Jobs

By Margot Lederer Prado

The most important issue facing Oakland today,” is how former Planning Commission Chair Mark McClure describes the debate over the conversion of Oakland’s approximately 33.8 million square feet of industrial land (and potential job-generating space) for residential use.

Oakland’s industrial land is the city’s premier “jobshed” area outside of the Downtown/Airport area office core with large tracts of strategically-positioned parcels that can provide a base for the 10,000 good jobs, which Mayor Ron Dellums has vowed to create.
Much of the momentum for industrial land preservation in Oakland is due to the emerging green economy and clean tech scientific and energy industries. When Mayor Dellums signed on to the new Green Corridor Initiative (with other East Bay cities) for entry into the field of biosynthetic fuel and solar cells, he signaled that Oakland is ready for such activities. But questions about the preservation of the remaining areas of industrial land, and the production and distribution jobs that have served as Oakland’s jobshed for a century, still remain.

Can Oakland court these new industries while preserving and encouraging its baseline of production, distribution, business-to-business supply and repair, and other existing quality jobs that have provided generations of Oaklanders with a decent living wage, career longevity, and family benefits?

The gym at St. Anthony's Church could barely hold the energetic crowd that gathered on Saturday, November 17, 2007 for "Building Oakland for Everyone: A Summit on Jobs, Housing, and Justice." Over 400 Oaklanders came to the summit from neighborhoods across the city, where many struggle with violence and pollution, a lack of good-paying jobs, and overpriced housing. In fact, a recently released report by the East Bay Alliance for a Sustainable Economy (EBASE) and the Oakland Network for Responsible Development (ONWRD) has found that the bottom twenty percent (20%) of Oakland's families control only three percent (3%) of Oakland's wealth.

by Kevin Rath

 In April, the Ports of L.A./Long Beach made history and announced a plan to clean up the port trucking industry. The Southern California Ports are requiring an 80% reduction in diesel emissions within five years. Trucking companies will also be required to hire truck drivers as employees instead of independent contractors. This would end the abuse of truckers who currently live in poverty and cannot legally negotiate for higher wages or benefits as "independent contractors."

The Ports of L.A./Long Beach are the largest in the country, setting a standard for the nation. Port of Oakland representatives were recently quoted in the media as saying they wanted to implement a similar plan. Currently, Oakland port truck drivers work an average of 11 hours per day, make as little as $8 an hour, and the vast majority have no healthcare. These drivers are forced to wait in lines an average of two hours to pick up a single container while their engines idle, spewing pollution. This not only impacts the drivers, but also the surrounding West Oakland community where diesel emissions are five times higher than in other parts of Alameda County, and one in five children suffers from asthma. What's worse is that West Oakland gets all of the pollution, but sees few Port industry jobs as there are no local hire programs for trucking companies.  The Coalition for Clean and Safe Ports in Oakland is working to address these issues.

On June 14^th, EBASE announced a political corruption scandal – revealed by the San Francisco Bay Guardian – in which Woodfin 

owner Samuel Hardage used his political influence as a Republican Party leader and donor to persuade Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to investigate his very own hotel and workers. ICE then audited the Emeryville Woodfin Suites, despite its own written policy not to interfere in labor disputes. This revelation undermines the Woodfin's claim that it had no choice but to fire its workers after they began standing up for their rights under Emeryville's Measure C living wage ordinance for hotel housekeepers.

On March14th, UH hosted an open house event to celebrate the next issue of RP&E : “JUST jobs: Organizing for Economic Justice.”  Featuring over two dozen articles from local, regional and national sources, this issue provides a comprehensive look at organizing strategies that aim to confront the neoliberal economic agenda.  The evening treated guests to a photo exhibit by David Bacon, speakers from the Woodfin campaign and remarks from the Rev. Phil Lawson.