Sen. Collins Bill Expands BCEC Prioritizing Diversity, Labor And Community Standards

Senator Nick Collins filed legislation, titled an Act Relative to Economic Development, to expand the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center (BCEC). The legislation would give authorization to the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority (MCCA) to begin the expansion after a thorough community process. The legislation would adopt the diversity, equity and inclusion standards from the 2014 legislation authored by then-Sen. Linda Dorcena Forry, passed unanimously by the Legislature, complete with a monitoring committee and the creation of a Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) position to develop and implement an internal and external DEI agenda, bringing the MCCA in line with other state and quasi- state agencies. The MCCA owns and operates assets in Boston and Springfield.

“This bill ensures that the expansion of the BCEC prioritizes equitable access to well-paying jobs, training, and a safe workplace for the residents we serve,” said Nicole Obi, President and CEO of the Black Economic Council of Massachusetts (BECMA). “We are pleased that this project places equity, transparency and accountability at the center of the expansion. As a member of the advisory committee, we are encouraged by the creation of a Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion position to oversee the implementation of our DE&I goals for this project. We look forward to working with Senator Collins, the Massachusetts Leg -

Window continued from page 4 working panic buttons - the sort of device that probably will never be used and yet, sad to say, makes a lot of sense. There’s a prissy little “we won’t describe this in detail” line that would have been better off in parathensises, and islature, and the Healey Administration to bring this to fruition.”

The bill would also take several steps to ensure that’s the convention center’s expansion project and operation is more labor friendly by adding language requiring a project labor agreement (PLA) between construction trades and the general contractor selected by the MCCA for the project.

“This is smart legislation. It provides certainty for taxpayers and opportunity for workers across our community. This will help us continue to create access to family-supporting careers while ensuring the highest labor standards in construction. This legislation by Senator Collins is another example of good government. We can’t afford to cut corners on job safety, apprenticeship training or responsible development.

The language in this bill creates a safe and productive work environment that will deliver a public construction project on time and on budget, while ensuring the benefit of shared economic prosperity reaches every corner of our community,” said Brian Doherty, General Agent for the Greater Boston Building Trade Unions.

Labor peace language included would ensure labor harmony for future food and beverage service contracts to ensure strong wages and benefits for hospitality workers at the agency. “On behalf of our 12,000 members in the hospitality industry, UNITE HERE

Local 26 fully supports SD.2375, An Act relative to economic development. This bill will cre - if your sympahy for Congress is, shall we say, bounded, the story might not land right with with you, but nevertheless this is actually no laughing matter, a cool if scary topic, and we’ll look forward to the “progress has been made” followup. ate hundreds of good union jobs through the expansion of the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. The bill also places diversity at the center of this expansion by following the Omni Seaport model and appointing a Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. The State House saved thousands of jobs last year when they saved the Hynes Convention Center. We respectfully ask that the State House stand with hospitality workers again this year and pass SD.2375,” said Carlos Aramayo, President of UNITE HERE Local 26.

In addition, the legislation calls for establishing a Director of Labor Relations position, as is commonplace among state and quasi-state agencies. Further the legislation calls for treating commercial events on the Lawn on D outside the BCEC the same as inside as it relates to labor standards. Currently they are treated separately without labor standards for commercial events outside at the Lawn on D. “Every day, Teamsters fights for a livable wage and strong Union benefits in the workplace,” said Teamsters Local 25 President Thomas Mari. “Our 12,000 members, of which more than 1,000 are working in the convention and trade show industry, earn strong wages and benefits. We support the expansion of the BCEC 100%. It is imperative in order for Boston to remain a destination city for the trade show and convention industry from around the world.”

Finally, the legislation calls for a community process with stakeholder and community engagement prior to authorization as well as increased public access to the Lawn on D, as it was originally planned. “The MCCA property is not situated on an

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“The expansion of the BCEC is an opportunity to make the Commonwealth more competitive in the convention and meetings industry while creating badly needed construction, hospitality and production jobs as we enter a period of economic uncertainty. But it is important that we do so in a fair and equitable way that prioritizes high diversity, labor and community standards for construction and in the agency’s ongoing operations as well,” said Senator Nick Collins, currently the Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets.