Miami-Dade approves ‘responsible wage’ requirement

Arguing that construction workers on public-private partnership projects should not be relegated to the status of “working poor,” Miami-Dade County commissioners on Tuesday approved a requirement that private buildings constructed on county-owned land must pay their construction workers a “responsible” wage.  The legislation, sponsored by Commissioner Sally Heyman, is similar to existing living-wage laws that govern payments to various service workers who are paid with county dollars.  The definition of a responsible wage will vary by job title, and will be based on a combination of hourly wages as well as the value of any employee benefits — such as health insurance — that are being provided.  Commissioners, in approving the new law, said that even if construction costs increase slightly on these projects, that extra money will come from developers’ profit margins, and not from taxpayers.

- The Miami Herald