The Republican-controlled General Laws Committee advanced a bill that would prohibit state agencies from requiring state contractors to pay their workers a prevailing wage.
Prevailing wage is the rate made by the majority of local workers in comparable positions.
“This anti-worker bill perpetuates a race to the bottom that will hurt Virginia businesses,” said House Democratic Leader David J. Toscano. “Prevailing wage laws protect local bidders from being undercut by out-of-state bidders who pay their workers less than the going rate here in Virginia. That’s bad for business, it’s bad for workers, and it’s bad for the economy. I call upon every member of the House of Delegates to oppose this anti-worker bill.”
“Virginia House Democrats are fighting to raise the minimum wage for Virginia’s working families,” said House Democratic Caucus Chair Charniele Herring. “Meanwhile, House Republicans are actively pushing legislation that would drive wages down. We will not let this bill pass without a fight. I encourage every working Virginian to call your representatives and ask them to stand up for working families and vote against HB 1596.”
In legislative action today, the GOP-controlled House of Delegates passed a bill that would categorically state that an employee of a franchisee could not be considered an employee of the parent franchisor for any purpose under Virginia law. As written, the bill would categorically shift obligations owed to employees by large national corporations to the Virginia small businesses that operate as franchisees.
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