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Prevailing Wage Issue Puts Ohio House Speaker In A Spot

House Speaker Larry Householder (R-Glenford)
Dan Konik
House Speaker Larry Householder (R-Glenford)

Two Republican Ohio House members want to introduce a bill soon that would eliminate the prevailing wage on construction projects. And that puts the GOP leader of that chamber in a spot.

Larry Householder got support for his election as Speaker from many Democrats and union leaders. They say he promised to be friendly to labor. Some of Householder’s fellow Republicans now want a bill that would get rid of the mandatory minimum wage rate for laborers who work on government projects. Householder isn’t saying where he stands on prevailing wage, but he said last month that he takes his relationship with Democrats seriously.

“It’s sort of like a marriage. You’ve got to keep working at it and you are going to have your disagreements," Householder says.

While he’s not speaking out on this bill yet, Householder has said he doesn’t think there’s a need for a so-called “Right to Work” bill. 

Copyright 2020 The Statehouse News Bureau

Jo Ingles is a professional journalist who covers politics and Ohio government for the Ohio Public Radio and Television for the Ohio Public Radio and Television Statehouse News Bureau. She reports on issues of importance to Ohioans including education, legislation, politics, and life and death issues such as capital punishment.