Roxbury construction jobs

Item Information

Title:
Roxbury construction jobs
Description:
Carolyn Sawyer reports that a group of unemployed laborers are picketing the construction site of the new Post Office in Dudley Square in Roxbury. The picketers are demanding that fifty percent of the laborers on the site be residents of the Roxbury community. Press conference held by the picketers at the site. Rev. Graylan Hagler from the Church of the United Community says that the men will not go away with "crumbs." Picketers Ivan Singleton, James Gun, and Ron Nelson also speak out at the press conference. Interview with Stephen Coyle of the Boston Redevelopment Authority, who is trying to mediate the dispute. Coyle says that the community is legitimately concerned about the high rate of unemployment among residents. He adds that he expects similar protests during upcoming construction projects. Sawyer reviews the agreement concerning minority participation in the construction project. 1:00:37: Visual: Footage of Graylan Ellis-Hagler (Church of the United Community) speaking at a press conference held at the construction site of the new Post Office in Dudley Square. A group of African American men stand behind Ellis-Hagler. Ellis-Hagler says that he and the men will not go away with "crumbs." Ellis-Hagler says that if his men do not work, then nobody works. Shots of the Post Office construction site in Dudley Square. Carolyn Sawyer reports that no one has worked at the Post Office construction site since last Friday. Sawyer reports that picketers have refused to be moved. V: Footage of Ivan Singleton (unemployed laborer) speaking at the press conference. Singleton says that he lives in the community; that laborers on the construction site are coming in from outside of the community. Singleton says that he wants to work on the site. Footage of James Gun (unemployed laborer) speaking at the press conference. Gun says that unemployed laborers in the community are not working on any of the construction jobs in the community. Shot of the Post Office construction site. Sawyer reports that the workers want the fifty percent of the laborers on the site to be residents of the Roxbury community. Sawyer notes that federal law requires minority participation to be ten percent. Sawyer reports that the Post Office has agreed to hire 30% of the work force from the community. V: Shot of a Post Office building in the city. Footage of Stephen Coyle (Boston Redevelopment Authority) being interviewed in his office. Coyle says that the Post Office has satisfied the law and made an agreement with the community. Coyle says that the community is not satisfied. Coyle says that the Post Office and the community appear to be on a collision course. Sawyer reports that Coyle is charged with keeping the project on schedule; that the project is due to be completed next August. Sawyer notes that Coyle met separately today with Suffolk Construction (general contractor of the construction site), with Post Office officials and with Roxbury residents. V: Footage of Coyle being interviewed by Sawyer. Coyle says that the community has legitimate concerns; that unemployment rates are high. Sawyer reports that he expects more of these kinds of disputes in the future. V: Footage of Coyle being interviewed by Sawyer. Coyle says that there will be more tension surrounding upcoming construction projects; that there are not enough jobs and contracts for everyone. Coyle says that he hopes the public sector will engage in more capital projects in the future; that an increase in capital projects would ease the tension. Sawyer reports that government budgets are tight; that more capital projects appear unlikely. V: Shots of the Post Office construction site; of an African American man at the press conference. Footage of Ron Nelson (unemployed carpenter) at the press conference. Nelson says that laborers are coming in from outside to take food from the mouths of community residents. Nelson says that money from the construction is not circulating in the community. Nelson says that the unemployed laborers will continue to picket until they are allowed to work.
Date:
December 21, 1990
Format:
Film/Video
Genre:
News
Location:
WGBH
Collection (local):
Ten O'Clock News
Subjects:
Picketing
Construction industry
Affirmative action programs
African American religious leaders
African Americans--Employment
Unemployment
Press conferences
Places:
Massachusetts > Suffolk (county) > Boston
Roxbury (Boston, Mass.)
Link to Item:
http://bostonlocaltv.org/catalog/V_0J0P00PW0YEAYEA
Terms of Use:
Rights status not evaluated.
Contact host institution for more information.
Publisher:
Ten O'Clock News