“You have to go through it, to truly understand how broken the system really is” – Baltimore City Tax Payer

Over the past few years we have heard many speculations about the water meters and their billing system.
We have heard of taxpayers being overcharged and undercharged. It has been stated that new meters are being installed as you read this story. A small percentage would say that the whole system is being revamped and it will be fixed over time. After personally living the water bill tsunami, I would agree with others in the position that the water bill system is a broken system.

On April 27, 2012, I received my water bill for one of my rental properties in the amount of $713.47 due by May 28, 2012. I immediately called the Baltimore City Water Bill Department at (410) 396-5398. I spoke with a representative and she stated “someone will be out before May 15th to check the meter and the reading”. At that time I asked her for a confirmation number to confirm that the call took place.

Problem #1 – I was informed that the agency do not have a system in place to confirm or give confirmation that a request have been made by a consumer/customer to ensure a response for a cause of action to exist.

On May 15th, I telephoned the water bill department to check the status of the initial complaint. I was informed by a representative that a member of the water department came out on May 9, 2012, and reported that the meter was working properly and that the meter reading was correct. I informed the representative that there were no water leaks in the home, and that I have worked in the construction field for the past 10 years, so I am fully aware of what to check for and how to check for leaks. I informed the representative that there could only be two problems, either there is an underground leak or the water meter is broken. She then put me on hold for a very long time, came back and stated that she talk to her supervisor and that I would be receiving a new meter. I then asked the representative, “Well how old is the meter?” She stated “It was installed in 1977”.

Problem #2 – Why is the City of Baltimore still using water meters that was installed in 1977 or eariler? What mechanical devices can sustain normal operations for 35 years? Airplanes, cars, hot water heaters, stoves, refrigerators, light fixtures, furnaces, air condition units or any mechanical device that I know of cannot sustain its usage for 35 years, so how does the City of Baltimore expect water meters to give accurate readings from a 35 year old device that most likely never been upgraded or received any maintenance.

Problem # 3 – A bill over $700.00 is not a leak; the water is running non-stop at this point. This bill is more than 5 times the average bill received at this home that I have owned since 2007.

The solution that the representative gave me was to request an informal hearing with an individual by the name of Ms. Rathmann, to see if I could get my water bill corrected. The request had to be faxed to (410) 396-5531 with a signature and date. I then ask the representative the response time that I should hear something back from Ms. Rathmann?

Problem #4 – The representative could not give me a timeframe (24 hours – 2 weeks) in which I would hear a response. She just stated that Ms. Rathmann was good about responding.

After talking to the water bill department, I contacted my City Council Representative, Baltimore City Council President’s Office, and the Baltimore City Mayor’s office. All three responded within the hour, and the best response came from the Council President’s Office. An email was sent to the department head of public works. The department head contacted me within 15 minutes. He stated that the new meter would be installed within 10 – 14 business days, and that if the meter reads different after the meter is installed, they would correct the bill. He also stated that he would personally address this issue, and to contact him directly with any concerns or with checking the status. The Mayor’s office did call within 15 minutes also and gave me a good point of information which is that you can call 311 and request an audit of your water bill, and at that time you will receive a tracking number for reference and I was told to ask for an Informal Hearing.

As I receive progress on this situation, I will keep you posted with updates. Furthermore, as I was going through this situation, I thought about the seniors who are enduring similar situations, also the parents who work two jobs to feed their children and cannot spend time making telephone calls all day to correct a problem that are out of their control. Lastly, I thought about individuals who have lost their homes because the meter readings were incorrect or were read from a meter that was 35 years old and installed in 1977. For these reasons, I felt it was imperative to share this unfortunate story that many Baltimoreans are experiencing with “A Broken System”.

As an FYI, I just wanted to give everyone an update on the unofficial numbers from early voting in Baltimore City.

• The largest turn out day for early voting was 3/29/12 and the turnout was 1,651 (0.51%)
• The highest Early Voting Precinct was The League for People with Disabilities and the turnout was 2,497 (0.77%)
• The City Council District with the largest turnout was the 8th Council District with 1,137 (4.34%)
• The Legislative District with the largest turnout was the 41st Legislative District with 2,395 (3.99%)
• The gender with the largest voter turnout was Female with 4,969 participating
• The Age with the largest voter turnout was 45-65 years of age with 3,652
• The unofficial early voting turnout in Baltimore City was 7,508 (2.31%)

I hope that you will take the time to forward this info to your friends, family, and neighbors. Check out this short You Tube Video with the Same Primary Election Day Info, it’s less than 2 minutes.

Over the past few weeks, I have received several emails and fliers at meetings about the contract negotiations with the UFCW between Giant & Safeway grocery stores. I must say that it really didn’t resonate how close they are to not reaching an agreement by March 31, 2012. Many of the UFCW representatives have been quoted for saying that this was going to be tough contract negotiations because Giants & Safeway were trying to compete with competitors such as Wal-Mart.

“It’s still early,” said Tim Goins, Local 27′s executive vice president. “Negotiations are complex. They’re always difficult, but they’re very complex this time because of pension issues, health and welfare and severance.”

Local 400′s president, Tom McNutt, said the grocery chains have presented the union with more than 30 demands that would mean “thousands of dollars” out of workers’ pockets.

Giant has a (30) plus year record of paying workers their fair share, and Safeway, Superfresh, and Shoppers have all modeled that practice. With the race to the bottom tactics that are pushed on the American Middle Class, we see that leaders in the grocer industry are ready to fold their hand and put profits over people which helps in destroying the American middle class structure.

As time goes on and things get worse, I feel very discouraged and disturbed as a young worker that as we turn into a global economy, America is losing the core principles that have built the middle class. Corporations and CEO’s are doing business as usual and the American worker stomach the brunt of the abuse.

Currently I am taking a class “Management & Labor in the 21st Century” and the question was asked

In recent years, the number of U.S. companies that buy their products from low-cost foreign suppliers has been growing, and concern about the ethics associated with employing young children in factories has been increasing. In Pakistan, children as young as 6 years old work long hours in deplorable conditions to make rugs and carpets for export to Western countries. Children in poor countries throughout Africa, Asia, and South America work in similar conditions. Is it ethical for a child to work in dangerous conditions if not working means that his or her family may starve?

The direction that our country is going in order to keep up with the global competition is horrifying. Why do we always have to compete with the race to the bottom standards, instead of raising the standards for all workers? This is the practice that I was taught and this is the approach I believe we should take.

So when I walk in my Local Giant Supermarket this week, I am going to make sure to let the worker and supervisor know that I have always stood with Giants because Giants has always stood with the American worker. If that practice fails to exist than my business will go elsewhere because I believe that “Raising the standard for one worker, is raising the stand for all workers.”

Greetings Everyone,

Do you know what is happening on April 3rd? For those not aware, that is Primary Election Day. Yes, Primary Election Day has changed this cycle and is being held on Tuesday, April 3, 2012. Once again we will be having early voting for this 2012 Election Cycle and it will start on March 24, 2012 – March 29, 2012. The hours for early voting will be 10 AM – 8 PM except Sunday, March 25, 2012 the hours will be 12pm to 6pm. If you live in Baltimore City, below are the early voting locations:

• Edmondson Westside HS 400 (Rear of Building) 501 Athol Avenue
• The League for People with Disabilities 1111 E. Coldspring Lane
• Maritime Industries Academy School #431 5001 Sinclair Lane (Rear – Enter on Truesdale Ave)
• Public Safety Training Center (Enter on Manhattan Ave.) 3500 W. Northern Pkwy
• St. Brigids Parish Center 900 S. East Ave.

If you live in another part of Maryland and would like to find your early voting site, please follow this link.

Here are important dates to remember:

1. Primary Voter Registration Deadline (9 pm) – Tuesday, March 13, 2012
2. Deadline for receipt of Absentee Ballot Applications by Mail – Tuesday, March 27, 2012

I hope that you will take the time to forward this info to your friends, family, and neighbors. Check out this short You Tube Video with the Same Primary Election Day Info, it’s less than 2 minutes.

Comcast Technicians Deserve a Voice

Before discussing the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) process, I would first like to discuss the campaign. The campaign started when one of the sub-contractor’s former workers decided that he wanted to better the cable industry and strengthen the wages and working conditions. This former worker was able to gather 12 of his co-workers to join a conference call and discuss the issues within the company. The issues within the company were:

1. Wages – The wages have decreased for the workers, since the beginning of the decade. The triple play package, (installation of telephone, internet, and cable) which is something they often referred to, use to gross $80.00 to $90.00, but they were currently receiving half of that ($40.00 to $45.00).

2. Gas – The workers were given a $10.00 stipend each morning for gas. They were currently being charged with filling up the gas tanks past the $10.00. Many other companies have different gas policies, permitting the use of gas cards because they are all W-2 employees, not 1099.

3. Deductions – Workers had funds deducted from their checks without notifications. These deductions ranged from faulty equipment, logging equipment (dispatcher), or administrative error (administration) just to name a few. Once the worker noticed the deduction they could argue their case and then receive a refund check for the deduction. This happened on a regular occurrence and was a very frustrating system for the workers.

4. Performance Pay Rate – Every job was judged and based off of accuracy and efficiency. If the customer of Comcast called the operations office and complained that their cable, telephone, or internet was inoperable, the worker could receive a demotion in his performance rate pay and may not receive pay for the recall job that he was sent out to do. The problem with this system was that even if it was a customer error, they were still penalized.

• What is a customer error?

 If the customer moves the station from channel 4, when it is suppose to be on channel 3, than that system can be considered inoperable, but that is a customer error, not a technician error.

5. Hours – Cable technicians work 6 days a week, and sometimes 12 hours a day. Many of the workers were intimidated to ask off on Sunday for personal reasons, in fear of retribution or that they may not have a job on Monday when they returned.

6. Insurance Policy – If a technician was in an “at fault” accident or even a “non at fault” accident, the technician had $1,000.00 deducted from their check. They had to prove they were not at fault in order to halt the deduction, even though these were company trucks, not their own trucks. Some workers only make $800.00/bi weekly, so that may mean their entire check was deducted.

7. Parking Ticket – Technicians utilize a great amount of equipment including pocket tools, meters, extension ladders, and etc. Many of these jobs require them to park close to the jobsite. If there isn’t any parking available for three or four blocks, sometimes they have to park illegally to drop off the equipment and can acquire parking tickets. The company policy is that the technician is solely responsible for all parking tickets.

These were some of the main issues that the workers organized around. The aforementioned reasons are why over 25% of the 80 plus technicians came out on Sundays at 8pm over a 12 week period to be involved in the Volunteer Organizing Committee (VOC). This is why over 65% of the technicians decided to sign authorization cards for representation. After developing an education for the NLRB process, understanding what Unfair Labor Practices (ULP) are, becoming prepared for company retaliation and intimidation, the VOC decided that it was time to file a petition to have an election.

The election process started off great and the workers were motivated and encouraged that they had organized and unified their forces to have a voice in the workplace and bargain collectively to fix some of the issues. After the first week, the company returned with a vengeance and swift action to break up the VOC’s momentum.

The first action by the company was to water down the bargaining unit. For those familiar with the NLRB process, before an election date is set, a bargaining unit has to be established. This was also discussed at the VOC meetings, so the workers were very aware of the delay tactic that the company would try to utilize in order for the workers to lose momentum and it gives time to intimidate workers. For those that are not familiar with this part, here is a breakdown:

1. If the bargaining unit isn’t established, a hearing date is established 7 – 10 days after the petition is filed.

2. At that time the company can ask for a postponement which buys the company another 7 – 10 days.

3. Next the hearing could possibly begin.

4. After that time the hearing judge will deliver a verdict which could be a few days later.

During this course of time the company delays the election process by fourteen or more days. If they are experienced with the process and brought in a union buster or Lawyer that practices in Union Avoidance, the process just explained would be strongly encouraged.

So now that the VOC understood what they were up against, they had two decisions which were:

A. Accept that the company wanted to add 23 dispatchers, 6 warehouse workers, 4 administrators, and 1 router. Note: All of these positions worked in the office or at the headquarters, and do not have to endure the same conditions that the technicians had to work under.

B. To go to a hearing and face intimidation by the employer, constant captive audience meetings, work place threats, and lose the momentum that they were building as a unified force.

Well, the VOC decided to choose option A because they had more cards signed, then people that were being added, and they were under the assumption that some of the classifications may be sympathetic to their issues, even if it was only two or three workers.

The date was agreed upon, and it was three weeks away. The momentum was building because they felt as though they had just gotten a victory with a 21 day election, instead of the company flexing the use of a 45 day waiting period for the election to happen.

After the election date was set, the Union Avoidance lawyer that the company brought on staff went into full force. They pulled all of the supervisors into a closed door meeting and discussed the strategy for the election. Over the next few weeks, there were captive audience meetings held every day until 48 hours before Election Day. Rumors were spread amongst the workers that the company was going to close down the day after the Union won. One rumor was started that Comcast had a clause in the agreement where if a sub-contractor’s employees unionize, then the contract goes void. The employer immediately started giving out checks for the mistaken deductions and trying to correct their errors. Several employees informed me that there pay rate was bumped up from a C Pay Rate to an A Pay Rate. Another rumor was that if the company closed, the technicians would be able to find jobs with other companies, but the dispatchers would not be able to find jobs as easily. Days before the election, the workers were scared that they were going to lose their jobs, instead of feeling as though their employer was responsible it was now Comcast that mandated the unrealistic policies. Some workers even talked about not voting because they believed or theorized that if they didn’t vote, then the company wouldn’t be able to blame them if the workers were successful in organizing. Even though the momentum was lost with some, the VOC still felt as though they had their core.

During the 21 day period leading up to the election, the company not only used the tricks of rumors, fear, and temporarily correcting their actions, they also transferred five employees that could be “yes” votes to another location and allegedly told those employees that their votes would not count and that they couldn’t vote in the upcoming election. The employees at that other station organized and got 65% of their cards signed and filed a petition to hold an election two days before the first location was scheduled for theirs.

The last ploy of the company was to email the NLRB and let them know that they inadvertently left a name off of the excelsior list. An excelsior list is a list of employees that the company has to submit to the NLRB in order for them to recognize who is eligible to vote in the election. The names are usually submitted with a recognized pay period as a cutoff date.

So, the big day comes, and the workers are ready to vote. The VOC would challenge 6 of the workers, the Router and administrators, on the basis that they held supervisory positions. The company challenged the five workers that they transferred to a new location. The NLRB challenged the 1 worker that was left off of the excelsior sheet, and three other people that would come into the voting facility, but their name wouldn’t appear on the excelsior list. Two out of the five workers that the company transferred were brave enough to exercise their right to participate in the election. One of the supervisors would harass the observer representing the VOC during the election process. Ultimately the VOC would endure a tough, but hard fought loss of 40 people that voted yes, and 58 people that voted no, with 12 challenges.

Following the election, there would be a brave worker that would file an Unfair Labor Practice Charge on the basis of the following:
On or around January 2012, and at all times thereafter, the above-named employer, by its officers, agents and supervisors, by the following conduct and by the other acts and conduct, has interfered with, restrained and coerced its employees in the exercise of the rights guaranteed in Section 7 of the Act:

• Soliciting grievances from employees;

• Interrogating employees about their support for the Union;

• Telling employees that the Employer would lose contracts or work if employees voted for the Union;

• Implying that supporting or engaging in activities on behalf of the Union was futile;

• Telling employees that they were not eligible to vote in the election;

• Advising employees to remove union paraphernalia; and

• Intimidating employees because of their support for and activities on behalf of the Union.

The petition for the second location would be extracted, after the company postponed the union determination hearing and the workers viewed the loss from the first location. They were already subjected to captive audience meetings before the organizing drive and NLRB process initiated. In so many words these workers were more fearful than the workers at the first location and decided against having a voice at the workplace and bargaining collectively. They settled for having a job and less employer intimidation.

The reason for this blog wasn’t to have people sympathize for the workers, but to understand that organizers and workers are going to have to work twice as hard to defeat or overcome because the NLRB process is an arduous undertaking. Often times it is hard to find workers that will stand up and risk job loss to confront the injustices against workers. Over time the companies have figured out ways to manipulate the NLRB process without inquiring real penalties that will hold them accountable for their actions. This brings me to the importance of passing legislation such as the Employee Free Choice Act, yes the card check was the important part of the bill, but there were also other critical pieces that should be entertained, such as:

 Quicker election dates, instead of 30 – 45 day election dates there should be 7 – 10 day election dates

 Tougher fines for companies that commit Unfair Labor Practices, the reason why they commit the offense is because the fines aren’t handed out enough or they aren’t steep enough

 First Contract Negotiations would be more obtainable with mandatory arbitration

My advice for my fellow organizers and workers is that sometimes we have to play the cards that we are dealt. I personally know that this is a David versus Goliath story. So make no mistake, we have no opportunity to miss a move or be careless because our industry needs us, workers need us, and America needs us. For corporations and companies that treat their workers unfairly, I would like to leave you with a quote from Elizabeth Warren “There is nobody in this country who got rich on his own. You built a factory out there? Good for you, But I want to be clear: you moved your goods to market on the roads the rest of us paid for; you hired workers the rest of us paid to educate; you were safe in your factory because of police forces and fire forces that the rest of us paid for. You didn’t have to worry that marauding bands would come and seize everything at your factory, and hire someone to protect against this, because of the work the rest of us did. Now look, you built a factory and it turned into something terrific, or a great idea? God bless. Keep a big hunk of it. But part of the underlying social contract is you take a hunk of that and pay forward for the next kid who comes along.”

This weekend I had the opportunity to serve as a judge for the Skills USA Regional Competition along with my brothers Dave Norfolk, Neil Wilford, Jack Ryan, Mike McHale, Jerome Miller, and Mike Maksim who graduated from the Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (JATC).

The Skills USA Regional Competition was held at Mergenthaler High School located in Baltimore City. It was composed of students across the State of Maryland who assembled to face off in a competition of skill, accuracy, safety, neatness, and etc. My specific participatory input was the electrical completion.

I entered the JATC at the age of twenty (20), and it was inspiring to see sixteen and seventeen year old teenagers face off to display their electrical knowledge. The competition involved/included mounting a panel, using the proper wire size, supporting the boxes and wire, as well as wiring switches, electrical outlets, and dryer plugs. There was a three hour time limit and they were given a sheet of blueprints to do the job.

To me, the participants in the competition displayed their knowledge for electrical work, and their leadership and accountability. One comment that stuck with me was when one of the Judges said

“I remember this young man from last year’s competition and you can see his skill level has developed well over a year” – Jerome Miller

As we rotated to the stations to evaluate the work, you could see the proud teachers and parents smiling at the work that their students and children completed. Some parents were so proud; they must have taken dozens of pictures. It was truly a rewarding moment!

I would like to thank Skills USA for preparing our youth for the future, Mergenthaler High School for hosting the competition, and the JATC for sponsoring the event. Finally, I would like to thank my Training Director, Dave Norfolk, for giving me the opportunity to brighten the days of Maryland’s future construction tradesmen.

This was a fascinating week in education for me. I had the privilege of speaking at City Neighbors High School located in Northeast Baltimore. Before I begin I would like to thank Founder Bobbi McDonald and Principal Danique Dolly for the opportunity.

I have always been inquisitive about Charter schools because it is something new for my generation. I really haven’t had the opportunity to interact with a charter school on a personal basis outside of graduations and fundraising events. I must say that I walked into the high school and the first thing I noticed was the color scheme. It was decorated with artistic colors, and was warm and very welcoming. The cafeteria had a 70’s look, with very relaxed seating, not like the 12 foot, hard marble benches that I was used to seeing. Next, I noticed the laminate flooring and carpeting throughout the school, unlike the 12 ft by 12 ft plain floor tiles that I am used to seeing. I entered the classrooms saw the new computers, science equipment, and musical instruments that all made this seem as though it was a second home, instead of just a classroom. You could see that the staff and children took pride in their projects as they were displayed proudly on the outside walls of the classroom and I must say that there were some different and interesting pieces of work. What I am trying to express is as I walked through that school, I wished that every child could experience that same type of ambience and education if they choose.

I then entered the auditorium where I would deliver my presentation to the students, but before I presented I listened to Principal Dolly address the students. He gave them praise, as he read a report about Baltimore City schools attendance record and how in comparison these 9th and 10th graders were leading the charge with over 90% attendance on record. In my mind, I could understand why the attendance record was so high, because to me it didn’t seem like school; it seemed like a home away from home. As I gave my presentation on dreaming big, working hard, and achieving your goals, I continually reminded them that their future is in their hands and to not let anyone take that away. I attempted to enlighten them on the experiences that I learned from and the successes that can come if you take things away from those experiences. As I wrapped up, I was able to address a group that had questions and feedback about the presentation which was very heartwarming. As they finished with their questions, I began to ask a series of questions myself. Like; how did you get picked for this school? ; What are your thoughts about this school? What part of town are you from? The last question I was addressed, received answers including West Baltimore, down the hill (East Baltimore), Southeast Baltimore, and Northeast Baltimore. I think that the last question really hit home for me, it was encouraging to know that our Baltimore City children had this opportunity!

For more info on City Neighbors High School visit this website

While going through the five year apprenticeship program with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 24, I have been able to appreciate the Baltimore Building Trades and the efforts of the National Building Trades. The Building Trades is an organization that is comprised of Construction Local Unions such as Electricians, Plumbers & Steamfitters, Sheet Metal Workers, Roofers, Elevator Constructors, Boilermakers, Painters, Carpenters, Operating Engineers, Iron Workers, and etc. They are an organization that advocates the importance of having Project Labor Agreements (PLA’s), a living wage, good education, affordable healthcare, and respectable retirement. They fight for dignity amongst construction workers. To me the Building Trades are the people that are fighting for workers to join the middleclass, and also preserving the foundation for those that are in the middleclass. For those that may not have aspirations to go onto college many of the apprenticeships that are aligned with the Building Trades give a free education and give the young worker the ability to own a home, raise a family, and live a comfortable lifestyle. Everyday the middleclass lifestyle is under attack from those that are pushing Right to Work legislation, contractors that don’t follow the rules for prevailing wage projects, or those that cheat the tax system by misclassifying workers as independent contractors. The Building Trades is a great organization that fights everyday to give all workers the opportunity to join the middleclass. It is an organization that I am proud to say that I am a part of. Don’t forget to check out the video which explains how the Building Trades are good for Baltimore City residents.

Dear Baltimore:

In 1993 there were 353 homicides in Baltimore City; I was nine years old playing in the streets of Park Heights. The sound of gunfire, the old foxtrot and police sirens were constant. At the time, I accepted it as the way things were.

Why wouldn’t I? I knew nothing different. To me, being the kid allowed to play basketball with the adults many of whom were members of the notorious “ranch boys” was normal. Every corner being covered by people buying and selling drugs, police constantly ripping through the alleys and the seemingly daily chatter about who got killed; all of it was just normal.

One day I asked my dad if things were always this way. He replied, “No” and that one day they’ll be different. Today, things are different. I am 27 and for the first time in my lifetime there were fewer than 200 homicides in a single year; 196 to be exact. That is quite a difference from the years I endured as a child.

I no longer reside in Park Heights and my days on the sideline are long gone. For more than four years I have seen and participated first hand in what goes into the fight to make Baltimore safer. I have worked with communities and police throughout the city to make a safer Baltimore.

Many of those police officers who ripped through the alleys when I was a child are now Colonels, Majors and Lieutenants. We often exchange stories about “the old days” and the staunch difference between today (my views as a young child and theirs as young officers.)

Yes, Baltimore has come a long way. Yet despite the tremendous progress my mood is one of mixed emotions. The Baltimore of today’s 9 year old is a much safer place than the one I knew as a child; no ifs, ands or buts about it. Should we recognize this progress as a City? Definitely! We have come a long way and we must own our progress!

We owe that recognition to the men and women who fought daily to make this progress a reality. We owe it not only to the Governor, Mayor, Police Commissioner and police officers; who all deserve recognition for their efforts. But, more importantly we owe it to the Jack Baker’s, Mark Washington’s, Tony Dawson’s, Inez Robb’s, and other community advocates who worked tirelessly to help move Baltimore forward.

However, we need not pop any champagne nor have any parties. Violence continues to engulf neighborhoods and impact families throughout Baltimore. Our city still has too many children are growing up with the sounds of gunfire, foxtrot and sirens being the norm as I did. Too many lives are being cut short or altered by violence. Too many families continue to pack up and leave the city because of burglaries or other property crime.

My late grandfather had a saying that perfectly describes where we are, “We are off the mountain but, we haven’t made it out of the woods.” Baltimore the work has just begun; we have come a long way but still have a long way to go. Baltimore we will make the journey from the woods into the valley and we will get there together as one city, one Baltimore constantly striving to be a better place.

Sincerely,

Brandon M. Scott

Follow Councilman Scott on Twitter @BrandonMScott or Facebook for more info on his latest initiatives.

As many mainstream signs that the economy is improving, Baltimore City residents are ready to test that perception and see if it is a piece of reality. The national unemployment rates have dropped below nine percent, but the reality is that we will never know the true number of unemployed workers because there are many long term unemployed workers that have stop receiving unemployment benefits or some worker that have settled for part time work. The perceived notion is that unemployed workers are lazy or maybe they don’t want to go back to work, but the workers that showed up today are far from the perceived views of those that don’t understand the plight of the unemployed. Today over three dozen unemployed workers showed up to receive the basic skills to work on construction projects. This job training effort was put together by local churches such as Triumph Christian Church, labor unions such as LIUNA, and community activist throughout Baltimore City. The primary goal of this effort was to put Baltimore City residents back to work. Check out and share this video for more details!