Jobs to Move America
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On September 30, experts in economics, sociology, and urban planning will convene a media telebriefing to discuss a new nationwide trend toward cities creating good manufacturing jobs through transportation spending.  Since July, three major U.S. transit purchases by Amtrak, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and the Chicago Transit Authority, and the Maryland Transit Administration – collectively worth an estimated $4.4 billion – have included innovative U.S. jobs incentives. Los Angeles adopted similar job-creating policies in 2012 on two rail car and bus manufacturing contracts.

In the past, many U.S. transit agencies awarded multi-million dollar contracts to manufacture city buses and trains to the lowest-priced bidder among global corporations, without considering long-term economic impacts.

On the briefing, experts will analyze the new transit jobs incentives gaining momentum across the U.S., and look ahead to upcoming transit purchases affecting cities across the nation, such as Houston, New York, Las Vegas, Cleveland, Seattle, Baltimore, and more. As more public transportation agencies use their purchasing power to boost job creation, the Jobs to Move America coalition estimates they could support up to 53,000 good American jobs with decent wages and career pathways.

In conjunction with the telebriefing, the Jobs to Move America coalition will also release a new interactive online map detailing 34 current and upcoming purchases of buses and trains in 25 states, as well as locations of bus and train factories, a powerful research tool.

Who:

  • Madeline Janis, Director, Jobs to Move America
  • George Wentworth, Senior Staff Attorney, National Employment Law Project
  • Jorge Ramirez, President, Chicago Federation of Labor   
  • Jacquelyne Grimshaw, Vice President, Center for Neighborhood Technology and Vice Chairman, Chicago Transit Authority Board
  • Ed Wytkind, President, Transportation Trades Dept., AFL-CIO
  • Dr. Manuel Pastor, Director, University of Southern California Program for Environmental and Regional Equity (PERE)
  • Pastor Norma Patterson, UCC, Gamaliel Foundation

Associated Resources

Primer: Green Industrial Strategy for Just Transitions

The Climate + Community Project’s report mentions JMA’s U.S. Employment Plan as model legislation to leverage government purchasing power to support the development of a high-road electric vehicle manufacturing industry.

Resource Types:
  • Reports & Policy Briefs

Local Opportunities Coalition comment in response to Office of Management and Budget’s Request for Information

The Local Opportunities Coalition and supporting partners wrote a comment in response to the Office of Management and Budget’s Request for Information on how the Uniform Guidance can be updated or revised to give state and local recipients of federal financial assistance more tools to create good jobs and promote greater racial and gender equity …

Resource Types:
  • Good Jobs Policies
  • Policy + Programs

Local and Economically-Targeted Hire Brochure

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will bring $1.2 trillion to states and cities over the next 5 years for new and existing infrastructure–a once in a generation opportunity. For the first time, local and economically targeted hire on transportation projects is allowed without prior approval. This printable brochure details how communities can take advantage …

Fact Sheet: Empowering Cities and States: Making Federal Funds Work for Our Communities

Currently, a set of decades-old federal rules (known as the Uniform Guidance) impede cities and states from using innovative programs in the procurement process that can amplify the benefit of federal funds for communities. The procurement process can be a powerful tool to address historic inequities and uplift millions of struggling people—particularly people of color—but …