The Greater Boston Labor Council has partnered with the Boston Building Trades Council in seeking adoption of a Responsible Employer Ordinance for the City of Somerville. REO’s require contractors that bid on municipal construction projects to provide health care coverage to their employees and document that they have access to certified apprentice training.

On March 26th a strong contingent of union leaders and Somerville residents testified in support of the REO at a hearing of the Somerville Board of Alderman’s legislative committee. Representatives of the Somerville Chamber of Commerce and the Association of Builders and Contractors, the anti-union trade association, spoke in opposition.

The opposition is lobbying feverishly against the Somerville REO. GBLC union leaders and activists are urged to contact members of the Somerville Board of Alderman asking them to support the REO which protects tax-payers and workers against unscrupulous contractors. Somerville Mayor Joe Curtatone co-sponsored the REO, so a simple six person majority of the eleven member Somerville Board of Alderman will bring this much needed worker protection to adoption.