1981 McGraw-Hill, Inc., Eng. News-Record, March 5, 1981
Copyright 1981 McGraw-Hill, Inc.
Engineering News-Record
March
5, 1981
SECTION: MANAGEMENT AND
LABOR; Pg. 80
LENGTH: 596 words
HEADLINE: A new look at
wage scales
BODY:
Union workers in 33 of the building trades' craft classifications earn
an average of $14.95 an hour in wages and benefits, with those in 16 of
the classifications averaging more than $15 an hour. Sprinkler fitters
have the highest national average -- $16.93, followed closely by
pipefitters, who earn an average of $16.87 (see table).
This new look at union wage rates comes from the Department of Labor's
Office of Construction Industry Services (OCIS) and appears in its
newest publication, HANDBOOK OF WAGES AND BENEFITS FOR CONSTRUCTION
UNIONS, JANUARY 1981. Included in the handbook are two sets of computer
printouts summarizing wage rates and fringe benefits of workers in each
of the 33 classifications. One set presents the information by trade and
the other for all trades by region and state, with each set breaking out
the information by city. Also included are color maps that show the
wage-benefit levels in effect in January for 15 crafts.
By using the book, one can quickly determine the current wage-fringe
scale of each of the crafts, the breakdown of fringe benefits and the
expiration date of the craft's current labor contracts in about 800
cities. Using the color maps, low and high-wage areas are easily
spotted.
These show that the national averages are deceptive in many cases. For
example, the average wage-fringe scale for all crafts in Alaska is
$22.66. In California, it's $18.91. The average for all plumbers and
pipefitters on the West Coast -- including Alaska -- is $19 or more. In
San Francisco, it's $27.125.
In some cases, the wage or wage- benefit amounts are either overstated
or understated because of the nature of construction labor contracts.
For example, 60% of the 1980 contracts are long-term and the allocation
of deferred increases has not been determined. Here, the entire increase
has been included in "wages." About 5% of the contracts have cost-
of-living adjustments (COLAs) that can't be computed yet. Here, the wage
amount is understated.
The data bank from which this information is drawn was started by the
Construction Industry Stabilization Committee in the early 1970s and is
maintained by the Department of Labor. It contains information from
5,000 local labor contracts. In April, OCIS plans to issue a summary of
wage-benefit increases negotiated in 1980 and also a calendar of 1981
labor contract expirations.The book is available from Labor Department
regional offices and the Office of Construction Industry Services, Room
N5655, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Ave., N.W.,
Washington, D.C. 20216.
| What some of the trades
now average in wages, benefits n1 |
| (National hourly averages as of
January, 1981) |
| Asbestos workers |
$16.43 |
| Boilermakers |
17.36 |
| Bricklayers |
15.05 |
| Carpenters |
14.88 |
| Cement masons-BMP |
13.37 |
| Cement masons-OPCM |
14.74 |
| Dry wall |
15.47 |
| Electrician, inside |
16.75 |
| Floor layers-CJA |
13.91 |
| Floor layers-PAT |
15.54 |
| Glaziers |
14.47 |
| Iron workers, rodman |
16.08 |
| Iron worker, structural |
16.10 |
| Laborers |
11.83 |
| Lathers |
15.41 |
| Marble setters |
13.98 |
| Mason tenders |
11.22 |
| Millwrights |
15.33 |
| Operating engineers, crane |
15.91 |
| Painters |
14.41 |
| Pile drivers |
14.55 |
| Pipe fitters |
16.87 |
| Plasterers-BMP |
13.12 |
| Plasterers-OPCM |
15.25 |
| Plasterer tenders |
11.29 |
| Plumbers |
16.78 |
| Roofers, composition |
14.72 |
| Sheet metal workers |
16.70 |
| Sprinkler fitters |
16.93 |
| Tapers |
14.92 |
| Teamsters, dump truck |
12.99 |
| Terrazzo workers |
13.89 |
| Tile setters |
14.55 |
| All crafts weighted average |
$14.94 |