Apprentices Seek to Address City Council Tonight

For Immediate Release

Contact : Clarke Condé (585)309-9966

60 + Apprentices Seek to Address City Council Tonight

City Council Places Their Concerns on ‘B List’

Rochester, New York- February 17, 2009-  Apprentice construction workers living in the City of Rochester are angry over Rochester City Council’s three-year delay in passing legislation that would put them to work.  Tonight, hardworking men and woman trying to make a better life for themselves as bricklayers, carpenters, electricians, laborers, and roofers will ask their representatives on City Council why they are being held back.

The apprentices are concerned that City Councilmen John F. Lightfoot has again delayed legislation aimed at closing the loophole that leaves apprentice construction workers from the City of Rochester and beyond out of a job.  Currently, subcontractors doing work on taxpayer funded projects for the City of Rochester have no obligation to train the next generation of construction workers.  For over three years, the Rochester City Council has debated legislation that would close this loophole and put these apprentices to work, but they have failed to act.  John Lighfoot’s Parks and Public Works Committee’s failure to act is failing the people of this community that are working hard to make a better life for themselves, their families, and their neighborhoods.  The Rochester Building Trades has given them a chance. Tonight they ask- Will City Council?

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