Context and details are everything in life, including the way construction trade wages are determined and enforced under the federal Davis-Bacon Act. The complexity of the Biden administration’s proposed update, timed for the big federal infrastructure spending program, is more than I can tackle in one commentary. And coming from a family with union members, I have lots of feelings about the issues.
But putting aside that and the important proposed change to the way rates are determined—reinstitution of the controversial 30% rule—there are several parts of the proposal where I see overreach in the U.S. Labor Dept.’s pro-union posture. One is the application of Davis-Bacon rates to a broader amount of off-site work. Another is their application to delivery truck drivers.