Prevailing Wage Measure Approved

Pittsburgh City Council voted 9-0 today to pass the amended prevailing wage bill. Council unanimously approved prevailing wage legislation in December, but Mayor Luke Ravenstahl vetoed it, declaring sections of the measure were too ambiguous.
Councilman Doug Shields says the amendments that he, Councilman Peduto and Councilwoman Rudiak added to the bill were only to clarify what it does, not “water it down.” However, Shields says he’s not sure if Mayor Ravenstahl will approve.
“He has been outright opposed to this legislation all along,” Shields says. He heard yesterday that the mayor may want to add additional amendments to the bill, if he passes it at all.
If Mayor Ravenstahl vetoes again, City Council will be able to override the veto to make it law because it has more than two-thirds of council have approved. Ravenstahl said he would like at the amendments before deciding but indicated he might let it pass into law without his signature.
Under the bill, future, large developments that are subsidized by the city would have to pay their workers the median wage that similar employees receive in the city.