--- title: Two tier wage system depresses construction wages in Texas description: The America’s Work Force Union Podcast is the nation’s premier daily labor program. Thomas Kennedy of the Texas State BCTC joined us on today’s show. image: https://awf.labortools.com/hubfs/Texas%20BuildingTrades%20featured%20Image.jpg --- 1 min read Season 3, Episode 124 # Two tier wage system depresses construction wages in Texas [ awfblog ](https://awf.labortools.com/listen/author/awfblog) June 27, 2022 [Building Trades](https://awf.labortools.com/listen/tag/building-trades) [Local Union](https://awf.labortools.com/listen/tag/local-union) [America's Work Force Union Podcast](https://awf.labortools.com/listen/tag/americas-work-force-union-podcast) [Jobs](https://awf.labortools.com/listen/tag/jobs) [Economic Impact](https://awf.labortools.com/listen/tag/economic-impact) ![texas_building_trades](https://awf.labortools.com/hs-fs/hubfs/texas_building_trades.png?width=400&name=texas_building_trades.png)   Guest Name: --- Thomas Kennedy Guest Website: --- [www.texasbuildingtrades.org](http://www.texasbuildingtrades.org/) Guest Social Media: --- [ Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/TxBldgTrades) [ Twitter](https://twitter.com/TxBldgTrades) [ YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/user/BCTDValueonDisplay) [ LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/) Supportive Documents: --- Thomas Kennedy, Executive Director and Secretary/Treasurer of the [Texas State Building and Construction Trades Council](http://www.texasbuildingtrades.org/), joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast and discussed the two-tier wage system for construction projects in Texas and its impact on workers. Kennedy explained that federal projects adopt the national Prevailing Wage, as set forth by the U.S. Department of Labor. However, for state and city projects, wages are instead based on independent surveys of the local labor force that are not regulated or publicly available. Wages for these projects are significantly lower than the Davis-Bacon scale, causing a race to the bottom scenario, he added. Kennedy also discussed the need to expand apprenticeship programs to sustain the Texas construction boom and [an upcoming summit of the Young Active Labor Leaders (YALL)](https://texasaflcio.org/yall/calendar-events/2022-yall-summit-1), a constituency group of the Texas AFL-CIO that builds solidarity among working people who represent the future of the union movement. Listen to the entire episode to learn more about these topics. --- America’s Work Force is the only daily labor podcast in the US and has been on the air since 1993, supplying listeners with useful, relevant input into their daily lives through fact-finding features, in-depth interviews, informative news segments and practical consumer reports. America’s Work Force is committed to providing an accessible venue in which America's workers and their families can hear discussion on important, relevant topics such as employment, healthcare, legislative action, labor-management relations, corporate practices, finances, local and national politics, consumer reports and labor issues. America’s Work Force Union Podcast is brought to you in part by our sponsors: AFL-CIO, American Federation of Government Employees, American Federation of Musicians Local 4, Alliance for American Manufacturing, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes-IBT, Boyd Watterson, Columbus/Central Ohio Building and Construction Trades Council, Communication Workers of America, Mechanical Insulators Labor Management Cooperative Trust, International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers Local 50, International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Crafts, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Council 6, Ironworkers Great Lakes District Council, Melwood, The Labor Citizen newspaper, Laborers International Union of North America, The National Labor Office of Blue Cross and Blue Shield, North Coast Area Labor Federation, Ohio Federation of Teachers, United Labor Agency, United Steelworkers. - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) ##### SUBSCRIBE ON: --- [![Group 342](https://awf.labortools.com/hs-fs/hubfs/AmericasWorkForce/podcast%20logos/Apple%20Podcasts%20Button-Dark.png?width=171&name=Apple%20Podcasts%20Button-Dark.png)](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/americas-work-force-union-podcast/id1511224946) [![Group 341](https://awf.labortools.com/hs-fs/hubfs/AmericasWorkForce/podcast%20logos/Spotify%20Button-Dark.png?width=100&name=Spotify%20Button-Dark.png)](https://open.spotify.com/show/0GzkHxFSBxiXvuX0lZpQBn) [![Group 343](https://awf.labortools.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Group%20343.png?width=135&name=Group%20343.png)](https://www.iheart.com/podcast/americas-work-force-union-podcast-62567752/) [![Group 339](https://awf.labortools.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Group%20339.png?width=110&name=Group%20339.png)](https://www.pandora.com/podcast/americas-work-force-union-podcast/PC:47979) [![Group 397](https://awf.labortools.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Group%20397.png?width=125&name=Group%20397.png)](https://americasworkforceradiopodcast.podbean.com/) [![Group 397](https://awf.labortools.com/hs-fs/hubfs/YouTube_button.png?width=125&name=YouTube_button.png)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuQo1PAtRAel1_tS7-PQOkA)   #### [Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen on the Union Pacific Merger Threat](https://awf.labortools.com/listen/brotherhood-of-railroad-signalmen-on-the-union-pacific-merger-threat) : July 6, 2026 # Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen on the Union Pacific Merger Threat Brandon Elvey, Secretary-Treasurer of the [Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen](https://www.brs.org/),... 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