CORD Seeks Jobs Proof

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by Melissa Bailey | May 20, 2010 11:01 am

(5) Comments | Commenting has been closed | E-mail the Author

Posted to: Business/Labor/ Economic Development, City Hall

Melissa Bailey Photo Four years after it brokered a development agreement with Yale-New Haven Hospital, a community group is seeking proof that the hospital is hiring as many local workers as promised.

Two dozen members of Community Organized for Responsible Development (CORD), led by pastor Abraham Hernandez (pictured), paid a visit to City Hall Wednesday to ask Mayor John DeStefano’s help in pressuring the hospital to provide better data on a promise it made in 2006 to hire city residents. The pledge was made as part of a landmark agreement with the city that paved the way for the construction of Yale’s new Smilow Cancer Hospital.

As part of the deal, YNHH agreed to invest millions of dollars in economic development, a youth initiative, traffic improvements, establish two “career ladder” programs, including one with nursing students at Gateway, and continue to make voluntary payments to the city.

CORD’s inquiry concerns a part of the agreement where the hospital pledged to hire 100 city residents per year into permanent full time jobs, and create a new “comprehensive training” program to help city residents get job skills.

YNHH Vice President Vin Petrini said the hospital has complied with, and in some cases exceeded, all the requirements in the agreement. He said YNHH has hired at least 654 city residents since the agreement was signed in June 2006—a number that exceeds the 400 that were required.

“Hiring over 650 NH residents, especially in this economy, is something we can all be proud of,” he said.

CORD is pressing for more detailed information on the new hires. In a petition delivered to mayoral Chief of Staff Sean Matteson Wednesday, CORD asked the city to request the following information from the hospital: The zip codes or ward numbers of the new hires, the jobs they were hired into, and whether they remain in full time positions today.

Petrini said the hospital has complied with annual reporting requirements. Every year, YNHH reported to the city the zip codes and types of jobs of all employees who were part of a “career ladder” program to encourage internal promotions. That list includes some, but not all, new hires.

CORD organizer Gwen Mills said the zip codes don’t always specify which neighborhood the new hires are from. She said CORD suspects, from talking to people in the Hill, West River and Dwight, that not many people from the surrounding neighborhoods have landed full time jobs at YNHH. She also said she does not believe YNHH has done enough to provide a “comprehensive training program” for city residents.

Part of the agreement calls on the hospital to “maximize the number of positions filled by residents of the neighborhoods surrounding the Hospital’s campus.” To that end, the agreement calls on the hospital to partner with educational institutions and work force development groups to train local residents for hospital jobs. The training component was meant to help clear an obvious hurdle, Mills said: Many nearby residents aren’t job-ready; they need an extra push.

Petrini said YNHH has held numerous job fairs and has worked with STRIVE New Haven, a workforce readiness training group. YNHH interviews graduates of STRIVE’s workforce readiness classes and communicates with STRIVE about which jobs are open, Petrini said.

Petrini stressed, and Mills acknowledged, that the hospital has complied with many other components of the agreement. He rattled off a long list of contributions YNHH has made since the pact took effect, including $4,132,669 in voluntary payments to the city. Click here to read the latest list.

“I’m confident we have not only met the letter but the spirit of the agreement,” Petrini said.

Mayoral Chief of Staff Matteson said he would review CORD’s request and make sure the hospital is in compliance with all aspects of the agreement.

Comments

posted by: Samanth on May 20, 2010 5:56pm

SEIU was funding CORD the last i heard. CORD is sponsored by these Hartford overlords of the Union. It’s where lots if not all of union dues goes.( then Unite Here and J Willy of NY) Most of the CORD administration, if we can call it that ,are Hartford based. If they can dupe any local into believing they’ll get jobs, then fie. I hope it happened but i doubt it. And what was with that mention of hires from 06511 ? That’s mostly the East Rock area. Probably Grad students and / or medical people. I always liked those “chance” encounters with out of town applicants who just happen to bump into City or Yale folks on quiet/ removed side streets.
Is Andrea Cole still the honcho ? Wasn’t she related to the mighty State of Ct. Arson Official, Cole ?

posted by: Curious on May 21, 2010 7:47am

Please, a little bit more investigative reporting on CORD and the union funding. The union has had the practice of actually paying clergy to be organizers, so they turn out their congregations, and to be the public point person in their campaigns. While I don’t begrudge a clergy picking up some extra cash to support the church, it would be nice to have full disclosure.

posted by: Mario on May 21, 2010 8:40am

CORD: Clergy Ordered to Remain Disingenuous (By SEIU)

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posted by: Doyens on May 21, 2010 9:17am

What have the sign holders done on their own to prepare themselves to get a job at YNHH? Anything? Assuming they are qualified, have they applied for a job?

It seems the reports filed by YNHH with the city, support the fact they are well in compliance with the community benefits requirement not only on jobs but on traffic lights, flow, 34 access and more. It would have been nice if Gwen Mills and Pastor Hernandez had reviewed the reports and/or spoken with Vin Petrini and YNHH about their concerns prior to causing a scene at City Hall or trying to denigrate once again, the reputation of the hospital.

posted by: anotherunionploy on May 21, 2010 11:46am

Seriously, a group of Yale-University EMPLOYED workers with signs that say “we need good jobs now?”

YNH has met their requirement and hired even more employees than any other employer in the city. The community benefits agreement has been more than answered which is demonstrated by the hospital’s commitment to the citizens of New Haven.

SEIU, CORD and the clergy need to do their research before they go “storming city hall.”

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