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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2013 - 2014
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | January 7, 2013 10:40 AM |
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| From: | Representative Ron Miller |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Prevailing Wage - Use of Occupational Wage Date - Former HB 1367 |
| Attached please find a copy of legislation I plan to introduce in the near future to amend the Prevailing Wage Act to require that the Secretary of Labor & Industry utilize occupational wage data as the basis for establishing prevailing wage rates. The legislation also requires that prevailing wage rates be established on a county-by-county basis. The Pennsylvania Prevailing Wage Act was enacted in 1961, and it requires that workmen on public projects that cost over $25,000 be paid the “prevailing minimum wage” in their locality. Unfortunately, the act does not specify how the Secretary of Labor & Industry is to determine the wage rates, or how they are to be promulgated. In the past, different Administrations have used various interpretations of the law to determine the prevailing wage rates for public projects using no standard methodology. The Ridge Administration initiated a county-by-county survey process, and the Rendell Administration utilized local collective bargaining rates. I believe the Legislature needs to provide firm guidance to the Secretary on how he/she should be calculating prevailing wage rates. I believe the most rational means of determining these wage rates is to utilize the already existing occupational wage data gathered, and promulgated, by the state’s Center for Workforce Information. The Center conducts Occupational Employment Surveys in cooperation with the USDOL’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, and it promulgates detailed occupational wage data, on a county-by-county basis, for this state’s Standard Occupational Classifications (SOCs). This data is truly reflective of what wages are actually paid in each of our counties. It is important to note that my legislation simply amends the Prevailing Wage Act so as to give specific guidance to the Secretary on how to determine the actual “prevailing” wage rate in a given area. The current process (utilization of union age rates) is not reflective of how the system, or law, was intended to operate. There are many counties where the use of union wage rates is not representative of the “prevailing minimum wage rate” actually paid by contractors in a particular area. My legislation offers a reasonable means of determining these wage rates. My legislation is supported by the PA State Association of Township Supervisors, PA Borough’s Association, PA State Association of Township Commissioners, Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC), Pa League of Cities and Municipalities, and PA School Boards Association. Former Co-sponsors: MILLER , AUMENT, BEAR , BENNINGHOFF , BLOOM, BOYD , CLYMER , CREIGHTON , CUTLER , DENLINGER , EVERETT , GILLESPIE , GINGRICH , GRELL , GROVE, HARRIS , HICKERNELL , HUTCHINSON , KAUFFMAN , M. K. KELLER , KNOWLES, MAHER , MARSICO , MILLARD , MILNE , MOUL , OBERLANDER, PERRY , PICKETT , RAPP , REICHLEY , ROSS , SAYLOR , TALLMAN, WATSON , DUNBAR and METCALFE |
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