WalshHealy Public Contracts Act of 1936

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Walsh-Healy Public Contracts Act of 1936 Anne
Marie Sowder. 10.14.2003
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Walsh-Healy Act - OVERVIEW

• Passed in 1936
• Regulates only Federal Contractors applies
  more to manufacturing than construction
• Walsh-Healy Public Contracts Act was partially
  repealed by the Federal Acquisition Streamlining
  Act of 1994 (FASA)
• Act guidelines
• Minimum Wage
• In contracts worth more than 10,000 contractors
  have to prove they were manufacturers or regular
  dealers of the goods being bought

Anne Marie Sowder. 10.14.2003
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Walsh-Healy Act - HISTORY

• Passed in 1936, championed by President
  Roosevelt
• Followed Davis Bacon Act of 1931, Preceded FLSA
  of 1938
• Reflected Roosevelt's preferred approach to
  labor rely on the government's contracting
  power, instead of labor's bargaining power, to
  improve wages and working conditions.
• Provided that all government contractors should
  pay a minimum wage determined by the Secretary
  of Labor and should observe the eight-hour day
  and the forty-hour week. It also prohibited child
  and convict labor on government contracts.

Anne Marie Sowder. 10.14.2003
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Walsh-Healy Act - CONSTRUCTION APPLICATIONS

• Frequently cited in conjunction with the Davis
  Bacon Act in labor wage conflicts.
• Walsh-Healy inspectors used as OSHA inspectors
• ASSE helped with revisions in 1964

Anne Marie Sowder. 10.14.2003
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Walsh-Healy Act CONCLUSION

• As governments face shrinking budgets,
  outsourcing labor is common to reduce costs.
  Walsh-Healy and other legislation attempts to
  protect labor with living wages and fair
  practices.
• Costs are passes on to the owner
• Pro-labor legislation takes on duties otherwise
  left to union organizers.

Anne Marie Sowder. 10.14.2003
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Walsh-Healy Public Contracts Act of 1936
Thank you.
Anne Marie Sowder. 10.14.2003