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September 23, 2008
City, workers at odds over Willets Pt. retraining
One of the programs will focus on providing jobs in the hotel industry. But Willets Point workers, many of them in the automotive repair industry, say they would rather keep their jobs and move with their employers.
Crain's NY Business
by Daniel Massey
The city is proposing that Willets Point workers it intends to displace be retrained for jobs in the hospitality industry, but the workers are happy doing what they've been doing.
“Once again, the city intentionally fails to acknowledge the existing jobs at Willets Point,” said Jack Bono, owner of Bono Sawdust Supply. “It's ludicrous for the city to create a ‘Workforce Development Program’ for people who are already fully employed.”
Willets Point workers said the city’s training program is not the answer to their problems. “That’s not a solution for us,” said Sergio Aguirre, coordinator of the Willets Point Defense Committee, which represents tenant-run businesses and their workers. “Training can be part of the solution, but we want to be relocated. Almost everybody has been working in auto mechanics for many years. We’re experienced in that.”
NoLandGrab: How about a program for retraining certain elected officials and bureaucrats for exciting careers as used-car salesmen?
Posted by eric at September 23, 2008 4:22 PM