The state Senate has passed a rollback of the state’s prevailing wage law, which sets minimum salaries for construction workers on public projects. The Senate voted 17-16 on Tuesday to repeal the law for all local government projects like those done by school districts and municipalities, while keeping it in place for state projects. The changes also replace state salary levels for the federal prevailing wage scale. Republicans argued for eliminating the prevailing wage, saying it artificially inflates salaries paid to workers at the expense of taxpayers and freezes out smaller contractors. But Democrats and unions oppose changing the law, saying it will lower wages and hurt the middle class. Democratic Sen. Chris Larson, of Milwaukee, calls it a kick in the teeth to Wisconsin workers.
