State Representative Bob Burns, the Democratic candidate for St. Louis County Council in the 6th District, says he wants all contractors, bidding on work for St. Louis County, to have full apprentice trained workers as recognized by the Federal Government Department of Labor.
Prior to serving in the Missouri General Assembly, Burns spent 12 years on the Affton School Board. “My experience during that time was that workers who completed an apprenticeship program offered an extra level of confidence to construction projects,” he said.
“I want top quality professional work the taxpayers can count on, not shoddy or subpar construction,” Burns said. “Common sense alone dictates that if you went to a doctor you would want to go to one who went through medical school, or for a lawyer to have gone to law school. Why should we expect anything less in the construction trades?”
PREVAILING WAGE
Burns also supports enforcing prevailing wage laws on all construction projects in the county.
“Whether it is a TIF project, a public project, or one that receives any tax support or incentives of any kind, we must make sure they are in compliance with prevailing wage,” said Burns, adding, that also means policing these projects and not just relying that the state will do so.
St. Louis County Executive Dr. Sam Page, a strong supporter of Organized Labor, signed a prevailing wage ordinance last fall to ensure St. Louis firms and workers have a fair shot at winning St. Louis County construction work using county tax incentives, and created by executive order the position of Prevailing Wage Enforcement Coordinator to ensure compliance.
Burns, a state representative and retired Teamster, is challenging Republican incumbent Ernie Trakas in the November election. The St. Louis Labor Council is open on the race, making no recommendation.
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