LETTER: Keep prevailing wage law
In a recent op-ed by Colin McNickle about the state prevailing wage law, I read the same old faulty reasoning we heard a few years ago in West Virginia.
Without any evidence, the writer just states erroneously that the repeal of prevailing wage will save taxpayers money.
Simply look to your neighbor in West Virginia to see if similar assertions proved true. The answer is clearly no.
In West Virginia the prevailing wage law was repealed in 2016 with similar claims of great savings. The savings have not materialized.
One might think that wage cuts bring great savings but in fact you would be wrong. Instead, in West Virginia we have documented that no savings have resulted to taxpayers. Union contractors continue to bid projects and at times are successful. They continue to pay what might be called the prevailing wage rate.
Nonunion contractors bid on the same projects but pay a much lower wage rate with little or no benefits – and their bids are almost identical to the union bids.
Since the bids are essentially the same – or very close – we can conclude no savings have resulted.
Instead we have seen terrible delays of project completions, serious quality problems, very low wages, a significant decrease in apprentices, and an influx of imported labor and contractors from outside our region.
And slowly but surely the nonunion, low-wage sector is driving the high-road contractors out of business by undercutting them by just a few dollars on a bid.
Simply put the prevailing wage laws are the best economic development measures ever put into law. They create a level playing field for bidders – both union and nonunion – and produce a great value for taxpayers.
Prevailing wage means quality, timely construction with local workers and contractors. It also supports private sector investments into apprenticeship, safety training and a drug-free workforce.
Those who call for the elimination of prevailing wage with the false promise of great savings are wrong. Beware of this misinformation campaign. Don’t get rid of a law that creates good middle-class jobs, helps local businesses, and provides a great return to taxpayers.
Steve White
Charleston, W.Va.
Director of Affiliated Construction Trades in West Virginia