Boston, Massachusetts Aug 6, 2020 (Issuewire.com) - Last week, the Baystate Banner published a story titled “Building trades unions won’t disclose racial data”. It was refreshing to hear the Chair of the Boston Employment Commission, Travis Watson say “Union jobs in the city are still not providing work to residents, people of color, and women at rates consistent with the Boston Residents Jobs Policy (BJRP) goals of 51% of worker hours going to Boston residents, 40% to people of color, and 12% to women.”
Since 2012 the Black Economic Justice Institute (BEJI), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit has been leading the charge to get jobs for Boston residents, people of color, and women. The construction industry is the right industry to champion for those who are typically left out of participating in high paying, permanent, full-time jobs, because the industry is dependent on both public and private construction contracts for a large portion of their income.
Tracking data from 2012 forward BEJI has found contractors and workforce compliance abysmally low. Since 2012, City of Boston construction contractors have awarded just around 30% of total work hours to people of color, residents, and women combined. The City collects this data and tracks these hours and is not enforcing its own directives. Additionally, the City would not even be aware of this blatant lack of respect for City ordinances if it were not for the hard, tedious work of BEJI protesting outside of construction sites. We protested outside of the Bruce Bolling Municipal Center, 225 Center St., JP, the airport, Chinatown, Downtown Crossing Millennial Partners, and Tropical Foods. We worked with the Casino industry to get jobs for residents, people of color, and women. Moving forward we must fight for people of color, residents, and women to be considered for every hour of work.
The Union Trades are no better than the prime contractors. Electricians, pipefitters, ironworkers, and plumbers hire people of color for less than 30% of total work hours. BEJI protests, we track data, we partner with public and private organizations, we are on the front lines of these issues and are ignored by the press, the City and other organizations when they need information or report on compliance with the Boston Jobs Policy.
This is the City we live in, all of us, and someone, somewhere has to be ashamed of the fact that Black people have a net worth of $8 while white people have an average net worth of $247,500. The National average wealth of Blacks is $12,290 and for whites, $143,900. SHAME ON BOSTON. BEJI has worked with the Mayor’s office, with contractors, and the Attorney General’s office. We are tired and we are sick and tired of being tired. Boston must stop saying we have to do better, Boston you are out of excuses and out of time.
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