Michael P. Ross
Boston City Council, D8 Boston City Councilor At-Large
PRESS RELEASE
January 13, 2011
Contact: Amy Derjue, 401-368-8952
Councilors Ross and Pressley Announce Data for Boston Jobs Policy Compliance Is Now Online
Boston – In an effort to promote greater employment opportunity for Boston residents, particularly minorities and women, the Boston City Council recently passed an amendment to the Boston Jobs Policy requiring both the Boston Employment Commission and the Boston Redevelopment Authority to make available on line all information pertaining to residence, race and gender of those workers employed for large construction projects. Previously, this information was only available during business hours at City Hall.
That data is now available on the BRA website, at http://www.
The city’s policy is for developers and contractors to hire Boston residents for 50% of the total work hours performed, people of color for 25% or the work hours and women for 10%.
“The posting of this data—in searchable format—is a critical next step in improving employment practices in construction projects around the city. It is especially poignant given the approaching Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday that economic opportunity is available to all Bostonians, and that we continue to push for greater diversity in the workforce on our construction sites,” Ross said.
“It's critical there's a public and transparent accounting of contractors and subcontractors doing business in Boston,” said Councilor Pressley. “We're hopeful a more public and transparent process will encourage every contractor and subcontractor working in the city to make real best faith efforts to hire Boston residents, particularly people of color and women, when positions are available.”
“In the past, tradeswomen have been out of work while city goals were unmet. Now we know where the jobs are, and we can go get them,” said Elizabeth Skidmore of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters.
“The recently passed amendment further supports the aim of the Boston Jobs for Boston Residents program. It is important to understand that the demographic diversity of Boston is broad based and must be reflected in the opportunities for local work experience. The Massachusetts Black Business Alliance wholeheartedly supports the efforts of the City Councilors Ross and Pressley to advocate for all Boston residents when it comes to city contracts,” said Karl Nurse, Chairman of the Massachusetts Black Business Alliance.
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