STAND. COM. REP. NO.  163

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

 

RE:   H.B. No. 760

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Labor & Public Employment, to which was referred H.B. No. 760 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO A LIVING WAGE FOR WORKERS ON SERVICE CONTRACTS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this bill is to protect the wages of service employees working for contractors of the State or counties by:

 

     (1)  Reducing the threshold for applicability of service contract worker wage provisions;

 

     (2)  Requiring that wages for service contract workers be               based on United States poverty guidelines for Hawaii;

 

     (3)  Including the Department of Labor and Industrial                   Relations (DLIR) as an enforcement agency;

 

     (4)  Clarifying when the threshold for service contract             worker wages is not applicable;

 

     (5)  Requiring that any bid specification offered or contract      entered into by a governmental body contain certain            provisions allowing the organizing of employees; and

 

     (6)  Imposing fines on contractors who are found to be in               violation of the law.

 

     The ILWU Local 142 and the Oahu County Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawaii testified in support of this bill.  DLIR commented on this measure.

 

     The payment of living wages and benefits not only increases the standard of living for working individuals and families but is also one of the best ways to improve an economy.  Your Committee believes that government should lead by example and require contractors doing business with the State or counties to provide living wages to its employees.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Labor & Public Employment that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 760 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Economic Development & Business Concerns.

 

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Labor & Public Employment,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

ALEX M. SONSON, Chair