African American Laborers Want Jobs on University of Chicago Construction Projects
The Black Economic Legal Team (BELT) is in conversations with the University of Chicago (U of C), 5801 S. Ellis Ave., about a perceived lack of African Americans laborers working on the school's construction projects. BELT is also encouraging residents in communities near the University to petitions for the hiring of more African Americans on construction projects there.
BELT is a non-for profit organization that advocates for employment opportunities and contracts for African American contractors, tradesmen and laborers in the south and west side communities of Chicago. The majority of BELT members are union trade workers who have upwards of 15 years of experience in their respective fields. BELT has been in existence for five years.
“We’ve been negotiating and requesting that the University of Chicago include us in the contracts and the economic opportunities as far as employment there,” said Russell Brown, Community Relations Director for BELT, who also has 25 years construction experience. “It’s all been futile, nothing but promises. After a few months of asking and asking about these jobs and contracts we decided to expose them and protest.”
BELT recently held a protest rally on U of C’s campus in hopes of drawing more attention to the matter. Brown stated that the protest was suspend after communication with the university resumed but stated that if progress isn't made, BELT will protest again.
Currently, five major construction projects are in progress at U of C.
The Chicago Citizen Newspaper contacted U of C about BELT’s claims and received the following response from Calmetta Coleman, U of C's Director of Communications for Civic Engagement.
“The University of Chicago is committed to supporting vibrant communities around our campus, which includes providing job opportunities for minorities, women, and other local residents. To ensure access to construction opportunities, the University has set a goal of a minimum of 25% participation for minority-owned enterprises and 5% for women-owned firms on major capital projects. We also require that at least 30% of total on-site workforce hours for every construction project be performed by Chicago residents, 30% by minorities, and 5% by women. As of the second quarter of fiscal 2014, current construction projects meet the goals for contracting with minority-owned firms and exceed our goals for contracting with women-owned firms and for workforce hours for minorities and Chicago residents. The University also encourages contractors to hire construction workers within zip codes surrounding our campus. (60609, 60615, 60616, 60619, 60621, 60637, 60649, and 60653).”
Members of BELT also feel that they are unable to obtain work at construction sites within the communities and surrounding neighborhoods in which they live.
“We demand that if you’re building in our community we should be included in the economics of our community,” said Brown. “If we can’t work in our community, where the hell can we work was my point to them and they’ve been in agreement with me but they haven’t been forthcoming with any employment or contracts.”
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