Hoffa Applauds House for Keeping Wage Protections in Construction Bill

Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa praised the U.S. House of Representatives today for defeating an amendment that would have stripped basic wage protections from the Water Quality Investment Act of 2009.

The bill would invest about $14 billion over five years in local wastewater treatment projects. Rep. Connie Mack, R-Fla., offered an amendment that would remove the requirement that workers on these federally funded projects be paid the prevailing wage under the Davis-Bacon law. The amendment was defeated by a vote of 140-284.

“The last thing we want to do is undermine American workers in a time of economic crisis,” Hoffa said. “Study after study has shown that prevailing wages actually lower the cost of construction projects because they attract more experienced, skilled workers.”

Hoffa also pointed out that Davis-Bacon protections help eliminate abuses such as profiteering and the hiring of undocumented workers by requiring that payrolls be certified under the Copeland “Anti-Kickback” Act of 1934.

“I especially want to thank Reps. Frank LoBiondo of New Jersey and Steven LaTourette of Ohio for encouraging their fellow Republicans to defeat this ill-advised amendment,” Hoffa said.

Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents more than 1.4 million hardworking men and women in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.