http://blog.masslive.com/breakingnews/2007/06/new_lowwage_earners_center_ope.htmlNew low-wage earners center opens
Posted by The Republican Newsroom June 11, 2007 21:13PM
By JO-ANN MORIARTY
jo-ann.moriarty@newhouse.com
SPRINGFIELD - The Anti-Displacement Center, which had a name change and a facelift, today unveiled a new two-story worker center that was built by Anti-Displacement Project members and unionized workers on their own time to improve the plight of low-wage earners.
It is now called the Alliance to Develop Power Worker Center/Casa Obrera, which is an affiliated member of the Pioneer Valley Central Labor Council and member of the AFL-CIO. The mission of the new center at 130 Union St. is to prevent the exploitation of hourly wage earners.
George Noel, director of the Massachusetts Department of Labor, represented Gov. Deval L. Patrick at today's ribbon cutting. He told the 100 community advocates, union leaders and workers and day laborers that the administration was committed to ending the unfair treatment of workers.
"The underground economy exploits workers and depresses wages for all workers and it robs the commonwealth of millions of dollars," said Noel, a former union leader.
The ADP works to protect the wages of workers in the region, especially to expose contractors who violate the state's prevailing wage laws, which require that workers on public projects be paid a rate based on union wages.
Eddie Acosta, the national coordinator of the AFL-CIO Work Center campaign, said this is the first time a center has been built by organized labor working with a community advocacy organization.
FULL story at link.