Under the new Detroit Skilled Trades Employment Program, the City will partner with local unions and their Joint Apprentice Training Committees to set annual goals that will help increase the percentage of Detroiters in that Local’s membership. Participating unions agree that an increased percentage of their first year apprenticeship slots will go to Detroit residents.
Plumbers Local 98 is the first union to make the STEP commitment. Its leadership, in partnership with MCA Detroit, has committed to tripling the number of Detroit residents in its local over the next 10 years and will build towards that by ensuring 25 perent Detroit resident enrollment in of all their incoming apprenticeship classes.
“With all the construction work happening in our city, there is more opportunity than we have seen in a generation for Detroiters to have long-lasting careers in the skilled trades,” Mayor Duggan said. “The Plumbers, MCA Detroit and their Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee have shown unprecedented leadership in committing to increasing the percentage of Detroiters in their union membership and apprenticeship programs so more Detroiters will have access to these opportunities.”
Local 98’s Business Manager Dan Nixon said that committing to 25 percent Detroiter participation in all apprenticeship classes makes good business sense, and is the right thing to do.
“There is a lot of untapped talent in Detroit and we are going to need that talent because this building boom taking place in the city is going to continue for many years to come,” Nixon said. “We are fully committed to bringing more diversity to our membership as the city rebuilds.”
James Bruner, President of MCA Detroit and a Detroit based contractor, says “the STEP program will put Detroit residents in the pipeline for great construction jobs not just in Detroit, but across our state. The Plumbers service area spans across 5 counties and thanks to this program, more Detroit residents will be in the pipeline for jobs across the state. We are proud to join this program and expand job opportunities for Detroit residents.”
Under a modified Executive Order (2016-1) the City, through its Department of Civil Rights, Inclusion & Opportunity, will continue to enforce hiring requirements and collect payments from contractors who fail to meet threshold of hiring a workforce that includes 51 percent Detroit residents. So far, the City has collected $675,000 in compliance payments that will be used for job training programs for Detroit residents including:
- Basic construction skills training
- Pre-apprenticeship programs
- Commercial Driver’s License certifications
- Lead and Asbestos remediation training
- Certifications in carpentry, electrical wiring and green construction
Contractors who hire participating STEP partner unions will be considered in compliance with the Executive Order, provided that the unions meet their target of Detroiter participation in new apprenticeship classes and membership within their Local.
“Our ultimate objective is not to collect fines, but to create an enforceable process that will ensure Detroit residents have a path to well-paying careers in the skilled trades long after we all are gone, said Portia Roberson, Director of Detroit’s Department of Civil Rights, Inclusion and Opportunity. ”These modifications streamline the Executive Order in a way that is easier for contractors to understand and comply with.”
Roberson’s department will conduct regular compliance checks to ensure participating unions are making progress towards reaching the agreed-upon goals.
The Mayor is also requiring that the Executive Order be enforced on all City of Detroit capital projects across all city departments. Next year, the City plans to spend more than $100 Million on infrastructure projects alone.
“The City has been doing a good job of requiring compliance from contractors on major construction projects and it’s time to make sure the city’s own capital projects continue to meet that same standard,” Mayor Duggan said.
Dr. K.B. Stallworth, Managing Director of Michigan Black Caucus Foundation, applauded the City, Plumbers Local 98 and MCA Detroit for their commitment to providing more Detroit residents a career path in the skilled trades.
“Mayor Duggan’s Office, Council President Jones and all of the stakeholders that continue to advocate for greater access to skilled trade education and careers should be elated at the launch of the City of Detroit’s STEP Initiative. The Black Caucus Foundation is proud to join in support of the effort to provide seamless access to instruction and employment in the trades. We know that not only is there tremendous opportunity in this sector for acquiring the education that will lead to a great paying job without the debt associated with higher education, but design, build and construction skills can lead to limitless entrepreneurial opportunities associated with building the commercial and neighborhood infrastructure of inner cities across America”,” Stallworth said.
All STEP commitments and compliance reports will be available on the City of Detroit’s website. Eligible Apprentices and Tradesmen must reside in the City of Detroit and be able to show proof of residency by producing a valid driver’s license, Michigan ID, Detroit municipal ID or a recent copy of a utility bill in his or her name. This information must be maintained in the Local’s records.