U.S. House approves $155 billion jobs bill

Wed Dec 16, 2009 10:38pm EST

* Includes money for construction projects, aid to states

* Bank bailout fund would pay for $75 billion

* Follows on $787 billion stimulus bill

(Adds Obama comment, paragraphs 6-7)

By Andy Sullivan

WASHINGTON, Dec 16 (Reuters) - The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday narrowly approved a $155 billion measure that seeks to create jobs and blunt the impact of the worst recession since the 1930s.

By a vote of 217 to 212, the House approved additional spending for "shovel-ready" construction projects and money to avoid layoffs of teachers, police and other public employees. No Republicans voted for the bill, and 38 Democrats voted against it.

The Senate is expected to consider the measure early next year.

Leftover money from the government's $700 billion bank-bailout fund would cover $75 billion of the bill's price tag.

President Barack Obama and his fellow Democrats hope to bring down the 10 percent unemployment rate before the November 2010 congressional elections. Though the recession has eased its grip, the economy is still shedding jobs and voter anxiety remains high.

Obama applauded the House bill's "productive ideas," including highway repair projects, relief for the jobless and a brake on state and local layoffs.

"Some may think standing by and taking no action is the right approach, but for the millions of Americans still out of work, inaction is unacceptable," Obama said in a statement.

The bill reprises many approaches taken in the $787 billion stimulus bill that Congress passed in February. Congressional budget analysts say that effort has created up to 1.6 million jobs and blunted the impact of the recession.

"We are on the road to recovery and we are there because this Congress made some very important and difficult decisions to take us there," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said.

Republicans, who deride the first stimulus bill as a costly boondoggle, said the newer effort would only drive the country deeper into debt.

"This is nothing short of a taxpayer-funded Christmas shopping tree financed by our friends, the Chinese," said Representative Jerry Lewis, the top Republican on the House Appropriations Committee.

MONEY FOR CONSTRUCTION, SCHOOLS

The bill would provide $48.3 billion for infrastructure projects that promise to get workers back on job sites by April. Highway construction projects would get $27.5 billion, while subway, bus and other transit systems would get $8.4 billion.

As in the earlier stimulus bill, steel and other products used in these projects would have to come from the United States.

The bill would also help cash-strapped state and local governments avoid layoffs of public employees.

States would get $23 billion to pay 250,000 teacher salaries and repair school buildings, and $1.2 billion to pay for 5,500 police officers.

States would also get $23.5 billion to help pay their share of federal healthcare programs for the poor.

The bill does not include two approaches backed by the White House: increased lending for small business, and funds to make buildings more energy-efficient, but Democrats say they plan to take up additional job-creating measures next year.

The bill also extends unemployment benefits and healthcare subsidies for the jobless for another six months, at a combined cost of $53.3 billion.

Because the Senate is not expected to act until January, the House included a two-month extension of the jobless benefits in a must-pass military spending bill that could be signed into law as soon as this weekend to ensure they do not run out at the end of the year. [N1676836] (Additional reporting by Ross Colvin and Deborah Zabarenko; Editing by Eric Walsh)

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN1613145520091217

Minnesota Stadiums’ construction meets minority and female workforce participation goals

Stadiums’ construction workforces mostly White — but less so than usual

BY CHARLES HALLMAN, MINNESOTA SPOKESMAN-RECORDER

January 13, 2010

The University of Minnesota, the Minnesota Twins and others have been aggressively promoting the "workforce diversity" achieved in the construction of both the Gophers' football stadium, which opened last fall, and the Twins' stadium, which is expected to open in March this year. Both stadium projects together involved hundreds of millions of dollars in construction costs, much of it public funds.

M.A. Mortenson Construction was the general contractor for both stadiums and claimed in November that they exceeded their workforce diversity goals in building the two stadiums. They stated that 41-percent minority and female workforce participation was achieved on the U of M stadium project, exceeding the 31-percent goal.

They also stated that approximately 32-percent minority and female workforce participation has been achieved on the Twins ballpark project as of October 2009, exceeding a 30-percent goal.

When asked how many Blacks worked on both projects, Mortenson spokeswoman Lynn Littlejohn said that the construction industry standard, along with federal guidelines, mandates that workforce goals are shown in percentages rather than in the actual number of workers. Furthermore, "Goals are expressed in work hours, which is a truer representation of the diversity of the workforce, as opposed to saying the number of bodies on the site," Littlejohn explained.

However, these percentages provided for the general category "minority" did not enable the MSR to determine the level of participation by African American workers and businesses. We insisted on and later received from Mortenson a specific ethnicity breakdown of work hours on both projects:
• Gophers' stadium - Mortenson reports 1.2 million total workforce hours; 183,025 total minority hours. Ethnicity breakdown: 37 percent Black (67,719 hours); 27 percent Hispanic (49,417 hours); 27 percent Native American (49,417 hours); and nine percent Asian (16,472 hours).
• Twins' stadium (through October 2009) - Mortenson reports 1.9 million total workforce hours; 503,000 total minority hours. Ethnicity breakdown: 37 percent Black (186,110 hours); 27 percent Hispanic (135,810 hours); 27 percent Native American (135,810 hours) and nine percent Asian (45,270 hours).
However, these percentages show only the proportion of each ethnic group's participation within the "minority hours" subcategory rather than as a proportion of the "total workforce hours." Our calculations of the proportion of each group's work as a percentage of the whole, including White workers, showed quite different levels of participation:
• Gophers' stadium: 1.2 million total workforce hours; 183,025 total minority hours (15 percent of total). Ethnicity breakdown: Black (67,719 hours - 5.6 percent of total); Hispanic (49,417 hours - 4.1 percent of total); Native American (49,417 hours - 4.1 percent of total); and Asian (16,472 hours - 1.4 percent of total).
• Twins' stadium (through October 2009): 1.9 million total workforce hours; 503,000 total minority hours (26.5 percent of total). Ethnicity breakdown: Black (186,110 hours - 9.8 percent of total); Hispanic (135,810 hours - 7.2 percent of total); Native American (135,810 hours - 7.2 percent of total) and Asian (45,270 hours - 2.4 percent).

This analysis shows, then, that 85 percent of the work building the new Gophers' stadium and 73.5 percent of the work building the new Twins' stadium has been done by White workers. Black workers did 5.6 percent of the work on the Gophers' stadium and have done 9.8 percent of the work on the Twins' stadium thus far, based on Mortenson's numbers.

Our analysis raised additional questions about the percentages and work hours provided by Mortenson. It seems unlikely that all four groups would have contributed exactly the same labor proportionately on two separate projects: percentages of 37/27/27/9 were given for Blacks, Hispanics, Native Americans and Asians respectively on both stadiums.

It seems even more unlikely that on both projects Hispanics and Native Americans contributed exactly the same number of work hours - 135,810 each for the Twins' stadium and 49,417 each for the Gophers' stadium. We received the following explanation of these oddities from Mortenson Marketing Manager Lynette Todd:

"We tracked minority hours by ethnicity for Target Field [the Twins' stadium] due to the public meetings held on a monthly basis throughout construction. Since the scopes of work between the two projects were similar in many cases, we estimated the same percentages for TCF Bank Stadium [the Gophers' stadium]. That is the explanation for the similarity in numbers for between the two projects. Again, because it is not standard industry practice to track minority hours by ethnicity it is difficult to provide the exact numbers you are searching for."

In other words, minority participation in the Gophers' stadium project was not tracked by specific ethnic groups, so Mortenson guessed at those numbers based on participation in the Twins' stadium project.

Also last November, Mortenson recognized 24 subcontractors who helped the company in meeting and exceeding workforce diversity goals on the two stadium projects. Contract sizes reportedly ranged from $2,000 to $5 million on the Gophers site, and $99 million in subcontracted work was awarded through October on the Twins stadium site.

"We were looking at firms who worked a significant amount of hours, who would impact the participation," said Littlejohn, adding that with the exception of four, all the firms were White-owned. "We established small, minority- and women-owned goals for each bid package that we put out, and that was part of the evaluation and selection criteria."

Asked to identify the ethnicity of the four non-White subcontractors, Littlejohn would only repeat that they are "minority-owned." The MSR has been able to identify only one as a Native American-owned firm.

Todd later informed us that "Mortenson has researched several lists published online through the State of Minnesota for small women-and minority-owned firms. In most cases, we could not pinpoint the firm's ethnicity since the primary focus of the lists is to identify businesses by small, women- or minority-owned status. We would not be able to provide accurate statistics through these lists."

Again, we were concerned that this lack of specificity beyond the general category "minority" would not enable the MSR to determine the level of participation, if any, by African American contractors. We took our concerns to two of Minnesota's highest ranking Black elected officials. Both expressed dissatisfaction over our inability to obtain accurate, ethnic-specific involvement on the two stadium projects.

"I don't why it is so hard to find that information," said State Rep. Bobby Champion. "They [Mortenson] know who it is, [whether] woman, Black, or [other] person of color. I don't know why it appears to be that difficult. It is something that I will take a look at and see if they are not complying...and how we can make sure that information is more readily available."

"I find it somewhat troubling that for a publicly funded, publicly financed stadium we have a lack of transparency on whom and where state taxpayer dollars went to," said State Rep. Jeff Hayden. "This is troubling to me and it is something I would be willing to look at and investigate."

Mortenson should be applauded if diversity hiring goals are met, Champion believes. "If firms are doing their goals and exceeding them, we want them to be applauded. We want to make sure that they are intentionally making sure that the quality of lives of people of color and women are being improved by their ability to get out and work on these publicly funded projects."

Finally, the state legislator pledges, "We need to intentionally make sure that there is inclusion. There are people of color and women who are able to do the work, and that work ought to be utilized both on public and privately funded projects."

Summit Academy OIC Executive Director Louis King said that he was involved with Mortenson in setting diversity hiring goals. "It wasn't pretty when we first got started," he recalled. Yet, he applauded the company "for the reports that they developed to support [workforce diversity].

"The biggest thing they did, and what we are trying to get adopted as an industry standard, is take the project [and divide it] by phase, subcontractor, trade, and project out what the minority hiring needs would be."

Mortenson and King's school have worked together to place his students on construction sites after their training is completed, he said. Over 70 percent of Summit Academy students are Black. "They complied," King said of Mortenson's workforce diversity claims.

King added that the community must be more involved in large-scale construction projects from start to finish. "We can't just have the planners get in the room and not give any thought on who gets the money. It is our responsibility as a community to understand the industry standard and identify, recruit, train and provide people who can meet those standards."

Charles Hallman welcomes reader responses to challman@spokesman-re corder.com.

http://www.tcdailyplanet.net/news/2010/01/13/stadiums’-construction-workforces-mostly-white-—-less-so-usual

More opportunities ahead for minority/women owned businesses? -INDIANA

LEGISLATION REQUIRES STATE GRANT RECIPIENTS TO MEET HIRING GOALS

By Dan Carden - dan.carden@nwi.com, (317) 637-9078 | Posted: Wednesday, January 13, 2010 12:00 am

INDIANAPOLIS | Any construction project or purchase made by a state grant recipient would have to meet minority and female hiring goals under legislation approved by the Indiana House.

State Rep. Mara Candelaria Reardon, D-Munster, sponsored House Bill 1014, which passed the House 79-18 on Tuesday.

The measure requires the Governor's Commission on Minority and Women's Business Enterprises to set annual goals for the use of minority and female businesses. State grant recipients would have to demonstrate they've made a good-faith effort to satisfy those goals as a condition of their grant.

Candelaria Reardon said the legislation "is essential for businesses owned by minorities and women at the state and local levels to encourage their continued and future growth."

Local governments that receive state grant money are most likely to be affected by the legislation. State agency contractors already have to comply with minority and female business enterprise goals.

"If we have standards at the state level, then people using state money should have to follow those same state standards," Candelaria Reardon said.

State Rep. Phil Hinkle, R-Indianapolis, disagreed. He said the legislation would be an "unfunded mandate" on local government, forcing local governments to spend money to comply with a new law without giving them the resources they need to do it.

A report on the legislation's fiscal impact from the nonpartisan Legislative Services Agency said local governments would have only minimal administrative costs if the proposal becomes law.

The legislation now heads to the state Senate for consideration by that body.

http://nwitimes.com/business/local/article_a6977499-c7d8-5620-b8d6-687186a0acfb.html

Carpenters Sign on to U.S. Army's Employer Partnership

Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters

Second Vice President Gary Perinar, representing the Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters, on August 5 signed the United States Army Reserve's and National Guard's Employer Partnership Initiative.

The initiative is important for both employers, the Army Reserve and the National Guard to collaborate on promoting the inherent benefits of a shared workforce while addressing the challenges and methods unique to employing warrior-citizens. In July, the U.S. Army Reserve launched a partnership, under the Army Reserve Employer Partnership Initiative (EPI), with Helmets to Hardhats, a nonprofit program that connects America's military service members with quality career opportunities in the building and construction trades. For the first time since EPI's inception, the Army National Guard will also benefit from this partnership.

"Union carpenters get two careers, one with the Army Reserve and the other with our signatory contractors," said Perinar. "This double opportunity gives stability to our members and their families and enhanced opportunities to achieve their military career goals."

Gary Perinar joined other business and government dignitaries at the signing to improve the lives of more than one million talented Army Reserve Soldiers. Many of these warrior-citizens, like our union carpenters, possess advanced skills, certifications and training, and become more valuable in maintaining our military readiness for the benefit of our nation.

http://www.carpentersunion.org/site/epage/89056_837.htm

Bill would set aside stimulus funds to train women, minorities-NJ

By Andrew Kitchenman

12/31/2009

A proposed state law setting rules for how federal stimulus funds will be spent includes provisions to encourage that women and minorities receive construction work and job training.

The bill, S-3107, is up for approval by the Senate State Government Committee on Jan. 4, and sets out standards required by Gov. Jon S. Corzine in an Aug. 28 executive order that set goals for hiring minorities and women for construction contracts.

The measure requires the state Treasury Department’s Contract Compliance and Audit Unit to determine whether minorities and women “have been offered a fair opportunity for employment” on state contracts.

In addition, the state will check whether businesses receiving contracts of at least $1 million set aside 0.5 percent of the amount for construction job training for minorities and women.

The bill also requires all construction contracts receiving state funds include affirmative-action contract language, requiring contractors “to make a good faith effort to recruit and employ minorities and women.” The state could withhold funds from contractors that fail to demonstrate the effort was made.

The bill also sets out requirements for the stimulus law, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. It mandates that federally funded contracts be posted on the state job bank at least 14 days before hiring starts. Notices also must be sent to the state Division of Minority and Women Business Development.

If the bill is passed, officials would have 90 days to prepare a guide identifying the management practices with the best success in attracting small and women- and minority-owned businesses to apply for state contracts

State Sens. Ronald L. Rice (D-Newark) and Richard J. Codey (D-West Orange) are the bill’s primary sponsors.

http://www.njbiz.com/article.asp?aID=80211

Tishman Construction Selected for National Minority Business Award

Posted by Michael Gerrity 01/07/10 4:17 PM EST

(NEW YORK, NY) -- Tishman Construction Corporation (TCC) has been

selected to receive the "Outstanding Corporate Supplier Diversity Award"

from the National Minority Business Council, an organization that helps

minority, women and veteran-owned business enterprises (M/WBE).

The award is in recognition of Tishman Construction Corporation's

impressive efforts in 2009 to increase subcontracting opportunities

for M/WBE firms in the construction industry.

Recently, Tishman awarded more than $350 million to M/WBE firms

on construction projects, including two New York City skyscrapers.

This total includes $200 million in contracts on the Goldman Sachs

Headquarters project in Downtown Manhattan--the largest M/WBE project

in the state of New York--as well as $150 million on the Bank of America Tower

at One Bryant Park in midtown.

Goldman Sachs Headquarters

Since the 1960s, when Tishman pioneered its own

M/WBE program years before any government agency

required one, TCC's commitment to engaging the talents

and expertise of M/WBE firms has resulted in the award

and completion of contracts totaling many hundreds of

millions of dollars.

"Tishman Construction has been a true leader in utilizing

minority- and women and veteran-owned businesses as

subcontractors on all of their major construction projects

around New York City and nationwide," said John F. Robinson,

President and CEO, NMBC, Inc. "In recognition of their

impressive record over many years, we are thrilled to

present them with our 2009 award for Outstanding Corporate

Supplier Diversity."

"We at Tishman are proud to receive this honor from

the National Minority Business Council, and we remain deeply committed in our

efforts of expanding opportunities to minority- women and veteran- owned

businesses in our industry," said Daniel R. Tishman, Chairman & CEO,

Tishman Construction Corporation.

Bank of America Tower at One Bryant Park

TCC's experience dates back to the 1960s when the firm built the original

World Trade Center complex for the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey,

a project that posed difficult labor challenges.

While oversight agencies then did not require specific goals for minority workers, Tishman proceeded to initiate its own program. The effort was successful and enabled Tishman to maintain a full schedule without any

loss of production time.

Tishman Construction Corporation is one of the nation's premier

construction organizations that have been in business for over 111 years. Tishman is responsible for the construction of more than 450 million square feet of space in the U.S. and are ranked #2 in the nation on Building Design & Construction magazine's Top Construction Managers list.

TCC's current or recently completed projects nationwide include:

New York: One World Trade Center, previously known as Freedom Tower, to be the city's tallest building, and the renovation and expansion of the Javits Convention Center.

MGM City Center

http://www.realestatechannel.com/us-markets/commercial-real-estate-1/real-estate-news-tishman-construction-corporation-goldman-sachs-bank-of-america-las-vegas-citycenter-one-world-trade-center-freedom-tower-mgm-mirage-1852.php

Boston: Renovation of the 14-story Ames Building, turning Boston's first

skyscraper (built in 1904) into a

four-star boutique hotel known as Ames.

Las Vegas: MGM MIRAGE's $9-billion

CityCenter, an 18-million-square-foot

mixed-use project on the Las Vegas Strip.

Chicago: Construction of a $1.75-billion

capital improvement program involving

1,950 renovation and expansion projects

totaling 37.3 million square feet throughout

the Chicago Public Schools system.

Unemployment among women who maintain families

Institute For Women's Policy Research www.iwpr.org

For Immediate Release Contact: Ashley English, (202)785-5100 For many, 2010 is not off to a great start Unemployment among women who maintain families without the support of a spouse is at 13 percent as of December 2009, the highest rate in more than 25 years, according to today's figures released by the U.S.Bureau of Labor Statistics. That figure has grown by 0.8 percentage points since the IPolicy h released a fact sheet Unemployment Among Single Mother Families (September 2009) and 2.7 percentage points since January 2009. Their unemployment has nearly doubled since the start of the recession in December 2007. Women are currently 49.9 percent of nonfarm employees on payrolls. As more families, both dual earner couples and single mother families, are increasingly relying on the earnings of women, greater attention needs to be paid to pay equity. Women working full-time earned only 81 percent as much as men who worked full-time in the third quarter of 2009.[1] These seasonally unadjusted data show increases in married men's unemployment and decreases in married women's unemployment; the seasonally adjusted data show a decrease in married men's unemployment from November to December 2009 and little change for married women. (Seasonally adjusted unemployment data are not available for women who maintain families.) 1. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers in the third quarter of 2009 for women are $657 compared to $812 for men. (http://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/wkyeng.pdf, October 16, 2009) http://www.iwpr.org/