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Commitments and Contingencies - Collective Bargaining Agreements and Multi-Employer Pension Plans (Narrative) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified | 6 Months Ended |
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Jun. 30, 2013 | Nov. 15, 2011
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items] |  |
Multiemployer plans, collective bargaining arrangement, description | Certain of MasTec’s subsidiaries are party to various collective bargaining agreements with unions representing certain of their employees. The agreements require the subsidiaries party to the agreements to pay specified wages, provide certain benefits to their union employees and contribute certain amounts to multi-employer pension plans and employee benefit trusts. The multi-employer pension plan contribution rates are determined annually and assessed on a “pay-as-you-go” basis based on union employee payrolls. |
Multiemployer plans, collective bargaining arrangement, expiration date, description | The collective bargaining agreements expire at various times and have typically been renegotiated and renewed on terms similar to the ones contained in the expiring agreements. |
Multiemployer Plans, Pension [Member] |  |
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items] |  |
Underfunded multi-employer pension plans, funding requirements and penalties, description | The Pension Protection Act requires that underfunded pension plans improve their funding ratios within prescribed intervals based on the level of their underfunding. In addition, if a multi-employer defined benefit plan fails to satisfy certain minimum funding requirements, the Internal Revenue Service may impose on the employers contributing to such plan a nondeductible excise tax of 5% on the amount of the accumulated funding deficiency. |
Multiemployer Plans, Pension [Member] | Central States Southeast And Southwest Areas Pension Fund [Member] |  |
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items] |  |
Multiemployer plans, withdrawal liability | $ 6.0 |
Multiemployer Plans, Pension [Member] | Withdrawal from Multiemployer Defined Benefit Plan [Member] | Central States Southeast And Southwest Areas Pension Fund [Member] |  |
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items] |  |
Multi-employer pension plan withdrawal obligation, description | On November 15, 2011, the Company, along with other members of the Pipe Line Contractors Association (“PLCA”), voluntarily withdrew from the Central States Southeast and Southwest Areas Pension Fund (“Central States”), a defined benefit multi-employer pension plan that is in critical status. In connection with this withdrawal, a $6.4 million withdrawal liability was established based on an estimate provided by the Central States administrator of such liability as of the date of withdrawal. The Company began paying installments towards this withdrawal liability in 2013, of which $6.0 million was outstanding as of June 30, 2013. The Company withdrew from Central States in order to mitigate its liability in connection with the plan; however, Central States has asserted that the PLCA members did not effectively withdraw in 2011 and are, therefore, responsible for a withdrawal liability that includes 2011 contribution amounts. By letter dated March 14, 2013, Central States made a demand on the Company for the sum of $10.8 million in withdrawal liability, which sum included 2011 contribution amounts. The Company is vigorously opposing this demand because it believes that it legally and effectively withdrew from Central States on November 15, 2011. If Central States were to prevail in its assertion that the Company, in fact, withdrew after that date, then the amount of the Company’s withdrawal liability would increase to approximately $10.8 million. In addition, if Central States were to undergo a mass withdrawal, as defined by ERISA and the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, within the three year period commencing with the beginning of the calendar year during which the Company withdrew from the plan, there could be additional liability. |
Multiemployer plans, withdrawal liability | 6.0 | 6.4
Maximum loss | $ 10.8 |

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- Definition Describes management's process to evaluate the contingency matter and to estimate the impact on the financial statements and ongoing operations, such as added credit risk or loss of customers, including pertinent information to adequately disclose the matter and significant assumptions underlying the estimates. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 5 -Paragraph 9, 10, 11, 12 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 450 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6952336&loc=d3e14435-108349 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 450 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 9 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6952336&loc=d3e14557-108349 + Details
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- Definition The estimated maximum amount of possible loss from the contingency. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name FASB Interpretation (FIN) -Number 14 -Paragraph 3 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 5 -Paragraph 9, 10, 11, 12 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 450 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6952336&loc=d3e14435-108349 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 450 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 9 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6952336&loc=d3e14557-108349 + Details
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- Definition Description of the bargaining activity related to collective-bargaining arrangements requiring contributions to a pension or postretirement benefit plan to which two or more unrelated employers contribute where assets contributed by one participating employer may be used to provide benefits to employees of other participating employers. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 80 -Section 50 -Paragraph 5 -Subparagraph (d) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=14450570&loc=SL14450657-114947 + Details
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- Definition Description of the significant collective-bargaining arrangements within the range of expiration dates for collective-bargaining arrangements requiring contributions to a multiemployer plan as well as other information to help investors understand the significance of the collective-bargaining agreements and when they expire. A multiemployer plan is a pension or postretirement benefit plan to which two or more unrelated employers contribute where assets contributed by one participating employer may be used to provide benefits to employees of other participating employers. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 80 -Section 50 -Paragraph 5 -Subparagraph (d) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=14450570&loc=SL14450657-114947 + Details
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- Definition Description of the extent to which the employer could be responsible for obligations of the multiemployer plan, including benefits earned by employees during employment with another employer. A multiemployer plan is a pension or postretirement benefit plan to which two or more unrelated employers contribute where assets contributed by one participating employer may be used to provide benefits to employees of other participating employers. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 80 -Section 50 -Paragraph 7 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=14450570&loc=SL14450678-114947 + Details
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- Definition Amount of the obligation recognized by withdrawing from a pension or postretirement benefit plan to which two or more unrelated employers contribute where assets contributed by one participating employer may be used to provide benefits to employees of other participating employers. + References No definition available. + Details
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