Lawsuit to be Filed Over Atlantic Yards Jobs
Seven construction workers are filing a lawsuit claiming they were promised union jobs at Atlantic Yards after completing a training program, according to the Daily News, but were instead offered employment at places like McDonald’s and a health club. The defendants include Forest City Ratner and BUILD (Brooklyn United for Innovative Local Development), according to…
Seven construction workers are filing a lawsuit claiming they were promised union jobs at Atlantic Yards after completing a training program, according to the Daily News, but were instead offered employment at places like McDonald’s and a health club. The defendants include Forest City Ratner and BUILD (Brooklyn United for Innovative Local Development), according to the story. One of the plaintiffs had this to say: “I believed I was going to be employed, that jobs were going to come into my community. …It was all lies.” Meanwhile, the president of BUILD says the program never guaranteed construction jobs. Matthew Brinckerhoff, the lawyer representing the plaintiffs along with South Brooklyn Legal Services, is quoted as follows: “It’s galling that people living in the community were conned into enthusiastically supporting this project based on the promise of jobs.” As Atlantic Yards Report notes, Council Member Letitia James, State Senator Velmanette Montgomery and South Brooklyn Legal Services are holding a press conference about the lawsuit this afternoon. The notice about the press conference says “the suit seeks the recovery of unpaid wages as well as damages based on false promises.”
Promise of Union Jobs a Lie by Atlantic Yards: Suit [NY Daily News]
Federal Lawsuit to be Filed against FCR, BUILD, Bruce Ratner, Others [AY Report]
It never ceases to amaze me how everyone is an expert on everything and can come to conclusions based on ZERO facts.
All you have here is a lawsuit, nothing more; no one knows what program these people were participating in (if any); what there qualifications were (if any); how many other people participated and received employment (if any); etc, etc, The life cycle of an anti-Ratner story seems to be – someone (anywhere) says something bad about Ratner or AY, AY Report posts it, Brownstoner reposts it and thereby all the negative stuff said becomes true.
If Ratner reneged and somehow screwed these people then I wish them luck in their suit, but It would be nice to wait for some actual facts – for all anyone knows these 7 people were incompetent alcoholics
It’s difficult to get into one of the trades. It often takes long apprenticeships and you actually have to be good at whatever it is you do. Of course family connections are important too, and that’s where it gets dicey. If these men can show they were competent and showed up on time for all their training classes and were not placed in an apprenticeship job, they have a point.
If they thought this was the gravy train for life, that’s a different story.
Can’t wait to read the bill of particulars on this suit. I am predicting now it will be totally frivolous attempt for a quick settlement. Ratner never promised to hire any specific people for construction. He put forth goals and agreed to give preference to local people and minorities. He also agreed to establish a general training program and a construction apprentice program. I read nothing here that indicates he didn’t live up to those commitments.
I am sure that some of the people who went through a training program were dissatisfied with their employment opportunities but without knowing these peoples qualifications, anyone attacking Ratner on this is just speculating over politics – not facts. If you’d like to ACTUALLY read what Ratner agreed to here, all you have to do is click on the Community Benefits Agreement below:
http://www.buildbrooklyn.org/pr/cba.pdf