Former HFIAW BM instrumental in creating work opportunities

With rising unemployment and a construction industry workforce continuing to shrink, one former Insulators Union Business Manager has stepped up to help create meaningful career opportunities.

Former Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Trades Local 7 Business Manager Monty Anderson was recently credited with helping to craft a Student and Community Workforce Agreement (SCWA) with the Seattle Public Schools.

This is one of the first agreements in the nation to focus directly on those involved with the school district.

The SCWA is designed to help current and former students of the Seattle Public Schools, as well as their families, train for and work on construction projects being carried out by the school district at or above the $5 million level.

Currently serving as the Seattle Building and Construction Trades Council Executive Secretary, Anderson helped secure this agreement to benefit the entire community, while focusing on helping to steer minority community members into great building trades careers.

In addition to securing training and employment for community members on school district projects totaling at least $5 million, Anderson was able to get additional benefits into the agreement.

According to an article published by the Seattle Medium, there are two other key benefits.

“The agreement will prioritize career, training and employment for Seattle and community members including former Seattle Public Schools students who are ready to seek careers in construction and wage earners who have Seattle Public Schools students in their households,” the Seattle Medium writes.

The agreement will prioritize all people of color, women and residents within an economically distressed zip code.

The agreement stands to provide the Seattle construction industry with pre-trained and experienced tradespeople, who live within Seattle communities. 

Washington Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal told the Seattle Medium that this agreement is beneficial to community members, as well as the construction industry.

“There is a strong business case for Community Workforce Agreements for their benefit to increasing the predictability and worker pipeline for the construction industry,” he said.