I tried to respond to this request yesterday but don't know if the e-mail
got through since our system was ill.
One interesting article appears in Sheldon Friedman et alia, eds,
Restoring the Promise of American Labor Law (ILR Press 1994). The
article by three economists (larval and adult form) at the University of
Utah examine the impact of repealing Utah's prevailing wage law on the
construction industry.
Basically the law was repealed to save money. However, as the article
makes clear, teh impact of doing this was far reaching and showed how
Davis-Bacon (and little Davis-Bacon laws) plus 8(f) organizing in the
construction industry made what actually is an erratic and undesirable
form of employment into one which was desirable and with stability.
Repealing prevailing wage law led to a decline in new job entrants, a
decline in trained entrants, a decline in commitment to the industry . . .
Anyway, the empirical data as reported in this essay demonstrates the
problem with unintelligent tinkering to save a few $. The subtitle could
have been "pennywise and pound foolish."
Ellen J. Dannin
California Western School of Law
225 Cedar Street
San Diego, CA 92101
Phone: 619-525-1449
Fax: 619-696-9999
On Mon, 10 Oct 1994, Steven Suo wrote:
>
>
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>
> I am looking for anyone who can offer strong (or reasonable) efficiency
> arguments for maintaining the federal prevailing wage standard on public works.
>
> As a reporter for The Oregonian newspaper, I am covering a ballot
> campaign to repeal the state's so-called "Little Davis-Bacon Act," which
> requires contractors to pay what BLS determines to be the prevailing wage
> (the mode of the distribution by trade). I have been unable to find anyone
> but union officials who will speak up for this standard.
>
> I would be interested in an interview, but I'd also be grateful for
> simple e-mail or phone correspondence on a background-only basis just to get
> my thinking straight. Thank you.
>
> Steve Suo
> [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> ph. 503-221-8288
>
