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

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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.

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Activism

PRESS ROOM: Oakland Pic Hosts New Year’s Career & Resource Expo 

OPIC CEO Pastor Raymond Lankford expressed his enthusiasm for the event, stating: “This Career Fair is not merely a gathering of employers and prospective employees; it’s a platform for opportunity, growth, and community collaboration. We are thrilled to bridge the gap between Oakland’s talented residents and the employers who recognize their potential. Together, we are building a stronger Oakland.” 

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Connecting Employers and Talent in Oakland and Beyond 

OAKLAND, CA – Oakland Private Industry Council, Inc., is hosting the New Year’s Career & resource Expo on Thursday, February 8, 2024, at 12 noon at the Oakland Coliseum – Eastside Club – 7000 Coliseum Way, Oakland CA 94621.

This exciting event brings together over 70 employers, all seeking to hire Oakland residents with various skill levels to fill a wide range of employment opportunities. Additionally, a collaborative of resource agencies will be in attendance, providing further assistance to job seekers.

OPIC CEO Pastor Raymond Lankford expressed his enthusiasm for the event, stating: “This Career Fair is not merely a gathering of employers and prospective employees; it’s a platform for opportunity, growth, and community collaboration. We are thrilled to bridge the gap between Oakland’s talented residents and the employers who recognize their potential. Together, we are building a stronger Oakland.”

For more information or to request media access, please contact Yawo Tekpa at yawot@oaklandpic.org.

OAKLAND PIC HOSTS NEW YEAR’S CAREER & RESOURCE EXPO 

  • Who:             All job seekers, with all ages and experiences welcome
  • What:              Connecting Employers and Talent in the Community
  • When: Thursday, February 8, 2024 at 12 noon
  • Where: Oakland Coliseum – Eastside Club – 7000 Coliseum Way, Oakland CA 94621.

OPIC INVITES YOUR ORGANIZATION TO PARTICIPATE IN OUR UPCOMING NEW YEAR’S CAREER & RESOURCE EXPO!!!

Dear Esteemed Employer & Community Organization Partner,

Oakland Private Industry Council, Inc. (OPIC) is excited to wish you a warm welcome into 2024! A new year, a new HOPE!!!

We enthusiastically invite your organization to participate in our NEW YEAR CAREER & RESOURCE EXPO at the OAKLAND COLISEUM!!!

DATE: THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2024

TIME: 12:00 NOON – 3:00 P.M.

LOCATION: OAKLAND COLISEUM – EAST SIDE CLUB

ADDRESS: 7000 COLISEUM WAY, OAKLAND CA 94621

Participating Employer & and Community Resource Partners will receive one six-foot table and two (2) chairs for this event. Additional information, including event details and logistics, will be forwarded after you sign-up.

Please confirm your attendance by completing the online registration link below by JANUARY 31, 2024 at the latest.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1bfv0LXBexc26AeE_cosSoQrpYrx2HXOIwn1bG47chwU/edit

Thanks to our invaluable network and partnership, we are giving HOPE to many community members through quality employment opportunities and supportive resources.

If you have questions, don’t hesitate to contact Yawo Tekpa, Assistant One-Stop Operator/Events Coordinator, at (510) 419-0392 office/ (510) 499-6657 cell.

Sincerely,

Raymond Lankford                Yawo S. Tekpa,

CEO                           Assistant One-Stop Operator/Events Coordinator

raymondl@oaklandpic.org                   yawot@oaklandpic.org

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Bay Area

Mayor Thao Rejects List of Candidates for Police Chief

One of the candidates was former Oakland Police Chief LeRonne Armstrong, who the mayor fired in February over mishandling and minimizing the importance of Internal Affairs investigations of individual officers. The other two candidates, according to KTVU2, were San Leandro Police Chief Abdul Pridgen, who was placed on leave in September during an investigation into departmental policy violations that the city did not reveal, and Kevin Hall, currently the assistant police chief in Tucson, Arizona.

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The three candidates for Oakland chief of police, rejected by Mayor Sheng Thao, are (left to right): former Oakland Police Chief LaRonne Armstrong, San Leandro Police Chief Abdul Pridgen and Kevin Hall, the Assistant Police Chief in Tucson, Arizona.
The three candidates for Oakland chief of police, rejected by Mayor Sheng Thao, are (left to right): former Oakland Police Chief LaRonne Armstrong, San Leandro Police Chief Abdul Pridgen and Kevin Hall, the Assistant Police Chief in Tucson, Arizona.

By Post Staff

Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao has rejected all three police chief candidates that had been forwarded to her by the police commission.

One of the candidates was former Oakland Police Chief LeRonne Armstrong, who the mayor fired in February over mishandling and minimizing the importance of Internal Affairs investigations of individual officers.

The other two candidates, according to KTVU2, were San Leandro Police Chief Abdul Pridgen, who was placed on leave in September during an investigation into departmental policy violations that the city did not reveal, and Kevin Hall, currently the assistant police chief in Tucson, Arizona.

Mayor Thao released a statement saying she is requesting a new list of candidates from the Oakland Police Commission.

Former police chief LeRonne Armstrong released a statement through his publicist objecting to the decision not to rehire him.

“It is unfair that I am unable to continue to serve and protect the people of Oakland,” he said. “As a native of Oakland, nothing gave me greater pleasure and pride than to work in my community and fight to improve it.”

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Activism

Advocates Want More Black Californians Involved in State’s Transition to EVs

“It’s not enough to build the infrastructure in low-income neighborhoods, the people in those neighborhoods need to have access to the jobs installing and maintaining that infrastructure,” said Charles Dorsey of The Dorsey Group, a Black-owned-and-operated Long Beach-based consulting firm.

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November 16, LA Auto Show Maxim Elramsisy CBM
November 16, LA Auto Show Maxim Elramsisy CBM

Maxim Elramsisy | California Black Media

When Los Angeles hosted its annual car show a little over a month ago at the LA Convention Center, it not only showcased the latest in automotive technology, but the event also transformed into a policy forum on clean energy, previewing what lies ahead for California’s electric vehicle (EV) future.

Battery-powered cars took center stage. They accounted for the majority of the more than 1000 vehicles on display, ranging from cars and trucks to motorcycles, recreational vehicles and semi-trucks.

For Black and other minority advocates in attendance, several concerns emerged. Among them were the impact of the transition to zero emissions vehicles (ZEVs) on Black Californians and how the state will equip low-income neighborhoods with the infrastructure needed when California bans the sale of all gas-powered vehicles in 2035.

“It’s not enough to build the infrastructure in low-income neighborhoods, the people in those neighborhoods need to have access to the jobs installing and maintaining that infrastructure,” said Charles Dorsey of The Dorsey Group, a Black-owned-and-operated Long Beach-based consulting firm.

Speaking on the sidelines of the car show in a meeting room tucked away from showgoers, Dorsey engaged in a lively policy discussion about California’s clean energy future.

“My hope is that this is also an opportunity for us to make a decision to do business with small and growing businesses, understanding that you’re going to have to work with them, so they can get to the same place; and that can be a metric for [success],” Dorsey said. “How many small businesses did we rock with until they became medium businesses because of the contracts that we are intentionally delivering there?”

With an average price of around $58,000 per vehicle, affordability is a significant hurdle for potential EV buyers despite a federal tax credit of $7,500. Concerns about the availability and access to charging stations — often referred to as range anxiety — may also impede adoption, especially in underserved markets where electric infrastructure is less available or apparent.

Advocates for equity say they are hopeful that there will be opportunities for Blacks and others to participate in the clean car value chain.

Plans to build charging stations and related infrastructure to support electric cars are creating new industries and opportunities for labor and manufacturing in the Golden State.

Currently, there are federal incentives for domestic manufacturing and purchasing of domestically manufactured EVs.

With EVs now being more than a quarter of all cars sold in California, policymakers, advocates and industry experts agree that the California automotive economy will be a significant driver of economic transition to zero emission vehicles (ZEVs).

California currently has 93,855 public and shared private electric vehicle chargers, but equity of access remains a concern.

“It’s important that we look at jobs in targeted low-income communities — everything from the innovation and design to manufacturing, production, assembly, construction, installation of these assets. All of those have job components,” said Larry Rillera of the California Energy Commission, speaking during a panel discussion at the car show.

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