More to the story here: Diversity in construction no laughing matter

More to the story here: Diversity in construction no laughing matter
Guest opinion by John Ferrante
Published by Contrarian Boston

I was interviewed for an article in the Boston Globe on the Boston Residents Job Policy.
However, the piece, provocatively headlined - “‘They think it’s a joke’: Boston has rules for big construction projects that no one follows” - did not tell the full story of what is a complex issue.
For those unfamiliar, the BRJP sets workforce participation goals for Boston residency and diversity on construction projects over 50,000 square feet, aiming for 51 percent residents, 40 percent people of color, and 12 percent female.
However, the article failed to accurately portray the impact of the BRJP goals, instead presenting political figures criticizing the construction industry for failing to meet all these goals.
Notably, these goals were increased as recently as 2018. However, even with these raised expectations, an analysis of BRJP compliance data reveals positive strides. Over the past three years, the industry has met the goal of over 40 percent of trade hours being worked by people of color, and there has been a 28.5 percent increase in hours worked by women since 2017. This demonstrates significant progress toward one of the policy's stated goals; to diversify the building trades.

This success is not accidental. General contractors have created recruiting initiatives in underrepresented communities in Boston and throughout Massachusetts. They partner with organizations like Mass Girls in Trades, Building Pathways, and YouthBuild Boston. Our trade association has created the Boston Pipeline Program with Boston Public Schools to introduce over 500 middle school students to careers in the industry, and the Building Advancement Externship program, which provides an immersive industry experience for educators many of whom are from Boston and other diverse and underrepresented communities. Finally, contractors are working to ensure that diverse individuals finally feel welcomed on inclusive job sites, enforcing zero-tolerance policies for bullying, discrimination, and hateful graffiti.
Despite these efforts, the article unfairly singled out several general contractors, suggesting a lack of accountability within the BRJP enforcement. General contractors are held solely responsible for meeting BRJP requirements or demonstrating best-faith efforts. The sole focus on general contractors ignores the influence of other stakeholders but provides an easy target for those seeking to lay blame instead of making change.
Contrary to the article's implication, general contractors take the BRJP seriously. There is a prescriptive seven step compliance process that they must follow including submission of data on every hour worked by tradespeople. The seriousness of their adherence to these requirements is evidenced by the comprehensive data available on the BRJP website, providing detailed demographic information about each person working, in what trade, and for which contractor. This data is meticulously gathered and submitted for review but is rarely analyzed in aggregate by the Boston Employment Commission and has not been the subject of any public city report.
As mentioned before, the industry has achieved or is making progress towards the diversification goals of the BRJP. However, the industry has fallen short on residency requirements. Is this attributable to industry hiring practices? Or does that excuse and ignore broader facts like having to earn over $100,000 to live comfortably in Boston, housing and childcare costs double the national average, well-documented transportation failures, and an enrollment crisis in Boston Public Schools which have contributed to a net loss of middle-class families in Boston from 1990-2014, as reported by Boston Indicators in 2018.
For an industry that prides itself on providing upward mobility, maintaining a labor force of city residents is challenging when over 65 percent of Boston's housing units are rentals. As reported by the Globe, even the Mayor has allowed waivers for city residency to increase significantly under her administration.
The contracting community appreciates the Globe’s interest in bringing the diversification of our industry to light. We believe that greater scrutiny of our efforts will reveal substantial progress towards the BRJP goals because of our efforts and welcome similar scrutiny of the political and economic forces which are limiting our progress and impacting the future of Boston.
The commercial construction industry is committed to diversifying our workforce, not to meet compliance goals but because we want to reflect our society and the communities we serve. Diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging make construction an attractive career choice, offering opportunities for hard work, good compensation, and the chance to build the places where Bostonians learn, work, and play.
John Ferrante is the Chief Executive Officer of the Associated General Contractors of Massachusetts, a statewide commercial construction trade association.