Union construction workers would gain a hiring advantage for more projects under legislation the House passed Thursday, the latest in a series of pro-labor measures by Democrats that President Bush has promised to veto. The 303-108 vote involves water projects funded by federal lending. Republicans tried but failed to strip out a provision requiring contractors to pay wages equal to those prevailing locally. The White House said advisers would recommend Bush veto the bill if it retained the Davis-Bacon Act provisions on paying prevailing wages on public works projects. The requirement typically gives an advantage to unionized companies bidding for federal contracts.
See "House Bill Boosts Water Project Wages", Jim Abrams, San Francisco Chronicle, March 8, 2007