Employment

Black Contractors Call the City of Oakland’s Proposed Project Labor Agreement a Form of Modern-Day Slavery!

Published

7 years ago

August 17, 2019

The City of Oakland held a workshop Aug. 10 at the West Oakland Youth Center. to seek input on the potential impacts of a proposed citywide Project Labor Agreement (PLA), which is attached to a proposed, Surplus Land Ordinance.

The discussion also included a Community Workforce Agreement.

Darlene Flynn

Darlene Flynn, director of the City’s Race and Equity Department, provided a statistical analysis of the current landscape in the city and Junious Williams was the moderator.

Unlike the previous workshop held in East Oakland, union representatives were noticeably absent. But Brigitte J. Cook, chief of staff for Council Member Lynette Gibson McElhaney was present to witness an audience of predominantly Black contractors who were opposed the concept of a blanket PLA.

Willie McGary, a 30-year Black contractor and owner of Hercules Builders, said, “(A) Project Labor Agreement is a form of modern-day slavery. Just like crop sharing unions, they force you to pay union dues and give you nothing in return. If you don’t pay, they boycott your business and make it difficult for you to get work.”

The workshop created 25 recommendations to the City Council for action prior to adoption of a Project Labor Agreement.

City staff assured participants that their concerns would be relayed to the full Council and not altered.

The Black contractors requested an education meeting with City Council members.

Monsa Nitoto

“A policy decision of this magnitude deserves the Council’s full participation, not lip service. This issue is just as important as the homeless crisis,” said Monsa Nitoto, executive director of the Workforce Collaborative.

When the late Ray Dones set up the National Association of Minority Contractors in the 1960s, there were 350 Black construction firms in Oakland. Now there are less than 100. Black contractors are on a path to extinction.

Community Activist Gene Hazzard said, “It is a falsehood that Oakland Blacks are not skilled enough to get work in the construction industry. These white general contractors import workers from outside Oakland and put them up in local hotels and claim them as Oakland residents.

Gene Hazard

“With the office of Contract Compliance having one person to monitor 80+ projects, no one verifies compliance of local hire. You look at the 15 plus large projects in Downtown Oakland with large cranes, and you will see none of them have Black contractor participation. A majority have no Black workers on the job site.”

Jonathan Dumas, employment services supervisor of the city’s Contracts and Compliance department, stated, “The (City) cannot require local hire or local business participation on privately financed projects”.

Louis Summerhill, a 25-year electrical contractor, said, “(Union) policies are designed to discriminate against Black contractors and Black workers.

“The unions have by design moved all their certified, state-approved apprenticeship training programs out of Oakland. They have set up training programs in Pleasanton, Fairfield, Benicia, Sacramento, Concord and San Jose; locations that are difficult for Oakland residents to access.

“I believe that unless and until unions agree and demonstrate an adjustment to their policies and practices, we should not give them the privilege of having a dedicated Project Labor Agreement on City-sponsored projects.”

Jabari Herbert, Focon Construction, a 20-year Black general contractor, said, “The only way

Jabari Herbert

to address this issue of developers and general contractors not being inclusive of local and minority participation on privately financed projects is by amending the Building Permit code to require any project which requires a conditional or unconditional use permit by the Oakland Planning Commission, to comply with the City of Oakland’s 50 percent resident, and local hire requirement.

“There are three ways this can be done; 1) voluntarily by the applicant for the permit, 2) by direction of the City Council, and 3) by Oakland ballot approval”.

He further stated, “In addition, developers and prime contractors should be fined a substantial amount for non-compliance with local hire goals. If they choose to pay a minimal fee for noncompliance, they should be barred from future city contracts.”.

Bernida Reagan

Bernida Reagan, an executive with Merriwether and Williams Insurance Services, stated, “Black contractors need help because they cannot get the performance bonds required to work on Public Works projects. There needs to be a technical assistance provision in the proposed Project Labor Agreement to address this barrier for small, minority and woman owned businesses.”

Currently, the City issues less than 5 percent of its contracts to African American businesses. The City is conducting a voter-mandated Disparity Study to identify areas of discrimination and potential recommendations to remedy the disparities. The Surplus Lands policy should not be adopted prior to the release of this very important Disparity Study.

The third and final community engagement workshop will be held on Monday, Aug. 19 at the San Antonio Senior Center, 3301 E. 12th St. in Oakland from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Eddie Dillard

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Bay Area

How Is AI Affecting California? The State Wants You to Share Your Story

The program marks the first time the state has opened the platform to all Californians. State officials said the effort is designed to give residents a direct role in discussions about how AI should be regulated and used as the technology rapidly expands across industries.

Published

3 weeks ago

May 17, 2026

Oakland Post

iStock

By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced May 7 that California is expanding its Engaged California digital democracy initiative statewide, inviting residents to help shape future state policies on artificial intelligence (AI) and its impact on jobs and the economy.

“We’ve got to be clear-eyed about this moment: AI is moving fast, bringing enormous opportunity, but also real risks,” Newsom said in a statement. “Californians deserve a seat at the table as we shape what’s to come.”

The initiative will roll out in two phases. Beginning immediately, Californians can sign up online to share how AI is affecting their work and communities and provide ideas for possible government action. Later this summer, a smaller group reflecting the state’s workforce demographics will participate in live discussions focused on developing policy recommendations.

State officials said the goal is to identify areas of agreement among Californians and provide policymakers with public feedback as the state develops future AI regulations and workforce strategies.

Engaged California is modeled after digital democracy programs used in Taiwan and is intended to encourage structured public discussion rather than social media-style debate. Officials described the effort as a form of “deliberative democracy” aimed at helping residents engage directly in state decision-making.

“The more Californians are engaged in the democratic process, the better able we’ll be to confront the challenges we face together,” said Nick Maduros, California Secretary of Government Operations, in a statement.

The statewide launch builds on two earlier pilot programs. One pilot gathered public input following the Los Angeles firestorms to help guide recovery efforts, while another collected ideas from state employees about improving government operations.

California has positioned itself as a national leader in AI policy and development. Since 2023, the Newsom administration has introduced initiatives focused on responsible AI use in government, cybersecurity protections, workforce training and regulations targeting risks such as deepfakes and AI-generated robocalls.

The state has also partnered with companies in Silicon Valley — including NVIDIA, Google, Adobe, IBM and Microsoft — to expand AI education and workforce training programs across California schools and universities.

Oakland Post

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Activism

Asm. Jackson Bill Requiring Anti-Hate Speech Training for Calif. Public Officials Sent to “Suspense File”

The bill, authored by Assemblymember Corey Jackson (D-Moreno Valley), would add one hour of anti-hate speech instruction to the sexual harassment prevention training already required for state and local officials. The proposal applies to legislators, constitutional officers, city council members, county supervisors and school board trustees statewide and would take effect in 2028 if approved.

Published

3 weeks ago

May 17, 2026

Oakland Post

Photo courtesy of the office of Assemblymember Corey Jackson (D-Moreno Valley).

By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

After a hearing on May 6, the Assembly Appropriations Committee ordered Assembly Bill (AB) 1578 to the Suspense File, delaying action on legislation that would require California public officials to complete anti-hate speech training.

“It’s time for us to continue to work on and finally go on the offense when it comes to hate racism and xenophobia to make sure that all people are able to live in the state of California with the dignity and honor that they deserve,” said Jackson, who also chairs the Assembly Select Committee on Racism, Hate and Xenophobia.

On April 16, the Assembly Committee on Governmental Organization voted 16-5 to advance the measure to Appropriations. Jackson has said the bill is part of a broader legislative package informed by findings from the Commission on the State of Hate and aimed at addressing hate in public spaces, workplaces and institutions.

In the California Legislature, a bill is placed on the “Suspense File” when it has a significant fiscal impact on the state budget — generally costing the state $150,000 or more from the General Fund or $50,000 or more from a special fund. Bills sent to suspense are held by the Assembly or Senate Appropriations Committee and reviewed later in a single batch hearing, where lawmakers decide which measures move forward, are amended, or quietly die without a vote.

Jackson said the training would focus on the real-world consequences of inflammatory rhetoric.

Supporters, including the Alameda County Office of Education, say the training would help elected officials better understand how language can perpetuate bias.

“In the current political climate, where discourse can often become polarized and inflammatory, it is more important than ever for elected officials to receive specialized anti-hate speech training,” wrote Lucy Carter, director of policy and governance for the Alameda County Office of Education, in a letter supporting the bill.

Opponents, including the California Family Council, argue the term “hate speech” is too subjective and could suppress political disagreement.

Oakland Post

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Amsterdam News

School District Extends Supt. Dr. Denise Saddler’s Contract for a Second Year

The Oakland Board of Education has extended Superintendent Denise Saddler’s contract through June 2027, promoting her from interim to permanent superintendent with a salary of $367,765.45 per year.

Published

3 weeks ago

May 15, 2026

Oakland Post

Supt. Dr. Denise Saddler. File photo.

By Post Staff

The Oakland Board of Education voted this week to extend Superintendent Denise Saddler’s contract for another year, from July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2027.

Under the new agreement, Saddler’s job title will become “superintendent”; she will no longer be called “interim.”

Along with the new title, she will receive full superintendent benefits and salary at $367,765.45 per year, according to the employment agreement.

The vote to approve the new contract passed 5-2 at Wednesday night’s board meeting.

Saddler’s original interim contract was for one year. The school board was planning to select a permanent superintendent by the fall but earlier this year decided to delay the search.

The new contract reflects the Board of Education’s “determination that continuity in executive leadership is in the best interests of the district as Oakland Unified continues implementation of its fiscal stabilization strategies, academic priorities, labor relations initiatives, and operational improvements,” the employment agreement reads.

In November, the board approved a $150,000 contract with a consulting firm to carry out that search, but Board President Jennifer Brouhard told KQED last month that the process never got off the ground.

“No work was done, no money has been paid for the work (to) the search firm for the superintendent search,” Brouhard said. “Hopefully, we’ll be resuming that in the early part of the fall.”

Dr. Saddler was born and raised in Oakland, attended local schools, and has dedicated more than 45 years of her career to serving Oakland students and families.

She began her career in 1979 as a teacher of students with disabilities. Over the years, she has served as a teacher, principal, district leader, and teachers’ union president.

While working in OUSD, she has served as principal at Chabot Elementary, area auperintendent, and executive leader for Community Engagement and Educational Transitions. She has also supported schools as a principal coach and substitute principal and taught at UC Berkeley’s Graduate School of Education.

Dr. Saddler holds a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Mills College and master’s degrees in special education and in Staff Development and Administration.