A Common Construction Wage Meeting was held Wednesday morning in the Commissioner’s meeting room of the County Building. The meeting was called for projects the City of Plymouth anticipates doing this construction season.
Members of the committee included Jim Marquartd who is the awarding agency taxpayer, Don Ecker who is the Industrial representative, Judy Stone who is the County legislative body tax payer representative, Ben Johnston representing the Association of Builders and Contractors and Jim Gardner from the AFL CIO.
The hearing was held to determine wage rates and to establish wages for the public works projects for the City of Plymouth. Marquardt details the projects as street and sidewalk work estimated at $400,000 and a $3.5 million dollar Water Utility project that includes water main extensions, building
Mr. Gardner presented a stock of notarized affidavits from union workers who had worked in Marshall County during 2014 showing the hourly wages they were paid while working in the county on various projects.
Mr. Johnston presented a packet of wage information from the 98 merit shops in Marshall County noting that 90% of them don’t pay union rates.
Local appointed members asked questions of the Union rep and the ABC rep and after discussion it was determined by a 4 to 1 vote to set the Association of Builders and Contractors rates for the projects the City of Plymouth will be doing this spring and summer.
It was noted that although the ABC rates were set, that doesn’t stop a union company from bidding on the city projects. The wages set are the minimum wages that can be paid for work completed on the projects. If a company can pay a higher rate and still be the lowest bidder on the projects they will win the bid.
