Commentary

Commentary: Local Unions Proposal Will Shut Out Black, Contractors, Workers in Oakland Construction Projects

Published

7 years ago

August 2, 2019

The City of Oakland tried to sell an audience of primarily Black residents and a handful of Black contractors on establishing a Project Labor Agreement on all construction projects over $1 million at a meeting hosted by the Office of the Administrator Office of Contract Compliance on July 25, 2019.

The proposed PLA is being sponsored by the Alameda County Building Trades Council (ACBTC), which is the umbrella organization for all unions operating in the county.

ACBTC’s actions will result in insuring work for their membership while it effectively locks out Black contractors who are not dues-paying members of a local. Since Black contractors won’t get contracts on projects funded and subsidized by the city, whether by design or not, neither will Black men and women get opportunities to work.

Of the approximately 120 people in attendance, 80 were Black people seeking employment in the construction industry. There were three Black developers and eight Black construction sub- contractors. The City staff told the Black unemployed residents if they joined the union the chances they would get a good-paying job would be greatly increased. Nothing could be further from the truth.

In the real world people cannot just join a local. You have to have a sponsor (a firm that recommends you). You must be employed by the sponsor, that means you must have a job first before you are eligible to join a union local. In order to be in the construction industry you must go through an apprenticeship program and there are NO apprenticeship programs in Oakland, I repeat there are no apprenticeship program in Oakland. The last apprenticeship program in Oakland was the Skill Center on San Pablo avenue in the ’80s. It closed in the ’90s.

Elaine Brown, developer of affordable housing in West Oakland asked the staff if the PLA would apply to all Oakland projects and staff replied that the proposed PLA would only apply to projects that had a City of Oakland subsidy of some form, either land or money.

Another participant asked if all the projects using large building cranes in downtown Oakland would be subject to the PLA and staff replied that because the projects are privately financed the City has no control over who the hire. No local business participation requirement and no local hire requirements on these projects.

Robert Browning, a member of the East Bay Small Business Council and small black contractor, stated that ACBTC has been asked for 10 years to provide a breakdown by its 37 locals of the number of Oakland residents who are ethnic minorities. According to Browning, 20 locals have no Black members and the remaining 17 locals have less than 10 percent Black Oakland workers.

Browning also said that unions have abandoned training Oakland Blacks in construction and moved their training facilities to Sacramento, Concord, Benicia, Pleasanton and San Jose, well out of reach for Oakland residents. Until the unions start recruiting, training, and placing Oakland Black residents in jobs the unions don’t deserve special privileges, Browning said.

The reality of the proposed PLA is further complicated by the ill-conceived Surplus Public Lands policy that staff is circulating around the City and due for consideration by the City Council in September. This effort by City Councilmember Dan Kalb is a concept of designing a program to sell public land for the highest and best use.

The City should delay consideration of a city wide PLA until the City Disparity Study currently being conducted is released and shape the Surplus Land Policy based on the finding of the study.

There were no council members present at the July 25 meeting, and, to date, very few of the Council members have been actively engaged in the community outreach efforts.

Deborah Flynn, director of the Department of Equity and Race said that the “the Council is looking for (public) input before they decide whether to mandate a PLA and what elements should be included.”

The City will host another PLA outreach meeting at the West Oakland Senior Center in August. Some City Council members should be present. The Oakland Black Contractors should have their voices heard.

Eddie Dillard

Posts by Eddie Dillard

Activism

Oakland Post: Week of March 18 – 24, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of March 18 – 24, 2026

Published

1 week ago

March 22, 2026

Oakland Post

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Oakland Post

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Advice

Financial Wellness and Mental Health: Managing Money Stress in College 

While everyone’s financial situation is unique, several common sources of stress have the potential to strain your financial health. These include financial and economic uncertainty, existing debts, unexpected expenses, and mental or physical health changes. Financial stress may differ from situation to situation, but understanding the factors contributing to yours may help you begin to craft a plan for your unique circumstances.

Published

2 weeks ago

March 17, 2026

Oakland Post

Sponsored by JPMorganChase

As a college student, managing financial responsibilities can be stressful.

If you’ve found yourself staying up late thinking about your finances or just feeling anxious overall about your financial future, you’re not alone. In one survey, 78% of college students who reported financial stress had negative impacts on their mental health, and 59% considered dropping out. While finances can impact overall stress, taking steps to manage your finances can support your mental, emotional and physical well-being.

When it comes to money, the sources of stress may look different for each student, but identifying the underlying causes and setting goals accordingly may help you feel more confident about your financial future.

Consider these strategies to help improve your financial wellness and reduce stress.

Understand what causes financial stress

2. Determine your financial priorities

Start by reflecting on your financial priorities. For students this often includes paying for school or paying off student loans, studying abroad, saving for spring break, building an emergency fund, paying down credit card debt or buying a car. Name the milestones that are most important to you, and plan accordingly.

3. Create a plan and stick to it

While setting actionable goals starts you on the journey to better financial health, it’s essential to craft a plan to follow through. Identifying and committing to a savings plan may give you a greater sense of control over your finances, which may help reduce your stress. Creating and sticking to a budget allows you to better track where your money is going so you may spend less and save more.

4. Pay down debt

Many students have some form of debt and want to make progress toward reducing their debt obligations. One option is the debt avalanche method, which focuses on paying off your debt with the highest interest rate first, then moving on to the debt with the next-highest interest rate. Another is the debt snowball method, which builds momentum by paying off your smallest debt balance, and then working your way up to the largest amounts.

5. Build your financial resilience

Some financial stress may be inevitable, but building financial resilience may allow you to overcome obstacles more easily. The more you learn about managing your money, for instance, the more prepared you’ll feel if the unexpected happens. Growing your emergency savings also may increase resilience since you’ll be more financially prepared to cover unexpected expenses or pay your living expenses.

6. Seek help and support

Many colleges have resources to help students experiencing financial stress, like financial literacy courses or funds that provide some assistance for students in need. Talk to your admissions counselor or advisor about your concerns, and they can direct you to sources of support. Your school’s counseling center can also be a great resource for mental health assistance if you’re struggling with financial stress.

The bottom line

Financial stress can affect college students’ health and wellbeing, but it doesn’t have to derail your dreams. Setting smart financial goals and developing simple plans to achieve them may help ease your stress. Revisit and adjust your plan as needed to ensure it continues to work for you, and seek additional support on campus as needed to help keep you on track.

 JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. Member FDIC