Application Form

Hafa Adai (Guam Greetings)

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Guam buildup preparations featured in ABS-CBN NEWS

The preparations being undertaken by Olongapo City under the leadership of Mayor Bong Gordon was featured by ABS-CBN NEWS BANDILA during its report last night over Channel 2. News Anchor Henry Omaga-Diaz detailed the experience of former US Military Base Worker's hopes to land a job in Guam after having lost their jobs in the former US Naval Base in Subic when it pulled out in 1992.

Mayor Gordon stressed that the preparations were initiated after his visit to Guam during the Industry Forum and where the impending transfer of 8,000 Military personnel and their families will commence on 2014.

Guam Task Force headed by Ed Piano was created to ensure coordination with POEA, DOLE, TESDA, DFA, GovGuam, contractors, manpower agencies and applicants are facilitated.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oihenFBe8vc

As discussed by Ed Piano, below is the comparison of present Guam Wages vs that of Hawaii

WAGES: GUAM VS. HAWAII
Wages determined by the Department of Labor for federal projects under the Service Contract Act (all figures are rates per hour) versus Hawaii's:
Jobs In Guam . . . . . . . . . .In Hawaii %Change
Carpenter, maintenance . $13.00 $30.88 +137.5%
Electrician, maintenance $14.99 $28.25 +88.5%
Heavy equipment mechanic $14.81 $26.98 +82.2%
Heavy equipment operator $13.73 $29.54 +115.1%
Painter, maintenance $13.55 $23.09 +70.4%

Welder - US National - Special Trade Contractors
(NAICS: 238, SIC: 17, eSIC: 17-179 )

For Personal Use
Salary Estimate from PAQ's Global Salary Calculator
(See ERI's GSC C3 Matrix below, estimate is all-industry/all-sizes) $52,859.00

Value from ERI or ALAS State Salary Survey
(See graph below, this is a 2007 surveyed/size ranged/state average) $36,915.00

For Business/HR Use
Assessor Series, all US last 365 days
(Data is from ERI's Job Availability Log; allow time for computation. ERI Assessor values are subscriber specific to size, industry, date & city area)

Special Trade Contractors Salary Survey
(NAICS: 238, SIC: 17, eSIC: 17-179 )

Hawaii's Special Trade Contractors Salary Survey reports compensation data for 103 benchmark jobs, accompanied by up to four verifying survey sources (only, for new surveys or below threshold collections). ERI Salary Surveys is the sponsor of this 2009 participant and digitized industry-specific survey available by state and organizational size (or on a national basis).

Mayor Gordon believes Guam wage OK

Philippine Leaders Acknowlege: Guam Prevailing Wage ALREADY High

By Jeff Marchesseault - Guam News Factor

GUAM - It appears there's no stopping Olongapo City Mayor James Gordon Jr. from digging up, searching for, and finding emplolyment opportunity on Guam for workers once employed at U.S. Navy defense facilities in the Philippines' Subic Bay. Leaving no stone unturned, Mayor Gordon has reportedly been to Guam twice in the last two months.

The Mayor is unrelenting in the face of daunting challenges relative to the rules that will govern wage rates and foreign workers. Right now a battle is brewing over 2010 Defense Authoriztion Act amendments that would limit foreign worker participation in Guam's massive military buildup to 30 percent and would raise construction worker pay to roughly $26 an hour. A Manila Standard column explains that the current $12-an-hour rate now anticipated by Philippine-based workers is already considered high pay by exchange rate standards.

The controversial amendments have already passed the House and are now before the U.S. Senate as part of the $550.4 billion Defense Authorization Act. Local Guam businesses and the Camacho Administration are fighting against this bill they deem bad for business.

Whatever the final form of the national defense spending law for 2010, the Mayor of Olongapo is evidently lining up the best possible employment opportunities for his constituents and offering his best arguments for their hire. And he's reportedly not about to overlook the offshore interests of hometown entrepreneurial colleagues, either. Here's how Manila Standard Today columnist Jojo Robles sums up Gordon's unfolding game plan:

Mayor Gordon says he wants former Subic base workers who were trained by the US Navy to get priority in the hiring process. American military authorities, he says, already know the dedication and professionalism of Olongapo’s workers, who have undergone training in various specialized skills under the direction of the Americans.

The mayor visited Guam twice in the past two months to work out arrangements for the employment of workers from Olongapo, Zambales and Bataan. He also brought local businessmen with him so they check out bidding rules for contracts and projects that will be available once the buildup starts.

Wage Proposal being debated

Wage provision worrisome: Proposal could lead to higher cost of living

BY CONNOR MURPHY • PACIFIC DAILY NEWS

A proposal to increase wages for workers on military buildup construction projects could lead to more expensive homes and a higher cost of living, said some in the business community.

The annual defense spending bill, recently passed by the House of Representatives, contains an amendment by Hawaii Rep. Neil Abercrombie that would require wages paid to construction workers of buildup projects on Guam to be at least as high as those paid to similar workers in Hawaii.

Those Hawaiian wages are up to 250 percent higher than Guam's current wages, according to a recent Congressional Budget Office report. The report stated that if the proposal were to become law, it would increase the cost of the buildup by $10 billion.

Abercrombie has said he included the amendment -- as well as one to limit work done by foreign workers to 30 percent of each project -- to ensure that buildup-related jobs go to Americans at good wages.

The Senate is working on its annual defense spending bill, and the two bills will be reconciled before a final version is sent to President Obama for his signature.

All construction workers on island would likely see higher pay if the construction wage hike was increased, said Roseann M. Jones, professor of economics and policy planning at the University of Guam.

"I think it's going to take a little bit of the wind out of the sails of the construction industry," she said.

Yesterday's Washington Post included an editorial blasting Abercrombie's wage proposal, citing the costs involved.

"Why add to the burden on taxpayers with these unnecessary provisions?" the editorial asked. "It is tempting to seize on any plan that tries to offer Americans jobs, but this cost is too great."

Housing Affected

Since labor costs are a large portion of each construction project's price tag, this would translate to higher costs for virtually all construction on island, said Peter Sgro, president of International Group Inc., which has been engaged in numerous financial and real estate transactions.

= = =

WAGES: GUAM VS. HAWAII

Wages determined by the Department of Labor for federal projects under the Service Contract Act (all figures are rates per hour) versus Hawaii's:

Jobs In Guam . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . .In Hawaii %Change

Carpenter, maintenance $13.00 $30.88 +137.5%

Electrician, maintenance $14.99 $28.25 +88.5%

Heavy equipment mechanic $14.81 $26.98 +82.2%

Heavy equipment operator $13.73 $29.54 +115.1%

Painter, maintenance $13.55 $23.09 +70.4%

SPEAK OUT

Guam Delegate Madeleine Bordallo

Call: Guam District Office 477-4272; Washington, D.C. Office 202-225-1188

Comment online: www.house.gov/bordallo

Write: 120 Father Duenas Avenue, Hagåtña, Guam 96910

Hawaii Rep. Neil Abercromie

Call: Hawaii District Office: (808) 541-2570; Washington D.C. Office: (202) 225-2726

Online: www.house.gov /abercrombie

Write: 1502 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20515

Japan Commits $336 Million In Guam Buildup

Japan Commits $336 Million In Guam Buildup Funding For FY09

By Jeff Marchesseault - Guam News Factor

GUAM - As debate rages on over controversial Guam-buildup spending amendments to a 2010 Defense Authorization Act that has already passed the full House and is awaiting action in the Senate, Tokyo is putting its money where it's mouth is regarding the buildup.

The U.S. State Department issued a statement today that Tokyo is moving forward with its end of the agreement to transfer U.S. Marines from Okinawa to Guam by offering an initial $336 million in payments relative to the move.

Japan Today's Sunday Edition reports that the payments answer the requirements spelled out in a transfer accord that took effect on May 19.

According to Japan Today:

The accord gives a legal basis to the 2006 Japan-U.S. agreement on the realignment of U.S. forces in Japan, commonly referred to as the ‘‘road map,’’ which Tokyo and Washington say is meant to reduce the burden on communities near U.S. bases. It legally requires Tokyo to spend up to $2.8 billion on infrastructure projects on the U.S. territory in the Pacific. The $336 million, or about 34.6 billion yen, will be used for infrastructure projects in the Finegayan area and Apra Harbor on Guam, the ministry [Foreign Ministry] said.

Here is the official media release from the U.S. Department of State:

U.S. and Japan Moving Forward on U.S. Force Realignment

Office of the Spokesman

Washington, DC

July 11, 2009

On July 11, 2009 in Tokyo, Chargé d’Affaires ad interim of the United States of America James P. Zumwalt and Japanese Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone exchanged Notes pertaining to the transfer of funds provided by the Government of Japan to the United States Government in accordance with the Agreement on the Relocation of United States Marine Corps Personnel from Okinawa to Guam, signed by Secretary of State Clinton and Foreign Minster Nakasone on February 17, 2009.

Based on the exchanged Notes, the Government of Japan will provide $336 million to the United States Government during FY2009 to be used for projects to develop facilities and infrastructure on Guam for the relocation of 8,000 U.S. Marines and their dependents from Okinawa to Guam. This is a significant step forward towards implementation of the realignment package.

The United States Government remains committed to the full implementation of the realignment package as agreed in the May 1, 2006 Realignment Roadmap.

Projects to be funded by the Government of Japan during FY2009 for the relocation of U.S. Marines from Okinawa to Guam:

On-base infrastructure project in Finegayan area (initial phase) $124.8 million

On-base infrastructure project in the north area of Andersen Air Force Base $27 million

On-base infrastructure project in Apra area $169.1 million

Design project (fire station and bachelor enlisted quarters in Finegayan area, and port operation unit headquarters building and medical clinic in Apra area) $15.1 million

TOTAL $336 million

Abercrombie: No To "Wage Slave Class" On Guam

Written by Kevin Kerrigan - Pacific News Center

Guam - Hawaii Representative Neil Abercrombie is standing by his controversial amendments to the 2010 Defense Authorization Act that critics have said would double the cost of the Guam military buildup and spark inflation on island.

Abercrombie inserted two provisions in the Act, one requiring Hawaiian construction wages be paid on Guam buildup jobs, the other restricting H-2 workers to just 30% of any buildup job.

Guam's Governor, Delegate Madeleine Bordallo, island business leaders, and some, but not all legislators, oppose the Abercrombie amendments.

A recent Editorial in the Washington Post criticized Abercrombie's amendments as being too costly.

However, from PNC's Washington Bureau, Peter Granitz of Capital News Connection (CNC)(http://www.cncnews.org/) caught up with the Hawaiian Representative to ask about the criticism.

Abercrombie defended his amendments saying they will prevent employers from exploiting low-wage workers on Guam.

“There’s no way we’re going to have an elite making a ton of money and a wage slave class out in Guam, no more second class citizenship for workers in Guam," Abercrombie told CNC.

In response to the Washington Post Editorial, Abercrombie said the Post should concentrate on journalism: “I’d ask any of the Post’s editors: Will you work for the prevailing wage in Guam? When you do that you can start lecturing me or anybody else about what people should earn.”

The Defense Authorization Act has moved onto the Senate. A final vote is not expected until the fall.

Guam buildup excites Olongapo-Subic workers

The plan to move the US military bases from Japan to Guam is getting the people who worked at the former American facilities in this country excited. Building new military bases in Guam, three hours from Manila, is expected to generate employment for the thousands of people who once worked in US bases here.

Guam Gov. Felix Camacho was in town recently to check out plans of local employment companies to deploy Filipinos to work on the new bases, which will replace US military facilities in Okinawa, Japan. Camacho reportedly said that while Filipinos may get some of the work, they will have to compete with US citizens who have lost their jobs recently because of the recession.

But Olongapo City Mayor James Gordon Jr. is one of those who remain upbeat about the possibility of getting high-paying ($12 an hour) jobs for his constituents during the so-called Guam Buildup. The $10 billion project—funded mostly by Japan—is expected to bring up to 25,000 active duty troops and their dependents from Okinawa to the US territory.

Mayor Gordon says he wants former Subic base workers who were trained by the US Navy to get priority in the hiring process. American military authorities, he says, already know the dedication and professionalism of Olongapo’s workers, who have undergone training in various specialized skills under the direction of the Americans.

The mayor visited Guam twice in the past two months to work out arrangements for the employment of workers from Olongapo, Zambales and Bataan. He also brought local businessmen with him so they check out bidding rules for contracts and projects that will be available once the buildup starts. By Jojo Robles - Manila Standard Today

Washington Post: Guam Buildup's $10 Billion Wage Add-On "Too Costly"

By Jeff Marchesseault - Guam News Factor

GUAM - A Washington Post editorial just published online is adding to the growing criticism of the $10 billion more in Guam construction wages called for in the House version of the 2010 Defense Authorization Act.

Amendments added by the House Armed Services Committee and passed by the full House would ensure that 70 percent of the federal construction jobs associated with Guam's 2010 military buildup plans would go to U.S. citizens and that industry wages would be pegged to the prevailing rate in Hawaii -- more than double that of Guam.

The effect would add another $10 billion to the cost of a buildup already estimated at $15 billion. The Post editorial says the provision should give U.S. senators and taxpayers pause and offers an alternative:

If giving U.S. workers jobs on Guam is a priority, this could be accomplished without driving wages up artificially to such a high level. You could, for example, keep the 70 percent restriction on foreign workers and let the market determine their wages. But given that Japan is paying for much of the relocation, does it make sense to limit the participation of Japanese construction firms and their workers?

The Post makes no mention of the Philippine workforce preferred by Guam officials on grounds of precedence (Filipino construction workers have built much, if not most, of post-war Guam), cultural similarities, and English-language proficiency.

The Post does recognize, however, the high cost of the amendments to U.S. taxpayers, who are already suffering the effects of a major recession:

These provisions will complicate a process already fraught with challenges. Guam's overburdened infrastructure will be sorely taxed by the new arrivals, who will amount to a 14 percent population increase, requiring an estimated $6.1 billion of work on roads, water, sewerage, waste processing and the power grid. Since Guam's annual budget is less than $1 billion, this money will have to come from outside. Why add to the burden on taxpayers with these unnecessary provisions? It is tempting to seize on any plan that tries to offer Americans jobs, but this cost is too great.

John Dela Rosa contributed to this analysis.

Guam's Manila Trade Mission Piques Philippines Business Interests

Written by Guam News Factor Staff Writer Jeff Marchesseault

GUAM - By many accounts, Governor Camcho's trade mission to the Philippines is being hailed a right move at the right time.

A Manila Standard Today columnist reports that Guam's recent outreach visit to Manila more than made up for a lack of attendance by Philippine businesses at the island's buildup business- outreach trade show called Guam Industry Forum III.

Attended by thousands and packed to capacity with activities spread across three hotels, the third annual forum was sponsored by the Joint Guam Program Office and Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) in Tumon in April.

Here is an excerpt from the MST column suggesting that the Guam delegation's personal visit sent a powerful message that Guam is serious about its desire for Philippine investment:

Filipino manpower and construction enterprises joined the initial batch of companies that signed up in the series of industry forums lined up by the US island territory in April. No major Filipino company, except for EEI Corp., joined the forum in Guam.

The Manila round of the industry forum on Tuesday, however, drew some major Philippine companies, including Petron Corp., Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co., Stradcom Corp., Penta Capital Investment Corp. and representatives of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Chemical Industries of the Philippines.

On July 1, the Office of the Governor of Guam issued the following media release:

Guam Trade Mission to Manila Attacts Serious Interest:

Governor Camacho issues invitations to do business on Guam

Governor Felix P. Camacho yesterday attended a conference in Manila as part of the Guam Trade Mission delegation that met with approximately 150 senior executives from several Philippine companies to expand on their initial interest in doing business in Guam. The executives represented companies from the fields of technology, real estate, construction, insurance, financial services, agriculture, aquaculture and medicine. In addition to Governor Camacho, members of the Guam delegation included representatives of the Guam Economic Development Authority (GEDA) and members of the island’s private sector.

“I am excited that these companies are looking to extend their services to our island and we certainly welcome their investment,” said Governor Camacho. “I informed them that my office and GEDA are ready to assist with their entry into the Guam market.”

Philippine companies in attendance included Petron Corporation; Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company;; Land Registration Systems, Inc.; 1 Document Corporation; Stradcom Corporation; Penta Capital Investment Corporation; Saludo, Fernandez, Aquino and Taleon Law Offices; and HP Diagnostic. Additionally, the conference was attended by the Philippine Representative of Asian Development Bank as well as representatives of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Chemical Industries of the Philippines.

A number of private businesses are sponsors of the trade mission, including Continental Airlines; International Group, Inc.; Pacific Rim Brokers, Inc.; Land Registration Systems Inc.; Stradcom Corporation; 1 Document Corporation; Century Insurance Co. Ltd.; and the Marianas Business Journal.

“I would like to thank Governor Camacho and GEDA for their participation in this event. While this mission was arranged by a number of individuals in the private sector, the support we have received for the Governor and GEDA is proving invaluable,” said Peter R. Sgro, chairman and executive officer of International Group. “We look forward to the next step in the process as these organizations firm up their plans.”

Jobs await Filipinos in Guam, Japan

Thousands of Filipino workers could be hired in the construction of new military bases on the US territory of Guam, the island’s governor said during a visit to the Philippines.

Jobs also beckon in Japan, which is looking not only for Filipino health workers but also engineers, information technology

experts and other professionals, according to an official of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica).

Guam will be hiring between 10,000 and 15,000 workers to support the US military buildup, including the relocation of 8,000 Marines and their families from Okinawa over the next few years, Gov. Felix Camacho told reporters in Manila on Tuesday.

No to Chinese workers

He said he expected skilled Filipino workers to fill job demands that could not be met by local labor alone.

“It is not exclusive but the likelihood is that most will be from the Philippines,” Camacho said. Chinese workers will not be hired because of security concerns related to work on military bases, Camacho said.

Several years ago, Filipinos were also tapped to build facilities in Guantanamo in Cuba where suspected al-Qaida members linked to 9-11 were detained.

Minimum wage

The US House armed services committee last week passed a bill saying foreign workers won’t be allowed to do more than 30 percent of the work on the Guam projects.

The 2010 National Defense Authorization Act would require that the minimum wage for all Guam construction projects be at the prevailing wage level for similar work in Hawaii, said US Rep. Neil Abercrombie from Hawaii.

The buildup in Guam will cost at least $15 billion. Japan is covering $6 billion of the bill.

Tip of iceberg

Filipino engineers, information technology experts and other professionals are welcome to work in Japan especially since the Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (Jpepa) has already taken effect, said Togo Hiroshi, principal Jica senior representative to the Philippines.

“[Jobs for] caregivers and nurses are just the tip of the iceberg,” Togo said yesterday.

He said the same message was reiterated to President Macapagal-Arroyo during her most recent state visit to Japan.

First batch

Some 270 Filipinos were deployed to Japan in May, comprising the first batch of nurses and caregivers to be allowed to work in the land of the rising sun following the ratification of Jpepa.

Under Jpepa that the Senate ratified in October last year, Japan and the Philippines agreed to improve business ties, such as easier access to each other’s markets. The agreement also allows more Filipinos to work in Japan.

Aging population

Togo said Japan’s aging population made it necessary for the Japanese economy to allow the entry of foreign workers to fill in current and future job vacancies.

Since many Filipinos seek employment and better opportunities offshore, Jpepa is a win-win solution for both countries, he said.

More than 200,000 Filipinos are based in Japan, according to government estimates.

In the first quarter of the year, they remitted $185 million to the Philippines, accounting for 4.6 percent of the total remittances from overseas Filipinos during the period.

Arroyo administration officials said the availability of more jobs in Japan for Filipinos was a welcome development for the Philippines, whose economy is partly dependent on remittances to spur household consumption.

Japanese language

For Filipinos to more easily find jobs in Japan, they must study the Japanese language, said Matsuda Norio, Jica representative to the Philippines.

While most Filipino workers know how to speak English, some Japanese firms prefer applicants who can speak Japanese, he said.

“Many Filipino workers think that learning English is enough. They don’t realize that learning Japanese is important as well,” he also told the Inquirer.

Matsuda said it would benefit Filipinos seeking to work in Japan to undergo enhanced training, as most of Japanese firms’ labor requirements are stricter than average.

Robust remittance

The further opening of the Japanese labor market to Filipinos was one reason the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) cited for projecting that remittances would remain robust this year.

Contrary to forecasts by some economists that remittances would shrink, the BSP said the worst would be a flat growth. The country recorded a total of $16.4 billion in remittances last year.

The BSP said robust remittances, which fuel household consumption, would help prevent the Philippine economy from slipping into recession.

Philippine Daily Inquirer - Reports from AP and Michelle V. Remo

Guam construction boom lures Filipinos

The partial relocation of the American military base in Okinawa, Japan to the tiny Pacific island of Guam has stirred up the interest of a number of Filipino companies. The massive development, which could cost up to $15 billion in six years, this early has attracted over a thousand Guamanian and foreign companies, including those from the Philippines.

Filipino manpower and construction enterprises joined the initial batch of companies that signed up in the series of industry forums lined up by the US island territory in April. No major Filipino company, except for EEI Corp., joined the forum in Guam.

The Manila round of the industry forum on Tuesday, however, drew some major Philippine companies, including Petron Corp., Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co., Stradcom Corp., Penta Capital Investment Corp. and representatives of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Chemical Industries of the Philippines.

Guam Gov. Felix Camacho said the island would require 15,000 workers, preferably Filipinos, for the infrastructure buildup to accommodate about 25,000 US Marines, soldiers, family members and civilian employees from the Okinawa military base. Guam, with a current population of nearly 200,000, has to expand its airport and seaport, build more roads and bridges and provide other facilities for the US military personnel and their dependents.

Filipino health care personnel will also be in demand when Guam transforms itself into a major US military base in the Pacific.”Guam is substantially underserved in health care services. Filipino nurses that have passed the requisite US licensure examinations and Filipino doctors that have US board certifications are qualified to apply,” says Camacho. By Rey Enano - Manila Standard Today

Guam governor expects Filipinos to fill jobs

(AP): Thousands of Filipino workers could be hired in the construction of new military bases on the U.S. territory of Guam, the island's governor said during a visit to the Philippines.

Guam will be hiring between 10,000 and 15,000 workers to support the U.S. military buildup, including the relocation of 8,000 Marines and their families from Okinawa over the next few years, Gov. Felix Camacho told reporters in Manila on Tuesday.

He said he expected skilled Filipino workers to fill job demands that cannot be met by local labor alone.

"It is not exclusive but the likelihood is that most will be from the Philippines," Camacho said. Chinese workers will not be hired because of security concerns related to work on military bases, he said.

The buildup will cost at least $15 billion. Japan is covering $6 billion of the bill.

U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie of Hawaii said last week that foreign workers won't be allowed to do more than 30 percent of the work on the projects.

The 2010 National Defense Authorization Act requires the minimum wage for all Guam construction projects. The Star

Proposal adds $10B to cost of buildup

BY CONNOR MURPHY • PACIFIC DAILY NEWS

A proposal to sharply increase the wages of Guam workers on military buildup construction projects would add $10 billion to the price tag of the buildup, according to a new Congressional Budget Office report.

The National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal 2010, which authorizes yearly spending for the Department of Defense, was passed by the House of Representatives Friday.

While the bill was in the House Armed Services Committee, Hawaii Rep. Neil Abercrombie submitted an amendment requiring that workers on military buildup construction projects here are paid at least as much as workers on similar projects in Hawaii.

Those Hawaiian wage rates are about 250 percent higher than those in Guam, according to the June 22 Congressional budget report, which cites the Joint Guam Program Office.

The $550.4 billion House bill includes a record $934.5 million for military construction projects on Guam in fiscal 2010 as the island prepares for the move of 8,000 U.S. Marines, as well as their 9,000 dependents, from Okinawa by 2014.

The Senate currently is working on its version of the defense funding bill, and the two will be reconciled before a final version is sent to President Obama.

The Department of Defense already planned to contribute $4.2 billion for the buildup, but the higher labor costs could increase the cost by about $10 billion, according to the report.

"Because labor costs account for about 40 percent of project costs, increasing wage rates as required by (the amendment) would double the cost of completing the construction projects necessary for the realignment of forces," the report states.

Japan's share of the buildup is expected to be $2.8 billion, but an increase in wages would be paid for by the U.S. government, the report states.

"Although the cost of all projects would increase, (the budget office) does not expect that the Japanese government would increase its share; thus, the U.S. government would need to provide the additional funds necessary to complete construction," it states.

Guam Delegate Madeleine Bordallo has said the Abercrombie proposal raises serious concerns. Both the Guam Contractors Association and the Guam Chamber of Commerce oppose it.

Abercrombie has said he included the measures to ensure that buildup-related jobs go to Americans at good wages.

Abercrombie also included an amendment that limits foreign labor to 30 percent of each project, but the financial impact of that measure wasn't included in the budget report.

Another measure, which would authorize $126 million to compensate Guam residents who suffered when the Japanese occupied the island during World War II, and their survivors, also wasn't discussed.

Panel OKs Guam pay, labor rules

A House committee has approved wage and labor conditions governing the huge buildup on Guam for the transfer of 8,000 Marines from Japan, including a 30 percent cap on foreign workers and pay scales similar to Hawai'i's.

The Marines begin their move to Guam next year. Work there on infrastructure to support them is expected to cost $10 billion and generate thousands of jobs and scores of large contracts, some potentially for companies in Hawai'i.

The House Armed Services Committee recently agreed to the wage and labor conditions, written by Rep. Neil Abercrombie, D-Hawai'i, a senior member of the committee. They're part of a bill authorizing military spending for 2010.

Abercrombie said he is concerned foreign contractors on Guam might cut corners and hire overseas workers to toil under substandard conditions, edging out American companies bound to higher standards.

"At a time when a depressed economy has dealt a body blow to our construction industry, the Department of Defense should not even consider turning over badly needed jobs to foreign workers at questionable wages," said Abercrombie, who is running for governor in Hawai'i. "This is a huge opportunity to put Americans to work in an American territory, building an American military base."

But some of Abercrombie's restrictions have raised red flags with Delegate Madeleine Bordallo, D-Guam, who also sits on the Armed Services Committee. The Marines' move would be a huge economic boon for Guam, and congressional infighting could delay it.

Of special concern for Bordallo is linking construction wages for U.S. military building on Guam to the Hawai'i pay scale. Hawai'i's construction wages can be double the pay on Guam.

"This provision adds significant costs to the projects, which raises serious concerns," Bordallo said. "I believe the Department of Defense and the committee leadership will evaluate this provision more closely as the defense bill progresses."

Abercrombie's concerns stem from a measure in the Marine relocation plan that would allow Japanese contractors the same access as American firms — in Hawai'i and elsewhere — to more than $2.5 billion in contracts to build military housing on Guam.

Typically, military housing on American territory is built using a 20-year-old public-private arrangement. Private firms — usually American — finance and build the housing in exchange for long-term maintenance and rental contracts.

Japanese access to the housing contracts would come as part of a deal in which the Japanese would provide financing for more than half the total cost of the Marine Corps move to Guam, first estimated at $4 billion and now at $10 billion and rising.

The Japanese government has been under intense political pressure to get the Marines off Okinawa since 1995, when three U.S. servicemen raped a 12-year-old girl there, straining U.S.-Japan relations. In all, the U.S. has about 50,000 military personnel in Japan.

Lawmakers have raised concerns about the size, scope and cost of the move to Guam, as has the Marine Corps' top officer.

The Marine commandant, Gen. James Conway, recently told House appropriators that the move might not be complete by the 2014 deadline, raising the specter of more cost overruns.

A recent report from the Government Accountability Office concluded that Guam's infrastructure — roads, ports, electrical grid and waste facilities — would be highly stressed by the influx of the Marines and their dependents. By JOHN YAUKEY - Advertiser Washington Bureau