Here Comes a First Source (with teeth)

When Dr. King met with President Lyndon Johnson, he told the President that the country needed a strong civil rights bill.  President Johnson replied, "... I know we do, now ... make me do it."     Prompted in part, no doubt by massive unemployment in the neighborhoods, the City Council and Michael Brown who chairs the relevant committee,  has moved their collective will to attempt to level the playing field for DC workers. This is NOT the best law possible, but it is a well crafted and serious attempt and we need it badly.   For this we owe them our appreciation and gratitude.  We will withold our respect until we see how far Council will go in rescinding key provisions of the bill when under pressure from the special interests.

All Who Seek a Just and Equitable Workplace

 Need to Mobilize in Support of this Legislation

The powerful construction and development industries do not want to see this new amendment enacted and they will exert considerable pressure on Council to bend them to weaken or even vote down this amentdmant.    All of us who seek a just and equitable workplace need to mobilize in supprt of the bill.  The bill: District of Columbia Workforce Intermediary Establishment and Reform of First Source and Living Wage Act of 2011, will be subtly attacked by council members who represent developer and contractor interests.  The way it will be done is to render the enforcement provisions useless by cutting the budget to the monitors.  to, in effect, pull the teeth of the bill.  Remember big, very big campaign contributions are riding on defeating this bill. We have to pressure the Council into supporting ALL of its provisions.

The Bill will be presented to the Council for vote sometime during the next session.  We need to be ready, organized and in force to offset the big money behind defeating it.  Watch for NCJC's coming program to support and reinforce the bill's sponsors in the coming weeks ... Watch This Blog.