jobradio.fm

Those with service jobs in Pittsburgh PA will never again have to worry whether or not they're receiving the going pay rate.

A citywide policy aimed at creating jobs that pay prevailing wages to service workers employed at city-subsidized developments has become law. The law requires developers that receive subsidies or other tax-incentives to pay the private-sector going rate to building service, food service, hotel and grocery workers.

"The law ensures Pittsburgh families will see more of their tax-dollars go toward creating good jobs," 32BJ SEIU President Mike Fishman said. "Cities around the country should get out of the business of creating poverty jobs."

During the past few years, some individual projects have required that prevailing wages be paid to workers in permanent jobs at subsidized developments, but no comprehensive citywide policies had been implemented.

While the Davis-Bacon Act requires that prevailing wages be paid to construction employees working on projects where federal dollars are used, no comparable federal requirements exist for permanent service jobs created at those same sites.

"Low-wage jobs in the service industry are keeping our families in poverty," Gabe Morgan, Western Pennsylvania director of 32BJ SEIU, said. "Developers should not benefit from tax breaks unless their plans include good jobs for our city's working families."

The new law also requires that city contractors pay prevailing wages to their workers. This places Pittsburgh among more than 140 cities that have set wage standards for their contracting programs, according to the National Employment Law Project.

Labels: Jobs in Pittsburgh PA