Issue: Economic Opportunity
Q
The Austin region has been ranked as one of the most economically segregated areas in the country. This economic segregation has particularly affected communities of color. Please describe your top three priorities to address economic inequality in the City of Austin.
Asked by Workers Defense Action Fund
Q
Do you support incorporating worker protections into the 2018 housing bond, for projects that result in new construction, equivalent to those found on other city-funded projects such as Better Builder® certification, living and prevailing wages, safety training, workers’ compensation insurance, and a commitment to DOL-registered apprenticeship and certified bilingual craft training?
Asked by Workers Defense Action Fund
Q
Texas is the only state that allows an employer to opt out of providing workers’ compensation coverage to its employees. Many workers who are injured on the job often do not have access to the medical care or financial support that they need to recover from their injury, pay their bills, and return to work. Oftentimes, these injured workers must resort to publicly funded programs, like the Medical Access Program (MAP), to receive needed medical care. What measures would you propose to support residents in your district who suffer workplace injuries while working for employers who do not carry workers’ compensation insurance?
Asked by Workers Defense Action Fund
Q
The Better Builder ® Program creates good jobs in the construction industry by establishing minimum standards on construction sites. These standards include a living wage for all construction workers, OSHA 10-hour safety training for all workers, workers’ compensation coverage, local hiring goals to place workers in approved skills training programs, and accredited, independent on-site monitoring to ensure these standards are met. As a city council member, will you support incorporating these standards onto projects where the city has both a substantial role and the ability to require higher worker protections, including (but not limited to) ground leases, Public Improvement Districts, density bonus programs, tax increment financing, abatements, and other city development programs designed for the utilization of private developers?
Asked by Workers Defense Action Fund