Massachusetts Off-Site Pre-Fabrication Bill

IBEW Local 103, along with other building trades unions, is lobbying for updates to Massachusetts’ prevailing wage laws to eliminate a loophole that allows bad players to shortchange workers and undermine unions and responsible employers. The current prevailing wage law does not apply to off-site construction work, allowing many contractors to skirt the law and avoid paying workers a fair wage by utilizing off-site prefabrication facilities. This loophole allows companies to lower labor standards and worker protections.

As a union, we strive to build equitable workplaces, where all members are paid a fair wage for their labor. Union workers are paid the same rates for work done in the shops and on-site work. However, the existing loophole in our laws allows for non-union contractors to underbid our NECA partner contractors by paying workers significantly lower wages for off-site work. This creates an uneven playing field that puts unions and our members at a disadvantage. Local 103 is fighting to ensure our members have access to good jobs with family-sustaining wages. We have been pushing for the passage of the Off-site Fabrication Bills, introduced by Jeff Roy in the House and Paul Feeney in the Senate. This legislation will ensure that workers are paid the prevailing wage for prefabrication work, thus eliminating a dangerous loophole that hurts our working families and lowers community standards.

Building Trades Unions representatives and state elected officials meet to discuss the pre-fabrication wage loophole. Business Agent Jay Frasier (right) advocates for IBEW Local 103 members.

As our industry becomes more technologically advanced, off-site work is slowly becoming more common, thus underscoring the urgent need for a legislative fix to close the existing loophole and strengthen our prevailing wage laws.