Construction Careers Program: Policy Adoption by the L.A. Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA)

Lead Group(s):
Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy
Los Angeles County Federation of Labor
Los Angeles & Orange County Building Trades Council
UCLA Center for Labor Study and Research

 

Support Group(s):
A New Way of Life Reentry Program
Bethel AME
Communities in Schools
First New Missionary Baptist
Homeboy Industries
IBEW Local 11
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
Iron Workers Local 416
Iron Workers Local 433
Painters District Council 36
PIPE Trust Fund
SCOPE/AGENDA
Southern Christian Leadership Conference
StateBuilding Trades Council
UA Local 250
United Jobs Creation Council

Description of the problem the campaign is seeking to address:
Construction jobs, formerly well-paid, are becoming non-union, low-wage, and no benefits. There is a need for public policy to require contractors to increase the number of union jobs and to encourage unions to make these jobs accessible to low-income workers through apprenticeship slots and hiring thresholds.

Description of the Victory:
The L.A. CRA adopted a policy that many CRA-invested development projects employ workers at union standards, and meet hiring thresholds that make construction jobs accessible to low-income urban residents.   

Description of the long-term impact of the Victory:
The policy is projected to result in creation of more than 15,000 good jobs over five years, including at least 5,000 for residents of the low-income neighborhoods in which CRA projects are typically located.In addition to opening jobs to local residents, the policy requires that 10% of the jobs be available to low-income people who face special barriers to employment such as being homeless or having a history in the criminal justice system.It is especially significant that the policy applies to developers engaged in private development.

We have begun efforts to initiate similar policies at the Los Angeles Port and LAX airport for construction work.Cumulatively, these policies will impact tens of thousands of workers.Other cities are replicating the policy to increase job quality and local hiring.