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SB 5293

Concerning the prevailing wages on public works.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Curtis King and 1 co-sponsor

The bill shifts prevailing wage determinations for public works to CBAs-based rates, using majority representation for counties with multiple CBAs and adding an appeal process, wit

By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status.
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Bill Summary · SB 5293

Legislative Bill Summary: SB 5293 (Concerning the prevailing wages on public works)

Status: First reading, referred to Labor & Commerce
Introduced: January 15, 2025
Purpose: Update how the state determines the prevailing wage on public works and align it with collective bargaining agreements (CBAs), with a staged implementation and specific rules for counties with multiple CBAs and for shipbuilding/ship repair.

What the bill would do (high-level)

  • Change who determines the prevailing rate of wage for public works projects to be the industrial statistician of the Department of Labor and Industries (DLI).
  • Adjust the timeline and method for establishing prevailing wages, moving toward CBA-based rates and majority-rate rules, with distinct rules for shipbuilding/ship repair and counties with varying CBA coverage.
  • Allow wage determinations to affect wage recovery timelines (tolling) and create an appeal process if an interested party believes the rate used is not representative of workers’ majority.

Key provisions and changes

  • Determination authority

    • The industrial statistician remains the official who establishes the prevailing rate of wage.
    • Any wages owed by a worker affected by the determination are tolled (paused) until the wage determination is final.

  • Transitional framework (phase-in of pre-CBA-based methodology)

    • Through May 31, 2027: For trades/occupations with CBAs, the prevailing wage rate will be set by adopting the hourly wage, usual benefits, and overtime paid in the geographic jurisdiction defined by CBAs. If a county has multiple CBAs for a given trade/occupation, the higher rate applies.
    • For contracts bid or awarded on or after June 1, 2027: The same CBA-based approach applies, with two special rules:
    • For counties with multiple CBAs (excluding shipbuilding/ship repair): the statistician must determine the rate that represents the majority of workers (or, if no majority, the rate representing the most workers). The statistician may seek input from signatory parties and their multiemployer bargaining units. If a county has a CBA, wage surveys or hours-worked data should not be used to set the rate, except to resolve an appeal.
    • There is an appeal process: an interested party may challenge the determination by showing the used rate does not represent the majority/most workers.

  • Shipbuilding and ship repair

    • Special treatment: for shipbuilding and ship repair, the statistician shall establish the rate using CBAs, and the higher rate among multiple CBAs in the county prevails.

  • Counties with no CBAs

    • If a county has no CBAs, the statistician will establish the prevailing wage rate by conducting wage and hour surveys. If surveys are not feasible, other appropriate methods may be used.

Who is affected

  • Employers and contractors bidding on or executing public works projects in Washington state, who must pay prevailing wages according to the new rules.
  • Workers, who may see changes in the prevailing wage determinations and potential wage recovery timelines.
  • Labor unions and employers with CBAs, which determine the applicable wage rates and may be asked to provide input on majority-rate determinations.
  • Counties with multiple CBAs (and those without CBAs) will experience shifts in how rates are determined and validated.

Timeline and procedural notes

  • Effective status: The bill’s first reading and referral to the Labor & Commerce committee. The major structural changes to wage determinations hinge on two dates:
    • May 31, 2027: End of the transitional period for the early (CBA-based) framework.
    • June 1, 2027: Start of the post-transition framework, applying the majority-rate rules (where applicable) and shipbuilding/ship repair specifics.
  • Appeals: Established process for challenging determinations, with evidence requirements.

Bottom line

SB 5293 proposes a phased shift toward CBAs as the basis for prevailing wage rates on public works, with heightened emphasis on majority-rate representation in counties with multiple CBAs, explicit shipbuilding/ship repair rules, and an appeal mechanism. A tolling provision links wage recovery to the finality of wage determinations. The bill would affect how wage rates are set for public works projects starting in 2027, with transitional rules guiding the period before that.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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