Trade unions segregate construction in Oakland

Bendu Griffin Washington wears safety gear on a construction site. by Bendu Griffin Washington Open letter to Oakland City Council President, Council Member at Large and Council Members: Of all the months that the City of Oakland would choose to remind Black contractors that they are not equal citizens with the same rights as non-Blacks when it comes to City contracting, February, the month that we celebrate Black History, should not have been that month! We as a City tout “love life” as our mantra, but when it comes to policies and practices around procurement, love is not for the Black contractors and consultants. Thanks to those of you who are still continuing the fight to ensure equality in contracting! At the Feb. 20 City Council meeting, we had to fight the lies that the construction trade unions have workforce and safety policies that are different from those that the City has. Well, that is not true. The City of Oakland and all other governmental agencies do not have workforce policies or safety policies. Agencies are only to develop policies and procedures that lay out how they plan to enforce what their respective states and the federal government have mandated...