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The issue of prevailing wage compliance has taken on greater importance as some open shop contractors have lost out on bids when their prevailing wage violations exceed the number permitted by "Quality Contractor Standards" adopted by many Ohio political subdivisions. Traditionally, many prevailing wage citations were directed toward open shop contractors by interested parties, including those associated with organized labor.

In an interesting twist, the Ohio Valley chapter of ABC has filed a number of prevailing wage enforcement actions against union contractors for alleged prevailing wage violations. Whether this organization has standing to do so, and whether the underlying complaints have merit, remains to be seen.

Regardless of how the courts handle this issue, it serves to emphasize the increasing importance of prevailing wage compliance by union and open shop contractors alike.