Bill > H1750

This bill proposes to amend Section 26 of Chapter 149 of the General Laws, which deals with setting prevailing wage rates for public works projects. The key change is to the method by which the commissioner determines these rates. Currently, the commissioner considers wages established by collective bargaining agreements between organized labor and employers in the private construction industry. This bill would maintain that consideration but also explicitly requires the commissioner to take into account wages paid to employees in similar trades and occupations by private employers engaged in the construction industry, particularly in towns where no specific collective bargaining rates have been established. The prevailing wage is the minimum wage that must be paid to mechanics, apprentices, teamsters, chauffeurs, and laborers on government-funded construction projects to ensure fair compensation and prevent undercutting of local labor markets.