Support for Black Workers & Good Union Jobs

WHEREAS, the NAACP is committed to enhancing opportunities for Black construction workers in the areas of education, training, mentorship, leadership development and networking in the construction industry; and

WHEREAS, the NAACP will continue to engage in promoting social, economic, and political justice for construction workers within their workplace, our communities, our state and our nation; and

WHEREAS, there is a job crisis of Blacks working in the construction industry including 50% Black unemployment or underemployment and job salaries making less than $12.00 an hour; and

WHEREAS, the State of California Division of Labor Standards Enforcement has Labor Standards Enforcement offices across the State of California which enforce labor laws and ensure that public works contractors comply with prevailing wage regulations, with goals of making tangible positive differences in the fight for racial justice, and elimination of income inequality by monitoring and advocating for more diversity and quality in union jobs; and

WHEREAS, the creation of additional Labor Standards Enforcement Offices in states and cities across the country provides the greatest opportunity to lead the way in providing support to Black workers to make a real concrete difference in solving the economic and racial inequality in the lives of its members and the Black community; and

WHEREAS, creating these types of offices separate from affirmative action office efforts ensures that federal civil rights and equal opportunity language, including enforcement and monitoring, be applied to both locally and federally funded projects covered by project labor agreements; and

WHEREAS, U.S. cities across the country will have building projects in our communities including buildings, schools, homes, roads, bridges, and shopping centers where we live, work and spend our money. Black workers must be a part of those projects.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the NAACP reaffirms its advocacy for the establishment of Project Labor Agreements and the establishment of state and local Labor Standard Enforcement Offices that will monitor the Project Labor Agreements to ensure the hiring of African American construction workers.