2023 -- H 5936

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LC002043

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023

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H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

RESPECTFULLY REQUESTING THE RI DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND TRAINING TO

DEVELOP AND PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR A PLAN TO INCREASE

STATEWIDE DIVERSITY AMONG WORKERS EMPLOYED ON PUBLIC WORKS

PROJECTS

     Introduced By: Representative Enrique George Sanchez

     Date Introduced: March 01, 2023

     Referred To: House Labor

     WHEREAS, Skilled trades workers are the core occupational group within the

construction industry. These jobs typically require considerable on-the-job training, usually in the

form of registered apprenticeships; and

     WHEREAS, As an occupational group, trades workers earn some of the best wages for

jobs that do not require two- or four-year college degrees; and

     WHEREAS, Diversifying the construction workforce on public works projects, subject to

the prevailing wage rate laws, will first and foremost require a demographic shift in new entrants

to the construction workforce, representing the apprentice population. The apprentice population

is the pipeline for journey level construction workers; and

     WHEREAS, Public works include, "construction, reconstruction, major renovation or

painting that is carried on or contracted for by a public agency to serve the public interest." Many

of these projects, especially transportation and bridge related work, are recipients of substantial

federal funding; and

     WHEREAS, The prevailing wage is a minimum wage rate that generally includes an

hourly contribution for the support of jointly provided labor-management apprenticeship, it

appears that such projects can act as an engine for diversifying the construction workforce with

proper oversight; and

     WHEREAS, There is an expectation that the workforce will be a microcosm of the

overall labor force. Assuming the pipeline of potential and active apprentices is sufficiently

diverse, it becomes the responsibility of public agencies, project owners and their contractors to

ensure the workforce on public projects is diverse; now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That this House hereby requests the Department of Labor and Training to

develop and provide recommendations to increase statewide diversity among workers employed

on public works projects to include:

     1. Recommendations for legislation or other measures that will improve diversity among

workers employed on public works projects;

     2. Recommendations that would provide approximately 2.1 percent of the federal

highway money, available to the State, to be utilized for building diversity in heavy road and

highway construction to be dispersed as follows:

     • Advertising for industry careers;

     • Funding an Affirmative Action Taskforce;

     • Funding Childcare;

     • RI CTE programs especially those located in Providence, Central Falls, Pawtucket, and

Woonsocket;

     • RI Women in the Trades;

     • Center for Dynamic Learning;

     • Youth Build;

     • Amos House; and

     • Building Futures; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to the Department of Transportation, the Rhode

Island Bridge and Turnpike authority, and Matthew Weldon, Director, Rhode Island Department

of Labor & Training.

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LC002043

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