Activist Eddie Read Releases Statement Of Support For House Bill 924 As "Good For Workers"

Veteran activist Eddie Read Releases Advance Copy Of Official Statement of Support for House Bill 924 As "Good For Workers" - Scheduled To Be Voted On At Illinois State Senate Committee Hearing In Springfield Wednesday November 6th

CBUC

Chicago Black United Communities

330 East 37^th Street (Lu Palmer Place)

Chicago, Illinois 60653

cbucbipo@aol.com

773-848-8049

Lu Palmer, Founder Eddie Read, Chairman

House Bill 924 (summary)

Good for Workers

Committee Hearing – Illinois State Senate

November 6, 2013 – 10:00 a.m.

Submitted by : Eddie S. Read

An act concerning employment. This Bill addresses the provisions necessary to be a responsible bidder on construction contracts. The primary focus is to ensure that the prevailing wage act is implemented on all public works projects throughout the State of Illinois as well as projects that are paid for by public funds, (please read the complete bill). Furthermore, there is a provision that calls for the establishment of applicable apprenticeship and training programs approved by and registered with the United States Department of Labor’s Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training.

As the Chairman of Chicago Black United Communities, I encourage the passage of this bill by the Illinois Senate. We see the establishment of the United States Department of Labor’s Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training Program as a means to expand the opportunities of training for blacks, minorities and women at the municipal and local levels of the State of Illinois.

However, we recommend the following adjustments or amendments to HB924:

1.) The establishment of a joint apprenticeship council. Its purpose would be to ensure that the apprenticeship program is structured in an equitable way to encourage the participation of blacks, minorities and women in the apprenticeship and training program;

2.) The establishment of an independent monitor by the apprenticeship council to oversee the implementation of the apprenticeship and training program;

3.) The establishment of a “Hardship Fund” to assist small struggling contractors in the development, establishment and implementation of an apprenticeship and training program registered with the United States Department of Labor’s Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training Program.

We must take aggressive steps to urge that blacks, minorities and women get every

opportunity to be trained by a registered United States Department of Labor’s Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training Program. HB924 provides for a prevailing wage thus enabling that trainees and contractors to have the resources necessary to participate in the program.

For those who do not support HB924, what is your short term immediate and your long term plan to make certain that blacks, minorities and women get the registered and certified training that will allow them to work at the level of others who already have Union U. S. DOL Apprenticeship and Training credentials. We are available to make a more comprehensive presentation to prove that HB924 is good for workers be they union or non-union. In fact, it makes the playing field level for all workers. This initiative would increase the opportunity for blacks and minorities so that they would be properly trained on infrastructure projects as well as other public works projects that may be performed right in their neighborhoods where they live. In fact, some municipalities have residency requirements that could serve as a means of ensuring that people who live in those areas participate in the work. For example, municipalities like Robbins or University Park would be ideal as they have large minority populations.

We respectfully urge you to make HB924 law. Give impoverished people a chance to make more than minimum wage, give them the legal right to earn a prevailing wage as they are participating in a U.S. DOL Program. During the 1990’s the Illinois General Assembly passed one of the most comprehensive affirmative action initiatives in the country.The Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority statement of policy for the establishment and implementation of an MBE/WBE utilization plan for participation in contracting and purchasing and for the employment for women and minorities on the McCormick Place Expansion Project it provides a great guideline to how contractors should work together on public works projects. There are provisions for emerging firms, mentor protégé, joint ventures and even a formula recommended for a journeymen apprenticeship ratio. The responsible bidder language in this bill helps to cut down on the potential for contractors to obtain work and either not pay their workers or not pay them a fair and equitable wage. We are quick to challenge non-black contractors that do not pay black workers fairly, but there seems to be little or no redress to black contractors that do not pay black workers at all or fairly.

HB924 and The Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority statement of policy for the establishment and implementation of an MBE/WBE utilization plan for participation in contracting and purchasing and for the employment for women and minorities on the McCormick Place Expansion Project is a great formula for successful participation by contractors and workers on projects that are classified as public works or projects that receive public funding.

marksallen2800@aol.com
Chairman & COO National Black Wall Street Chicago
(Rev. Willie T. Barrow Consumer Education and Consumer Action Project)
Founder/Lead Organizer, Illinois Voter Restoration Civic Education Project
Chief of Staff to National Chairman, National Black Wall Street USA
"And The Ordinary People Said" News Blog, www.chicagonow.com
Chairman, Community Reinvestment Organizing Project
Listed in 2012 Edition Who' Who In Black Chicago
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Chicago, Illinois 60653
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The Rev. Al Sharpton calls Mark Allen "one of Chicago's legendary political activists and one of the best organizers of his generation"

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Activist Eddie Read Releases Statement Of Support For House Bill 924 As "Good For Workers"

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