Potential workers L.A. ask MTA to speed up construction

Los Angeles is known for its vibrant car culture - and for all the problems that come along with it, such as air pollution and congestion, according to the South Los Angeles Report. Twelve transit projects are under way to provide relief for commuters. But transit officials say that may take up to three decades to complete, according to the South Los Angeles Report. Thousands of labor union members gathered in front of downtown City Hall on Friday to show their support for a plan that would speed up construction of the transit projects and create much-needed jobs.

AFL-CIO President Richard
Trumka was on hand to show his support.

"It’s efficient, it’s
smart, it’s strategic," said Trumka. "It accelerates 12 key
construction projects. And it gets started now. And it will put our people back
to work."

Workers from several job
sectors showed up for the afternoon rally. 3,500 letter carriers showed their
solidarity with workers in the construction industry, who are facing a 40
percent jobless rate.

Carlos Aguirre, an
unemployed worker with the Laborers International Union of North America, Local
300, says he just wants a job.

"I have been working
in construction for four years and now I find myself unemployed," said
Aguirre. "If I can have a secure job for 10 years, it would change my life
and I can provide for my family. We are trained and we want our leaders to put
us back to work."

Under the "30/10
Plan" the LA Metropolitan Transportation Authority would borrow $9 billion
in loans from the federal government as a way to jump start construction of the
transit lines. Funding for the projects would come from stimulus funds
earmarked for Measure R, a voter-approved half-cent sales tax that raises $40
billion for local transportation. Labor leaders say the plan will create
160,000 construction jobs, including 2,800 permanent positions.

"In June, there were
747,000 people in Los Angeles alone looking for work," said Trumka.
"That’s not acceptable. And there’s only way to rebuild America and that’s
with jobs. Good jobs."

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa –
a Board member with the MTA, says the plan isn’t just good for the economy, it’s
also good for the environment.

"If we accelerate
Measure R, we will save 10 million gallons of gas," said Villaraigosa.
"We’ll reduce air contaminants in our air by 500,000 tons."

30-10 is backed by several
LA city council members, business groups, unions and environmentalists. But not
everybody backs the plan.

"We don’t think that
30-10 will be good for Los Angeles," said Esperanza Martinez, lead
organizer for the Bus Riders’ Union.

The social justice group
recently sent a letter to Congress, asking them to reject the 30-10 plan
measure. Martinez says that while the proposal creates jobs, it would do little
for bus riders – a vast majority of whom make up MTA’s ridership.

But despite objections from
the Bus Riders Union, LA County Federation of Labor Executive Secretary Maria
Elena Durazo says the labor council will continue to push the 30-10 plan.

"Two-thirds voted to
approve a half-cent sales increase in order to build public transit in this
county," said Durazo. "That’s what we’re looking to accelerate with
the 30-10 initiative."