The new state legislature just began work again and I guess they thought they would start off with a bang as three legislators introduced bills to repeal the prevailing wage law.
The ringleader in this initiative is the new Republican Senate majority lead Arlan Meekoff, Representative Amanda Price and our own State Representative, Brad Jacobsen.
Their logic is that the state law will save money on school buildings projects and can be used for other things when in fact the contractors still work at the higher rate of play but by eliminating the prevailing wage law, their profits will be higher.
According to Michigan Building and Construction Trades: the evidence from school construction finds that prevailing wage laws do not affect project cost, but does guarantee skilled tradesman working on these projects. These workers have gone through apprenticeships and intensive training in their craft and clearly have earned the right to be compensated fairly.
The outside groups that have endorsed the bills, Michigan Contractors, are also the group that pushed to make Michigan a right-to-work state. Somehow that doesn’t surprise me. I myself am skilled in the culinary trades. Having done three apprenticeships and one externship, I am now celebrating 43 years in the culinary field and believe when I tell you, you have to earn higher wages.
The trades? council in their apprenticeships teaches their workers the correct way to do the job. They also go out of their way to bring in new workers and are getting a chance to learn and practice their craft along with making a decent living wage.
These tradesmen have put in their time. They have earned the wage they are receiving.
Why do you continuously want to decrease what they have already earned? Is it that you don’t understand what it’s like to live check-to-check?
Will your job be there long enough for you to pay your bills? (Then) having put in all that time, now somebody comes through and wants to cut your wages.
It is clear to see that they are paying back political debts at the expense of the working class.
The Oakland County area has grown due to the unions and the middle class who were able to work and be paid wages so they could build a new life in this area, including District 46. So many people have said that the Democrats just continuously increase taxes, but in the last four years, I can clearly see that the Republicans are giving them a run for that title.
Get ready, there are more increases on the way and after I verify some more research, I’ll let you know what I find. Please don’t be taken in by this excuse to have this law repealed as they actually make themselves believe that this action is for our benefit.
And as long as we’re looking to save money, how about Mr. Marleau and Mr. Jacobsen repeal their guaranteed pension for all state legislators?
And yes, I do know that the new group coming in is not entitled to a lifetime pension as the ones who voted on it last session made sure they got theirs before it was stopped.
I think this would be a good place to start and then maybe we’ll talk about the prevailing wage law.
Everybody’s got to give something and the state can by setting a good example.
David Lillis
Lake Orion