Construction wages under review by commissioner

Wednesday, April 26, 2000 | 10:23 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- For the first time in nearly 20 years, state regulations governing the wages paid in the construction of government projects are being updated.

State Labor Commissioner Terry Johnson, who took over last year, said Tuesday he wants to streamline the regulations to make sure wages paid to construction workers are fair. Allegations have been made that construction workers are being paid too much on some public buildings and projects.

The commissioner must conduct an annual survey to determine the prevailing wage for each occupation for each county.

Johnson held a public hearing Tuesday in Carson City to take comments from labor and contractors. A similar workshop and public hearing is set for Friday in Las Vegas at 9 a.m. at the Sawyer State Office Building, Room 4401.

Some contractors asked Johnson to delete from the regulation the use of union collective bargaining agreements in helping determine the prevailing wage in a specific area.

Kevin Brazell of Hydro Tech in Fernley said the mention of collective bargaining agreements should be deleted from the regulation used to determine the prevailing wage.

Brazell said the annual survey of wages of the area should be used in setting the rates for the various occupations without union contracts entering into the picture. Use of a union contract in determining the prevailing wage usually means a higher rate of pay.

But Pat Sanderson, a union official from Hawthorne, said there is "no reason to lower us down to unworkable conditions" by reducing wages in rural Nevada.

Johnson's proposed regulation says the "labor commissioner may take cognizance of wage and benefit adjustments and group classifications established in collective bargaining agreements for those trades or occupations where the most recently established prevailing wage rates were derived from a collective bargaining agreement."

Johnson said it was the intent of the Legislature to allow collective bargaining agreements to be used in helping set prevailing wages.

Some contractors agreed they wanted to keep wages high. Mark Sullivan of Associated Builders and Contractors, said if wages decline, the workers move to other areas, leaving contractors without skilled laborers.

The public has until May 5 to submit written comments and then Johnson would move to adopt the rules after May 10.