The City Council Tuesday will consider commissioning a study to analyze the effects of implementing a minimum wage increase for construction workers building mid-size residential developments in the city.
In September, Councilman Curren Price introduced a motion alongside his colleagues Hugo Soto-Martinez, Eunisses Hernandez, Bob Blumenfield, Heather Hutt and Ysabel Jurado to raise the minimum wage for construction workers from $18 an hour to nearly $32.50 an hour plus an additional healthcare credit of $7.65 per hour.
Council members additionally called for a study on the effects of raising the minimum wage for construction workers, as well as examine alternative rates that may minimize potential negative impacts.
This policy would only affect workers who are building mid-size residential construction or any residential development, including mixed-use, with 10 or more units and under 85 feet in height.
Council members also requested the study of wages by construction project type, industry employment, housing construction development, individual earning and economic impacts to the L.A. and regional economy.
Council members noted that raising the minimum wage for construction workers is necessary because of the need for more housing and rebuilding after the Palisades Fire. Additionally, they cite concerns about how federal immigration policies have impacted the construction industry.
“In order to maintain and attract more workers into the mid-size residential construction industry to build the necessary housing supply our city desperately needs, we need to set a Residential Construction Minimum Wage, and address the high levels of wage theft and workers exploitation in this trade,” the motion reads.