(C) 2016 GREAT WESTERN CORPORATION
P.O. BOX 986 NORTH BEND, OR 97459 U.S.A.
Phone: (541) 756-5627 | Fax: (541) 756-7800
GWC has always striven to pay a very fair day’s wage for a day’s work. For an example, during the sandblasting and
zincing process, although this work can be classified as “Painters” work and paid at a lower scale, GWC has paid
employees the considerably higher “Laborers” wage simply because the working environment is hot and difficult.
However, in January and February of 2011 during a random wage investigation by ODOT, some questions came up
regarding the specific wage classification in the Cathodic Protection industry. Soon BOLI (Bureau of Labor &
Industries) and ODOT’s Wage & Hour Division was fully involved in an effort to definitively clarify the wage
classification for all phases of the Cathodic Protection work. The effort required much communication, and some site
visits by the local BOLI & Wage & Hour investigators so they could see exactly what the different phases of CP
work actually entail. After the conclusion of their investigations, BOLI issued the Classifications for Cathodic
Protection of Concrete Bridges.
The end result of this ruling is that on all Cathodic Protection projects where “Prevailing Wages” are required to be paid,
all employees must be paid according to this ruling, which will be enforced by the local BOLI Jurisdiction and other
governing body, such as ODOT.
Below, we have included a copy of this BOLI ruling so that all involved in the Cathodic Protection industry can be
aware of the new ruling.
