Prevailing Wage benefits the commuinty, including Local 529 members

Prevailing Wage benefits not only the community, but members of Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 529 and all construction workers who work on Prevailing Wage projects.

Prevailing Wage was established with the passage of the Davis-Bacon Prevailing Wage Act of 1931. Essentially, Prevailing Wage is the wage rate based in a locality for the cost of labor on a project funded by the local, state or federal government.

Any project in any state that uses federal funds must pay the Prevailing Wage.

Texas does not have a Prevailing Wage law requiring a Prevailing Wage to be paid to those working on state or locally-funded public works projects.

While Prevailing Wage rates differ in every area, they are based on the union wages in a given area. The theory behind Prevailing Wage is that the government should not undercut workers’ wages for cheap labor, which will result in a low-quality product. By paying the Prevailing Wage, the government (federal, state or local) can ensure that highly skilled and highly trained building trades members, such as those with UA Local 529, work on a project and produce a well-constructed product.

Additionally, Prevailing Wage benefits the local economy.

Without a Prevailing Wage law, publicly funded contracts are susceptible to being awarded to out-of-state contractors who will take the wages earned in one state and take them to their home state. This creates a negative effect on the local economy, as taxpayers dollars will be spent out of state, not in the area.

For our Local 529 Brothers and Sisters, our friends and family, please urge your elected officials to support Texas-wide Prevailing Wage legislation. It stands to make our union and our lives better.