RELEASE: Cities and States Across the Political Spectrum Are Increasingly Backing Pro-Worker Policies

Washington, D.C. — A new Center for American Progress analysis finds that Republican-led and bipartisan jurisdictions across the country are increasingly adopting pro-worker construction policies that strengthen workforce training, improve job quality, and help deliver better results on public infrastructure projects. The analysis highlights growing support for responsible bidder ordinances, prevailing wage standards, and apprenticeship utilization requirements in states and localities ranging from Utah and Nevada to several Indiana cities. As the construction industry faces persistent labor shortages and an aging workforce, policymakers are turning to these proven strategies to attract and retain skilled workers. “Across the country, policymakers are recognizing that investing in workers is one of the best ways to deliver successful public projects,” said Karla Walter , senior fellow for the American Worker Project at CAP and co-author of the analysis. “Whether they’re led by Republicans, Democrats, or bipartisan coalitions, communities are adopting policies that help train workers, raise standards in the construction industry, and ensure public projects support high-quality jobs and high-quality infrastructure.” Among the findings: Responsible bidder ordinances reduce turnover on public construction projects without increasing costs. Prevailing wage standards increase apprenticeship participation and graduation rates , helping address construction workforce shortages. Construction workers in prevailing wage states contribute 1.7 times more in federal income taxes while also experiencing lower rates of poverty and public assistance use. Apprenticeship utilization requirements strengthen worker pipelines, increase productivity, and improve construction quality while preparing the next generation of skilled trades workers. Companies with workplace violations are more than five times as likely to receive low project performance ratings , demonstrating the value of stronger accountability standards. Read the analysis: “ Bipartisan and Republican-Led Coalitions Advance Fair Contracting Policies on Public Construction Projects ” by Jazmine Amoako and Karla Walter For more information or to speak with an expert , please contact Christian Unkenholz at [email protected] .