![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Interesting article forwarded to me by African American work colleague:
http://newyork.construction.com/yb/ny/article.aspx?story_id=134519320
W/MBE = Women Owned Business Enterprise or Minority Owned Business Enterprise
Here's the blurb:
Stimulus Projects Hit a Pothole: Some Work Delayed Due to Race, Gender Preference Rules
08/25/2009
Times Union Text size: AABy Rick Karlin, Albany Times Union, N.Y.
Aug. 25--ALBANY -- Federal stimulus dollars have been pouring into New York for road and bridge repairs, but a growing chorus of contractors say some of the work has hit roadblocks in the form of racial preference rules.
In particular, they say they can't find enough minority and women-owned subcontractors to meet state demands, and jobs are being delayed as a result.
Big road builders upstate and in rural regions say they've always struggled to find enough so-called MWBE (minority and women-owned business enterprises) but the recent flood of federal dollars, along with what they charge is the state's unwillingness to give waivers, means some jobs won't get done until next spring, when the new road-paving season begins.
"We're not social engineers," said Jim McGee, of A.L. Blades & Sons, a Hornell, Steuben County, road construction firm that is waiting for the final go-ahead on a $2.7 million road repair project.
The delay may mean laying off 26 of 250 employees, said McGee.
He estimated that delays in finding MBWE's has led to a $228 million road and bridge backlog as of last week. New York is slated for more than $1.1 billion in road and bridge stimulus spending.
http://newyork.construction.com/yb/ny/article.aspx?story_id=134519320
W/MBE = Women Owned Business Enterprise or Minority Owned Business Enterprise
Here's the blurb:
Stimulus Projects Hit a Pothole: Some Work Delayed Due to Race, Gender Preference Rules
08/25/2009
Times Union Text size: AABy Rick Karlin, Albany Times Union, N.Y.
Aug. 25--ALBANY -- Federal stimulus dollars have been pouring into New York for road and bridge repairs, but a growing chorus of contractors say some of the work has hit roadblocks in the form of racial preference rules.
In particular, they say they can't find enough minority and women-owned subcontractors to meet state demands, and jobs are being delayed as a result.
Big road builders upstate and in rural regions say they've always struggled to find enough so-called MWBE (minority and women-owned business enterprises) but the recent flood of federal dollars, along with what they charge is the state's unwillingness to give waivers, means some jobs won't get done until next spring, when the new road-paving season begins.
"We're not social engineers," said Jim McGee, of A.L. Blades & Sons, a Hornell, Steuben County, road construction firm that is waiting for the final go-ahead on a $2.7 million road repair project.
The delay may mean laying off 26 of 250 employees, said McGee.
He estimated that delays in finding MBWE's has led to a $228 million road and bridge backlog as of last week. New York is slated for more than $1.1 billion in road and bridge stimulus spending.
