LANSING, Mich, Jan. 11, 2023 — State Rep. Brenda Carter (D-Pontiac) has introduced House Bill 4007, a bill that would restore prevailing wage in Michigan. Prevailing wage is defined as the average wage paid to similarly employed workers in a specific occupation.
“With this bill, I aim to ensure that Michigan workers are treated with dignity and respect by ensuring a fair wage for Michigan workers. We must ensure our hardworking residents receive wages in line with the value of their skills and service,” Carter said. “Competitive wages are necessary for Michigan to attract and retain a highly trained workforce. We do not want to see critical infrastructure projects built by contractors that cut corners.”
For many years, construction projects paid for with public dollars paid the prevailing wage. Studies have shown that projects on which the prevailing wage is paid are more likely to come in on time and under budget. In 2018, an anti-union construction group circulated a petition to repeal Michigan’s prevailing wage law, and the Republican-controlled Legislature adopted the repeal without allowing the measure to go to the ballot. In her previous term, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer issued an executive directive authorizing state agencies to pay prevailing wage. Carter and her colleagues have introduced HB 4007 to put the law back on the books and secure a solid economic future for Michigan’s skilled workers.