02-23-15 Common Council Meeting Minutes

Home Browse Search

REGULAR MEETING FEBRUARY 23, 2015 Wf,,,e, wage rates are adopted by Common Construction Wage Committees in each project county in public hearings where a public works project is estimated to exceed $350,000 in construction costs which would be paid for by state or local funds and would be owned or leased with an option to purchase by the state or a political subdivision; and currently Senate Bill 198 sponsored by State Senator Carlin Yoder and House Bill 1019 sponsored by State Representative Jerry Torr are pending in the Indiana General Assembly, with both bills proposed to repeal Indiana's Common Construction Wage law with an effective date of July 1, 2015; and SB 198 was one of 589 Bills filed and was referred to the Committee on Pensions and Labor on January 6, 2015 and it remains; GXa.%, House Bill 1019 was one of 669 Bills filed and was referred to the Committee on Employment, Labor and Pensions; and now has eight (8) co- sponsors as of February 16, 2015; and G the November 23, 2014 "Fiscal Impact Statement" on HB 1019 reported similar information as that reported on SB 198; and 6Aaw4 it has been reported that approximately 9.1% of the workforce in the State of Indiana currently belongs to a union; and G, the Indiana Department of Labor's website has information dedicated to the Common Construction Wage where "nearly all wage scales adopted from 2005 to the present are available; with the most recent entry for the City of South Bend being made on January 7, 2015 for project # IDOL 20140696 where wage rates were established by the Common Construction Wage Committee, who were appointed pursuant to Indiana Code § 5 -16 -7 et seq for many classifications listing the total hourly highest and lowest rates for skilled being $73.07 and $31.66; for semiskilled being $60.47 and $30.31; and unskilled $52.19 and $16.95; and projects for St. Joseph County in 2011 through 2015 totaling 68; and q, .�om, bslGxaloloeri, �dfe �mnwn 9/df° "`� 9//diwd Jars �dlana, a6ar�: Section I. The Common Council recognizes that for the past eighty (80) years, Indiana's Common Construction Wage codified at Indiana Code § 5- 16 -7 -1 et seq., has promoted "efficiency, quality, and safety by providing for a stable, well - trained labor force" on public works projects throughout the state. Common Construction Wage Resolution Page 2 Section II. The two (2) Bills currently pending in the Indiana General Assembly would repeal this state law which would result in a loss of higher wages and fringe benefits for both union and non -union workers; and may undermine proper training for public construction workers similar to the 1930s when workers from outside of the State of Indiana undercut Indiana contractors with less - skilled, lower paid workforces. Section III. The sponsors of the two pending Bills have yet to address any of the potential negative results if either of these Bills are passed, such as how it would impact: • Safety of the workers and the public • Diversity of the workforce • Training and apprenticeship programs • Wages, health care and pension benefits Section IV. Upon the adoption of this Resolution, the City Clerk shall send copies of this Resolution to all elected state officials representing the City of South Bend requesting them to vote "no" on these SB 198 and HB 1019.