SCC & MassDOT to Sign MOU on Local Hires for Green Line Extension

Transportation Secretary Richard Davey and MBTA General Manager Dr. Beverly Scott, with staff members from Jobs for Somerville.

In their May 2014 newsletter, Somerville Community Corporation (SCC) announced that they, along with Jobs for Somerville and the MBTA, are ready to sign the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that will create the Mass WIN/GLX Workforce Development Initiative. This program will provide a pathway to the construction jobs on the Green Line Extension for residents from Somerville, Cambridge, and Medford. The MOU also provides for the creation of an Access and Opportunity Committee that will guide the implementation and development of the Mass WIN/GLX program and make sure the program's local hiring goals are achieved. 

This agreement comes after years of hard work by the Jobs for Somerville committee. Members of the committee never gave up in their efforts to create this opportunity for Somerville residents, spending several hours testifying at board meetings, writing letters to the MBTA, and meeting with other local groups to share strategies. In addition to a strong organizing strategy, SCC had the support of the Somerville legislative delegation, and were able to meet with MassDOT and the MBTA officials to share their vision and ideas.

Thanks to the visionary approach of Secretary of Transportation Richard Davey and MBTA General Manager Dr. Beverly A. Scott, SCC was able to agree on the creation of this program, which will hopefully be a model for the rest of the country in connecting local residents to careers in transportation and helping to prevent displacement.

The MBTA and MassDOT are planning to formalize the agreement on June 18th at the MassDOT Board of Directors meeting at the Transportation Building in Boston. Jobs for Somerville and SCC are also organizing a local ceremony to celebrate this milestone.

To learn more or to join Jobs for Somerville, contact Rene.