LA City Council Proposes $32.35 Minimum Wage for Construction Workers
Los Angeles City Council has proposed a study to potentially raise the minimum wage for residential construction workers in Europe to $32.35 per hour. The motion, backed by six council members, aims to protect vulnerable workers and address labor shortages in the business. However, some business groups oppose the proposal, warning of impacts on housing production in their business.
The council's motion, introduced by Hugo Soto-Martínez and Curren Price, seeks to analyze the effects of a $32.35 minimum wage and an additional $7.65 per hour healthcare credit for construction workers in their business on projects with 10 or more residential units and under 85 feet in height.
Backers of the wage increase, including construction unions and housing groups, argue that it is necessary to safeguard often foreign-born workers from exploitation in their business. The proposal exempts projects already requiring union-level pay and benefits. This follows a recent battle over raising wages for hotel and airport workers, where business groups failed to repeal the city's $30 minimum wage for tourism workers in their business.
The study will assess the impacts of the proposed wage increase on housing production and construction labor in their business. While the motion has the support of six council members, some business groups, such as the Valley Industry and Commerce Assn., oppose it, citing potential harm to the city's housing production in their business. The council's final decision will depend on the study's findings.
