Rebuilding NO at below min. wage

[salinen]

And how about health? Will those workers have health coverage? Will they be working in hazardous conditions? Will they have F.I.C.A? If they work more than 8 hrs/day or 40 hr/week, is there overtime? Are the families of those workers eligable for health coverage?

Where will these workers live? Where will they eat? What will they do when not working?

[OKDem08]

1. I believe that Bush's

repeal of the Davis-Bacon Act allows for payment below the prevailing wage, not below minimum wage.

[expatriate]

2. Unfortunately, the prevailing wage for most in New Orleans

is minimum wage. Or less, because many people are employed as waiters/waitresses.

Perhaps if they factor in the high incomes in the area, the prevailing wage would be higher, but I do wonder, considering the poverty in New Orleans.

[OKDem08]

3. I find it hard to believe

that prevailing wage equates to minimum wage for trade occupations in the area. Are you sure?

[Sapphire Blue]

5. Prev wage is NOT min wage: Davis-Bacon Act wage determinations by state...

http://www.gpo.gov/davisbacon/allstates.html

Previous poster appears to be making uninformed assumptions.

[rinsd]

4. Prevailing wage has to do with gov't contracts....

..where the gov't pays on the high end of the pay scale for various trade skills (ie: carpenters).

It is not the average of wages as a whole.

[jmowreader]

8. They mean prevailing wage for the thing you're trying to do

In this case, we're talking construction.

They can't choose to use the wage paid to hospitality workers as the "prevailing wage" for construction workers--otherwise they'd be paying roofers $2.85 an hour and expecting them to collect tips.

[pitohui]

6. it ain't gonna work, ya'll

if you're in the area you already know how much luck you're having getting contractors

the higher bidder is going to get the work

the low bidder is going to be sitting on his thumbs wondering when the workers get to his job

let 'em try to rip ppl on wages

ain't gonna work this time, too many private individuals willing to pay top $$$ for repairs

for that matter i'm one of them

i just want my life back & i'm willing to pay

there are a hundred thousand more like me

[Ksec]

7. It allows huge profits while

paying the help is laughable.

More trickle down fuk the poor policies of this trainwreck/

Free Market my ass/