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Committee hears bill to require annual prevailing‑wage adjustments on public works contracts
Summary
Senate Bill 5061 would require public works contracts (excluding small works roster and residential construction) to adjust the minimum hourly prevailing wage annually during a contract’s life; unions supported the change while contractors urged safeguards for cost predictability and change‑orders.
Senate Bill 5061, proposing annual adjustments to prevailing wage rates on public works contracts, drew broad testimony March 25 from labor unions, contractors, and industry associations before the Labor & Workplace Standards Committee.
The bill would require public‑works contracts to stipulate that the minimum hourly rate be adjusted annually based on the contract date so the wage is not less than the most recently published prevailing wage. The bill exempts small works roster contracts and residential construction.
Why this matters: Prevailing wages in Washington reflect local collective bargaining outcomes and are published by the Department of Labor and Industries (L&I). Under current practice the prevailing rate that applies is typically the rate in effect at the prime contractor’s bid due date for the life of the project; SB 5061 would require an annual adjustment so wages track more closely…
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