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Q&A
Discussion on alternative contractors for Parks Department projects
2:19:41
ยท
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Council Member Shekar Krishnan engages in a Q&A session with Will Hiron from Laborers' Local 1010 about the availability of alternative contractors for Parks Department projects. The discussion centers around the argument that only problematic contractors can do the work.
- Krishnan questions whether there are other contractors available besides the problematic ones currently being used.
- Hiron firmly rejects the Parks Department's argument, stating that there are plenty of responsible contractors, including MWBE contractors, who can do the work.
- The union representative emphasizes that there are many contractors with integrity and experience who bid on these contracts but don't get selected.
Shekar Krishnan
2:19:41
Thank you for your testimony.
2:19:42
One question.
2:19:43
Do you believe that there would be other contractors?
2:19:46
I mean, there's a problem of of of awarding contractors to awarding contracts to problematic contractors.
2:19:52
Do you accept the argument that these are the only ones that can do this work?
2:19:56
Or is there a pool of contractors much broader than the problematic ones that the Parks Department is using right now?
Will Hiron
2:20:01
Absolutely.
2:20:02
Now we certainly do not accept Parks' argument.
2:20:04
As a matter of fact, we have plenty of contractors, responsible contractors who have experience in this work, specifically MWBE contractors.
2:20:11
I mean we have a whole bunch of signatory contractors in our union, I'm sure other unions do as well, that can very easily take on this work, that have the experience, and that also have integrity, and that also treat their workers right.
2:20:23
So we don't accept that argument at all.
2:20:26
And again, there's plenty of contractors who bid on these contracts, but they don't they don't get it.