Enacted by the U.S. Congress in 1931, the Davis-Bacon Act has been vital in protecting prevailing wages on federal projects in local areas and promoting high standards for the good of construction workers and their communities. State prevailing wage laws (also known as “little Davis-Bacon acts) provide similar protections on state funded projects. These laws help ensure that construction workers, including BAC members, are paid fair wages.
A wage rate is considered prevailing if more than 50 percent of the workers in a single classification are paid at the same rate. If, for example, 50 percent plus (+) one (1) of the bricklayers included in the survey were paid the BAC wage rate, then this would become the Davis-Bacon Act prevailing wage.
Protecting federal, state and local prevailing wage laws from repeal or dilution by conservative opponents funded by non-union business interests is one of BAC’s highest legislative and political priorities.