Trade unions say lack of work handicaps efforts to diversify By PHIL FAIRBANKS, Buffalo News
With about 25 unemployed African-American men looking on, local union officials and their critics Monday debated the unions' record in integrating their rank-and-file membership, one of the goals of the $1 billion school construction project.
'We've just found out the numbers aren't there, in reality or on paper,' said Ross, president of the Black Chamber of Commerce of Western New York. 'We need to redo this whole thing.'
Ross was referring to local statistics, released last month, that show one out of every 10 unionized construction workers is a minority and one out of 50 is a woman.
The numbers offer a glimpse at the racial and gender makeup of the building trade unions as they try to diversify their membership.
'There's ongoing recruitment among the locals all the time,' said Burke, president of Carpenters Local 289 in Cheektowaga.