The Metro Transportation Authority (MTA) in Los Angeles pledged significant African American participation during the construction phase of the Metro Crenshaw/LAX Transit Corridor and also signed a project labor agreement to ensure that Blacks received adequate employment representation. But contractors have drastically underperformed in the hiring of African Americans in the first phase of the Crenshaw Advanced Utilities Relocation PLA for Targeted Worker Attainment.
According to MTA internal documents obtained by the Los Angeles Sentinel, which revealed the number of individual hires, Blacks ranked lower than any other demographic group. After Mayor Antonio Villraigosa required the promoting of African American hiring during the construction phase, the number of Blacks hired in the month of February nearly doubled the percentage of the previous two months to 5.81 percent for February and escalated again in March to report its greatest gains yet reaching almost 8 percent.
“Finally, I think we are moving in the right direction because more African Americans are now included in the work force,” said Mayor Villraigosa. “However, I am not satisfied and will not be until I see that African Americans who live in this community are employed and reflected in the bottom line. “I believe that it is only appropriate that residents of this community be active participants and work on this rail system being built. I want to see the number of people hired that represents the population of the community. They deserve it and I demand it. My legacy as mayor of the City of Los Angeles rides on it.”
article by Kenneth Miller, Los Angeles Sentinel via postnewsgroup.com
November 17, 2024