Seattle’s Priority Hire Law
A Priority Hire Ordinance passed 9:0 by the City of Seattle in January, 2015. This requires any public construction projects of $5 million or more to hire 20% of its workforce from economically distressed communities within Seattle and King County. KBCS Producer, Yuko Kodama interviewed a number of South Seattle residents on how this new law may benefit the community.
Episode 1 – One of the leading people among over forty groups that supported the priority hire campaign is Got Green founder and green jobs organizer, Michael Woo. Woo recounts how the campaign for Priority hire began.
Episode 2 – Andra Kranzler was the Community lawyer for the Targeted Local Hire Coalition and is currently Community Economic Development Manager for Skyway Solutions. She explains how lawyers can contribute to community led efforts, and what this legislation means to struggling communities.
Episode 3 – Union electrician and founder of Renton Area Youth Development Organization, Ray Hall recounts how he got involved in this campaign in 2011 as his neighborhood was hardest hit by the 2008 recession.
Episode 4 – Journeyman laborer, Anastasia, whose real identity is being protected, talks about how project labor agreements and laws for priority hire can help families in her community.
Episode 5 – Green jobs organizer and founder of Got Green, Michael Woo starts off the next segment by sharing what’s needed next to ensure people in struggling communities are ready to take advantage of the new legislation
Produced by Ruth Bly and Yuko Kodama
Music by Gepel – El Sol
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