WooSox Ballpark: Worcester Wins a Community Benefits Agreement!

The City of Worcester and Worcester Red Sox will sign a Community Benefit Agreement with the Worcester Community Labor Coalition!

It’s official.  A stadium is being built in Worcester.  This is good news for job creation and our coalition wants to make sure this economic development is also real community development.

Read our letter to Pawsox Owners that over 38 community organizations have signed on to.

February 27, 2019 Neighborhood Community Forum – more info here.

Here some of the recent news about our coalition’s involvement in the Ballpark discussion:

Opinion Letter in Telegram & Gazette October 8th, 2019:

https://www.telegram.com/news/20191008/letter-community-benefit-agreement-would-be-home-run-for-worcester

Future Focus Media Co-op coverage of Hit a Home Run – Sign the CBA Rally 7-11-19 before ground breaking:

Worcester News Tonight leading up to groundbreaking:

https://youtu.be/KGOIUxHpOcU

WoMAG – Project Labor Agreement Needed In Worcester Red Sox Deal:

https://www.worcestermag.com/news/20190314/your-turn-project-labor-agreement-needed-in-worcester-red-sox-deal

The Nation:

“What Happens When Gentrification Comes to a Postindustrial City?”

Worcester News Tonight Interviews

https://youtu.be/MRkyIgfXgIk?t=279

Worcester labor group weighs in on planned PawSox move to city

https://worcestermag.com/2018/08/27/updated-worcester-labor-group-weighs-in-on-planned-pawsox-move-to-city/61898

Local labor group calls for community input on WooSox project

http://www.wbjournal.com/article/20180827/NEWS01/180829953

Labor Coalition will be a watchdog in baseball stadium project

http://www.telegram.com/news/20180827/labor-coalition-will-be-watchdog-in-baseball-stadium-project

Most at Worcester ballpark development hearing say it could boost city

 
Mass Live:
https://www.masslive.com/news/worcester/index.ssf/2018/09/we_should_put_our_values_on_th.html

Green Island Community Meeting

Worcester Community Labor Coalition would like to invite you to a

Community Meeting about the WooSox Ballpark and Community Benefits Agreements

5:30pm – 7:30pm

Thursday, May 16, 2019

at Pernet Family Health, 237 Millbury St, Worcester

  • Good local jobs!
  • Keep Green Island affordable!
  • Environmental Justice!

Childcare and interpretation will be available.More info: WorcesterCommunityLaborCoalition.org

Help spread the word on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/events/641550892957232/

YWCA Passes CBA

On Friday, February 22nd, 2019, the YWCA of Central MA signed the first Community Benefit Agreement with the Worcester Community-Labor Coalition.

The YWCA stands by what it believes and is putting their words into action by making this public affirmation of commitments with our partners;

  • 100% woman lead construction management team
  • 100% livable wage jobs with benefits
  • Placing diversity guidelines on the contractors and subcontractors working on their $24 million renovation project with hiring goals for women, people of color, apprentices and Worcester County residents.

The YWCA is committed to only hire responsible contractors; businesses that maintain accredited apprenticeship programs and pay workers a living wage that includes benefits.

“With the signing of this agreement, the YWCA is pledging to our members and to the community that we will be placing hiring guidelines on the contractors and subcontractors hired for the renovation of the Salem Square YWCA that create real and achievable goals for the hiring of women, people of color, apprentices and Worcester County residents on this project.” – Linda Cavaioli, YWCA Central MA Executive Director

“This is a great step for Worcester. We’d like to see this happening more in Worcester. By working together, we’re not only fulfilling the mission of the YWCA but also the long fought after union goals of creating good jobs for our members. Ultimately, Worcester is a better place when we commit to investing in our workforce.” – Brian Brousseau, President Worcester-Fitchburg Building Trades

“We are proud to have the YWCA create a model for a union-community partnership which uses its construction project to both improve and expand their facility while also benefiting the community through creating good, living-wage jobs with benefits and apprentice opportunities that benefit local residents and people often left out of construction projects, women and people of color. We hope to see this example replicated by other community minded businesses and organizations in Worcester.”

Frank Kartheiser, Worcester Community Labor Coalition Co-Chair

Future Focus Media Co-op Coverage:

WoMAG Coverage:

WoMAG Article: “YWCA signs first community benefit agreement in Worcester history”

Radio: https://www.worcestermag.com/news/20190226/listen-worcester-magazines-bill-shaner-talks-cbas-on-talk-of-commonwealth

Worcester News Tonight Coverage:

Neighborhood Community Forum – Ballpark/Community Benefit Agreements

The Worcester Community Labor Coalition organized a Neighborhood Community Forum on Wednesday, February 27, 2019

Worcester Magazine Article about the forum here.

.

Live Video from Future Focus Media Co-op:

Photo gallery from Future Focus Media Co-op:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=ms.c.eJxNktttQDEIQzeqeAXM~%3BotVFxqnv9bBMSbaphC4qUFg~NERurU6yv38CXX0I1r6T4DmjESQ8G~%3BklNNjTDOfKVawO2IeqWEl9KjxyCYRQ1CA9yfo4bPIIaQuYRP9CKPXBjs3GOJMdL0ERMe0jULOiDEY1iOcwib118d6gB7R~_4o~_Yht7u2yFdnfBrh~%3B~%3B1pdPSMlL5FmCplmfRzWXqyXOJSp673ILKp3lUrmcj0fb85i7KNfHlqwsuRWfIMWSdW7bYSQ22G1MRTBfSvkdbPqoW6GKWqR6Q0nEEknBV2COmNbl8NmYpBKPmMs5~_C1rWk8EiSnI641s0gKDTY4M5kAMwW1r~%3BzoSvyZQrFU~-.bps.a.1921807011280959&type=1&xts[0]=68.ARC4mcABaBOO-Z8XvnHa0R0513g4zyvZIwZfU7Uf4S7MOE9C3dDimf9qwgpEB-3yX_2IRymTdP9cITzcZFVNA3OblzcanMMlBA7Qt8HhWuqqHGMVO7ELXDIRNXGabVUWKgJkj-XY80HCNW4mnH49Khv_oJtDGkxXLdZj62H3vJ6Q8bStzUOXHA5cRhovAqYZ3bTwCWfvpD8sOulkMbUuMo2MJMeyviz7QaNL67jFw1gLbYaAgXg6vL_r0ElbZWrh0kDLd71VD7JyrVn4F_PTAXO0xwE5k276FOGMod95N1WhILFk8V1X__2jGozNJn_a9-KCOGlEkSmMu6ipiGFWpkoK2VzHcgN-NUiYcZULSg8KLUqnJCPFYDeScc6HVhqlMGYKH6pwj2j0o6ZtjFgKDV04wIHZsERabqp6AC7_eLmqzeCf3zzpPRAgIeE8QBqLVF75FjysDTWR43GyG-b_yZpBa9jDILMGoZ0mA54H7MJdwigXpjAJGEByN0QRdajFCmYXGGquXKZtJ18wB_9rZkOLEsSkZ_ASLFa4WtCocowlTkY1mofY0n81JDISDUa5dDa_rlR_8wmaxBETjx5g_QIKJi_SA&tn=HH-R

at PNI Club,290 Millbury St, Worcester, MA

Thank you to the over 150 people who attended this forum.

Worcester Red Sox Ballpark and Community Benefit Agreements

We discussed how large development projects can benefit the community and heard from people organizing elsewhere and locally to ensure resident voice.

SPONSORS:

  • Neighbor to Neighbor MA
  • Pernet Family Health Services
  • Indigenous Peoples Network (with support from the Island Foundation)
  • Main St Alliance
  • Future Focus Media Co-op
  • Worcester Roots
  • Social Venture Collaborative / Worcester State University’s Center for Social Innovation
  • Greenvitalize Urban Growers
  • MNA – Massachusetts Nurses Association – Regional Council 2
  • McNickles & Associates
  • Mass. Women of Color Coalition (MAWOCC)
  • East Coast Auto Works
  • Greater Worcester Our Revolution
  • EPOCA
  • Worcester Interfaith

Speakers:

Maritza Cruz, YWCA / Co-Chair, Worcester Community Labor Coalition

Jack Donahue, Carpenters Union / Co-Chair, Worcester Community Labor Coalition

John Washington, Director of Organizing, PUSH Buffalo

Odessa Kelly, Co-Chair, Standup Nashville (twitter video) will join us by video conference

Flyer in Spanish

Worcester Works Press Conference

Thank you for joining us to advocate for good jobs, racial and economic justice, through the Worcester Works Campaign at a media conference: 12:30pm on Thursday, August 30th, 2018

Media Coverage:

Clive McFarlane: Voices for economic, social justice raised in Worcester

http://www.telegram.com/news/20180831/clive-mcfarlane-voices-for-economic-social-justice-raised-in-worcester

Worcester News Tonight:

Future Focus Media Cooperative full press conference video:

Visit Us On FacebookCheck Our Feed