The state Legislature voted on Friday, Feb. 12, to override Governor Tomblin’s veto of right-to-work and is expected to overturn his veto of a bill repealing the state’s prevailing wage law soon.
NFIB/West Virginia State Director Gil White explains why this is a big deal for West Virginia small businesses:
“This legislation is a game changer. Corporations look at whether a state is a right-to-work state when they’re deciding where to move or expand The more new jobs we get, the more opportunities there will be for small businesses.”
Likewise, he said, repealing the state’s prevailing wage law would help assure fair and open competition on publicly funded construction projects. Currently, the state can mandate wages that are significantly above what local businesses are paying.
White said, “By repealing this antiquated law, we’ll not only save taxpayers money, but we’ll end a practice that often shuts out small and minority contractors from participating in the bidding process for local projects.”
MORE INFORMATION: Gil White’s column in the Charleston Gazette-Mail on right-to-work and prevailing wage