Labor & Workforce Development
Transition Policy Committee Summary of Findings
Committee Name
Labor and Workforce Transition Subcommittee
Committee Members
Rod Badaro, Tom Bent, Payton Corbett, Alex Galimberti, Marcy Goldstein-Gelb, Kristen McKenna, Guy Rossman, Korynn Stoyanoff, Marianne Walles, Rand Wilson
Recommendations for action:
Short term recommendations:
1. Strengthen Worker Protections and Enforcement
Commit city resources to make labor standards real and enforceable.
Fully fund and staff enforcement Somerville’s wage theft, living wage, responsible employer, and construction safety laws. Undertake an audit of the past utilization and enforcement of these ordinances.
Hire a dedicated Worker Protections Coordinator to support coordination, policy development, and implementation.
Strengthen accountability for violations, including meaningful penalties such as permit or license denial or revocation.
Support and empower the Wage Theft Advisory Committee to oversee implementation and enforcement.
Revisit and strengthen the Responsible Employer Ordinance, including assessing its effectiveness and adding a clear enforcement mechanism.
2. Build Strong, Forward-Looking Labor Policy
Create city infrastructure to proactively shape fair labor standards.
Establish a Labor Policy Advisory Committee within the first 100 days to develop, evaluate, and recommend labor and worker protection policies for both private-sector and municipal workers.
Hire a dedicated senior labor advisor to liaise with municipal and school unions and to staff the labor policy advisory committee
Ensure the committee serves as a long-term body advising the Mayor and City Council on emerging workforce issues, research, and policy reform.
Work with the City’s Purchasing Department to adopt responsible purchasing practices that prioritize fair wages and strong labor standards, including preference for union, fair-trade, high-road vendors and worker ownership in city procurement.
Determine (as allowed by the LEADS Act) that the use of Project Labor Agreements on public construction is beneficial to our community. This will ensure that major public construction projects are completed on time, on budget, and safely, while also expanding access to good-paying jobs for a diverse workforce (including veterans, women, and minorities) and local residents.
As permissible by law, when the city gives tax breaks (including to employers exempt from taxes), or provides other financial incentives to a developer then Project Labor Agreements should be required. Similarly, when the city gives tax breaks or provides other financial incentives to employers, then “labor peace” or union neutrality agreements should be required to secure a free and fair process for workers to organize.
Establish a public funding threshold that triggers a Project Labor Agreement (PLA) with local hire targets, and to ensure fair wages, strong labor standards, and high-quality jobs on publicly supported projects.
Adopt a youth labor protections and education policy that enforces child labor standards while ensuring young workers learn their workplace rights and the role of the labor movement through city programs, schools, and youth employment initiatives.
3. Lead by Example as a Model Employer
Ensure the City of Somerville sets the standard for fair, inclusive, and safe work.
Encourage hiring local residents by making meaningful, good-quality work accessible to all Somervillians by promoting workforce development and diverse leadership in both public and private sectors.
Ensure the city’s workforce reflects the diversity of Somerville’s communities, including immigrant and LGBTQ workers, at all levels of employment.
Guarantee safe and healthy working conditions for city employees through clear protocols, training, and investment in workplace safety.
4. Broaden and Strengthen Funding Sources for Workforce Development
Explore other funding opportunities to advance workforce development initiatives even with limited JCRT funds available.
Ensure Somerville residents are aware of and can take advantage of the Workforce Pell funding available starting in July. This only funds coursework and the City and JCRT should consider how to support the additional wrap-around supports needed for success.
Look at other sources within the city budget and the state budget to offer continued support of long-standing non-profit partnerships (ex. Collaborations with Economic Development Department, funding resources across cities)
Identify opportunities for employers to fund workforce development pipelines using state subsidies like Workforce Competitiveness Fund, MLSC tax incentives for biotech, etc.
5. Build on JCRT Best Practices
Review and refine the work of the JCRT committee.
Small amounts of money have been set aside to help move some programs along with no new fees coming in. Explore ways to fast track upcoming funds so they’re available for use ASAP.
Drawing on the experience of the JCRT grant making since 2019, update the city’s Talent Equity Playbook, ensuring that the worker protections and workforce development recommendations here are incorporated into the Playbook
Survey training providers on successes and challenges of previous rounds of JCRT funding including contract execution timelines, stipend distribution, grant timelines, and committee autonomy. Make adjustments where possible.
6. Utilize the High School for Training Space and Student/Community Connection
Connect programs and community members in well equipped and easily accessible spaces.
Promote a strong pathway from high school to apprenticeship programs, strengthening collaborations with organizations like Building Pathways and resources from JCRT.
Utilize the high school to house adult and other education programs, including new programs and existing programs that may currently be offered in locations outside of Somerville to increase access. Chelsea and Malden have good examples of partnerships with BHCC and others.
7. Build Pipelines Connecting Community Members, Training Programs, and Employers
Ensure employers invest in local talent and the needed training to meet workforce demands.
Review Somerville labor market data including top employers and jobs types. Ensure alignment amongst employer needs, available workforce, and training providers.
Encourage employers to be transparent about workforce composition, invest in Somerville residents, build pipelines with local training partners, etc. Investment should include needed training opportunities to ensure residents have the skills needed to fill employer gaps.
Expand workforce pathways connecting city high school vocational and other community workforce programs with high-quality, safe, living-wage union or union-track jobs, targeting youth, immigrants, and other historically underserved or highly impacted populations through coordinated training, supports, and city-backed placement opportunities.
Close gaps between community needs and economic opportunity—connecting people experiencing housing instability or working in highly exploited jobs (such as day labor) to pathways like hiring halls, cooperatives, and worker-owned businesses.
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