We Want Jobs Now: The Battle for Local Baltimore Jobs

Wednesday Sept. 7, 2011

University of Baltimore Construction Project
and the State Center Project Protests

Organized by Community Churches United for Baltimore Jobs

BALTIMORE, MD -- Hundreds of West Baltimore residents demonstrated at Miller Long and Arnold's project at the University of Baltimore on Wednesday September 7th to protest the lack of local workers hired for the project.
Participants assembled at 11 a.m. at Pearlstone Park at Howard and W. Preston streets and marched to the construction site at 30 West Biddle Street.

The unemployment rate for African Americans is much higher than for the Baltimore Metropolitan Region overall.

Unemployment in Baltimore City for African Americans is at 16% and in West Baltimore the percent is well over 20%. In contrast, the unemployment rate for the Baltimore-Towson Metropolitan Area is 8%.

"This is a disgrace and an outrage," said Pastor Simmons, local reverend. "Enough is enough. We have drawn a line, and it is no more business as usual for these contractors that profit off of our tax dollars."

The 11-story, 323-bed student apartment building being constructed at the site will feature 114 studios, two- and four-bedroom apartments. University of Baltimore students will be the primary users of the building, although others from area institutions may be interested in the apartments as well.

The project began April 2011 and a will continue through August 2012.

Estimated at $27 million, it has been advertised as bringing dozens of construction, professional housing management and retail jobs to the city. The nearby State Center Project is estimated at 1.6 billion.

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

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