event, hosted by the PA AFL-CIO, comes after the Week of Action events, many
of which demonstrated the dire need for improving bridges and roads across our
state.
"Pennsylvania's infrasture needs help," PA AFL-CIO President Richard
Bloomingdale said. "Without functional infrastructure, communities suffer.
Rebuilding and modernizing the system promotes commerce, provides jobs, and is a
boost to economic recovery."
"The Federal Highway Administration and the Federal Transit Administration
estimate that for every $1 billion spent on transportation infrastructure,
30,000 jobs are created both in direct and indirect economic activity,"
Secretary-Treasurer Frank Snyder added. "Those are jobs that are desperately
needed in the Keystone state."
The forum will take place at I.W. Abel Hall (USW L. 1688), 200 Gibson Street,
Steelton. Doors open at 6:00pm and the program will begin at 7:00pm.
Click here to
download a flyer. The event will be taped and air on PCN (Pennsylvania Cable
Network) in the coming weeks.
"Accessibility - ADA and ABA,
Architects, Basement Finishing, Bathroom Remodeling, Bathrooms,
Blueprinting, Cabinets and Cabinet makers, Carpets, Carports, Closets and
Storage Specialist, Commercial Electrical, Concrete work, Construction
Equipment Repair, Construction Equipment Rentals, Construction Fencing,
Construction Financing, Construction Trash Removal, Construction Trailers,
Countertops, Curtains and Drape hanging, Decks and Patios, Doors, Drain
Systems, Driveways, Drywall, Electrical, Elevators, Excavation, Fencing,
Finished Carpentry, Finished Plumbing, Fire Damage Repair, Flooring,
Foundations, Framing, Furnaces, Garbage Disposals, Gas piping, General
Contractors, Glass Blocks, Going Green, Heat Pumps, Heavy Equipment
Operators, Housing Plans, HVAC, Insect and Animal Removal, Inspections,
Insulation, Insurance and Workman;s Compensation, Internet Systems, Kitchen,
Kitchen Remodeling, Landscaping, Licensing and Inspections, Log home, Low
Voltage Electrical and Lighting, Masonry and Brick, Moisture Control,
Painting, Plumbing, Porches, Renovating Homes, Retaining Walls, Roof Framing
and Trussing, Roofing, Room Additions, Scaffolding, Shelving, Sidewalks and
Paths, Siding, Site Preparation and Clearing, Solar and other alternative
energy, Sound Systems, Stairways, Stone Work, Storm Damage Repair, Stucco,
Lath & Plaster, Surveyors, Swimming Pools, Tile work, Tree Cutting and
Removal, Used Construction Equipment sales, Ventilation, Video Systems,
Water Damage Repair, Water Heaters, Windows"