By Charles LeConche
Why is history repeating itself over and over again here in Connecticut? Isn’t anyone listening?
For over 15 years, I have led the Connecticut First Coalition, which has promoted the concept of preference hiring of Connecticut companies and Connecticut workers. Easy to understand, but hardly agreeable in real world practice.
Most recently, I joined over 200 Connecticut construction workers on the protest line in Mansfield at the groundbreaking of the new ‘Storrs Center’ adjacent to the University of Connecticut main campus. Over 50 state and private industry dignitaries, including Governor Malloy participated in the lavish ceremony. I was there along with our workers to protest the hiring of out-of-state companies. Of course, these out-of-state companies bring out-of-state workers and usually with inferior work standards. In talking with the majority of the VIP’s, do you think I got one person to agree upon trying to hire local resources? Not one person listened or agreed. In fact, Governor Malloy made a point of stating in a television news interview that in-state preference policies were out of his control.
It’s time that our politicians and community leaders start listening or it’s time for new leadership.
For over 10 years, the University of Connecticut has spent billions of our hard earned tax dollars on construction projects utilizing, for the most part, out-of-state companies and out-of-state workers. As a result, the construction debacle continued for many years and taxpayers had to foot the bill for millions more.
Do you think any UConn official today would agree upon some kind of Connecticut company and Connecticut worker preference policy? I’ve tried. They are no longer listening.
Connecticut’s largest mixed-use development project continues in Stamford. The Harbor Point project started under then Stamford Mayor Dannel Malloy’s reign. Protests and numerous demonstrations were held. However, city and state leaders remained blind and deaf to our issues. In fact, today there are hundreds of out-of-state workers from Baker Concrete from Texas on the Harbor Point job site occupying positions that our local resources can most adequately fill.
But is Stamford Mayor Pavia listening?
Most recently and locally, the MDC is undergoing a long term, $2 billion upgrade project in the Hartford area. To date, the majority of the companies and workers involved with this project are from out-of-state locations. Why?
Local minority groups are also wondering why.
We conservatively estimate that if Connecticut preference policies were instituted, even so slightly, that our Connecticut economy would be jumpstarted with an additional $100 million each year. By instituting simple policies that include responsible contractor provisions, many out-of-state contractors would not be hired. These ‘bottom feeder’ companies that sometime hire illegal, untrained and unqualified workers would scatter to other states while our community construction standards would once again be raised.
We need our leaders to start listening right now. We need to institute a new economic formula that will include more job opportunities for our workers and a favorable growth climate for our companies.
Connecticut already has a talented resource pool. So, let’s put our companies and workers first.
Charles LeConche is business manager of Connecticut Laborers’ District Council.
