• Mackinac Center for Public Policy
  • Issues
    • Bills & Votes
    • Budget & Taxes
    • Capitol News
    • Education
    • Labor
    • Legal Foundation
  • Right-to-Work
  • CapCon
  • MCLF
  • Votes
  • Databases
    • School
    • Labor
    • Tax Breaks
  • Share
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • Email
    • Mobile
    • RSS
  • Home
  • Publications
    • Videos
    • Blog
    • Studies
    • More …
  • Events
  • Press Room
  • Site Map
  • About Us
    • Purpose
    • Contact
    • Personnel
    • Directions
    • Employment
    • More …
  • Contribute
Study

The Case against Prevailing Wage Laws

By Dr. Richard Vedder, published on Sept. 2, 1999

There is, however, both theoretical and empirical evidence that casts doubts on the arguments above and suggests that prevailing wage laws are outmoded, ineffective, discriminatory, inefficient, and expensive to taxpayers. The force of these arguments has led some states to abandon long-enacted legislation.

ISBN: 1-890624-16-0, SKU: S1999-07
Cover Illustration

Michigan's Prevailing Wage Law and Its Effects on Government Spending and Construction Employment

  • Executive Summary
  • Introduction
  • The Origin of Prevailing Wage Laws
  • The Case against Prevailing Wage Laws
    • Four Theoretical Arguments
    • Empirical Evidence
  • Prevailing Wages and Construction Costs
  • Employment Effects of Prevailing Wages by Race
  • Prevailing Wages, Economic Prosperity, and the Quality of Life
  • Conclusion
  • Acknowledgements
  • About the Author
  • Endnotes

More by Dr. Richard Vedder

Michigan Higher Education: Facts and Fiction
Higher Education and Economic Development

Also Available As

  • pdf

Tools

  • Email
  • Print
  • Order

Share More …

Mackinac Center
  • Home
  • Search
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Contribute
  • Terms of Use
  • ©1999
    Mackinac Center for Public Policy
  • Phone: 989-631-0900
  • Publications and Sites
  • This Week at Mackinac
  • Michigan Capitol Confidential
  • MichiganVotes
  • Michigan Education Digest
  • Studies Videos
  • Mackinac Center Legal Foundation
  • The Overton Window
  • MichiganScience
  • Give
  • Learn how you can help the Mackinac Center provide incisive, accurate and timely analysis of critical policy issues.
  • Connect
  • Sign up for email
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • RSS

Copyright © 1999 Mackinac Center for Public Policy
www.mackinac.org