Why prevailing wages and project labor agreements matter
Public employees aren’t the only workers who would be harmed by Gov. Bruce Rauner’s agenda.
In his State of the State address, Rauner called for “reforming project labor agreements and prevailing wage requirements” in ways that would erode the standard of living for members of the building trades – laborers, electricians, bricklayers, pipefitters, carpenters and others employed to work on publicly-funded construction projects.
Project labor agreements (PLAs) and prevailing wage laws are proven, effective ways of ensuring that public works projects create good jobs that sustain families and communities. Rauner’s attempt to eliminate them is a part of his broader attack on labor unions and the middle class.
Project labor agreements are negotiated between unions and public or private entities for large-scale projects. Terms and conditions of employment for workers are determined ahead of time and apply to any contractor or subcontractor who successfully bids on a project.
PLAs help ensure good wages and benefits and often contain local hiring requirements, insuring that wages paid on projects go to workers who live in the community. Government and academic studies have also found that PLAs promote projects that finish on-time and on-budget.
Prevailing wage laws help ensure that people employed on public works projects are paid wages consistent with those already paid in the area for similar work.
PLAs and prevailing wage laws have been key elements of public works projects since the 1930s and have helped generations of employees in the trades enter and stay in the middle class.
Bruce Rauner wants to eliminate these measures for the same reason he wants to ban the collection of “fair-share” fees – to weaken the power of unions and lower the standard of living for middle-class workers in Illinois, all while ensuring more money goes into the pockets of the wealthy and corporate elite that fueled his rise.
AFSCME members should be prepared to answer the call when asked to defend PLAs, prevailing wages and other programs that promote the creation of good jobs. A united labor movement will be essential to defeating all parts of Rauner’s extreme agenda.