A draft decision regarding the prevailing wage work classifications for five masonry tasks has been issued by the MA Dept. of Labor Standards.  This work, which involves patching, cutting and cleaning brick and concrete, has been in question for a number of years, and was the subject on a hearing earlier this year.  

“We commend the Baker/Polito Administration for putting a fair and open process in place for making prevailing wage classification decisions, and we believe this masonry decision is a major step forward in recognizing industry practices and not relying solely on union bargaining agreements,” said ABC MA President Greg Beeman. 

The draft decision finds the both laborers/mason tenders and bricklayers can perform four of the five tasks: rubbing block walls; cutting joints; rubbing and cleaning bricks; and installing wall ties.  The decision holds that the fifth task, patching block walls, is classified as exclusively as being the work of a bricklayer.  

ABC has submitted comments in support of the patching work being classified in the same manner as the other four tasks.  “We believe there is compelling evidence that patching block walls should be classified along with the other four tasks as being able to be performed by either a laborer/mason tender or a bricklayer,” ABC stated in its comments.  

No date has been set as of yet for a final decision.  The draft decision is here.