PITTSBURGH, PA (July 12, 2022) — Pittsburgh City Councilman Bobby Wilson (District 1) introduced legislation at today’s Regular Meeting of Pittsburgh City Council directing the Pittsburgh City Controller to perform an audit of the City of Pittsburgh and related intergovernmental authorities’ compliance with the Service Worker Prevailing Wage Ordinance.

In 2010, the City of Pittsburgh enacted this ordinance to require private development projects subsidized by public monies to pay wages that reflect the local wage scale. City Council passed this ordinance in response to the concern that when private developers were executing publicly financed projects in our city, they were paying substantially lower wages to service workers on these projects than to workers on privately financed projects.

In the twelve years since the passage of this ordinance, it has become clear that neither the City of Pittsburgh nor its related intergovernmental authorities possess or maintain a comprehensive list of contracts or projects covered by this ordinance. It has also become clear that neither the City nor these authorities consistently enforce the payment of prevailing wages to workers covered by this ordinance. Finally, neither the City nor any of the authorities:

1. Compel covered employers to provide annual payroll data, as required by the ordinance
2. Provide any ongoing reporting on the number of service workers who have benefited from the existence and/or enforcement of this ordinance
3. Track job creation/job quality data for publicly subsidized developments.

“Public dollars should never subsidize poverty wages. The Service Worker Prevailing Wage legislation was an important step in making sure that City-funded contracts and developments create good jobs for Pittsburgh workers. Enforcing and tracking these wages is the only way to ensure that everyone is playing by the rules to continue to grow a strong and stable workforce. SEIU 32BJ commends Councilman Wilson and Controller Lamb for this effort,” said Sam Wiliamson, 32BJ SEIU Western Pennsylvania District Director.

“I am proud to introduce this legislation and start a public conversation about ensuring that the City of Pittsburgh and our partners in local government are paying service workers a fair living wage,” said Councilman Wilson.

For press inquiries, please contact Councilman Wilson’s Chief of Staff, Mohammed Burny, at (412) 215-0528 or mohammed.burny@pittsburghpa.gov.

Posted on: July 12, 2022 @ 12:42 pm