West/Southwest Industrial Areas Foundation organizations have long pioneered workforce initiatives that help working people move from low-paying jobs to living-wage careers. In eight communities in Iowa, Arizona, Louisiana, and Texas, IAF organizations established long-term training programs (labor market intermediaries) that have benefited tens of thousands of people.
At the onset of the Covid-19 shutdown, San Antonio was plunged into economic crisis. Over 122,000 workers filed jobless claims, 9,000 households sought emergency housing assistance, and the San Antonio Food Bank was serving 120,000 people a week. Those hit hardest worked in retail, hospitality and tourism, mainstays of the local economy.
COPS/Metro leaders recognized that unemployed spouses, neighbors and parishioners needed more than relief -- they needed stable jobs. They soon called for an investment response to address the insecurity and uncertainty that families face with an ambitious deployment of its CARES Act allocation. Framing it as a "new GI Bill," the organization called for the investment of $200 Million to support jobless workers as they retooled through Alamo Colleges with the support of a stipend. With the support of the Mayor, County Judge and Alamo Colleges President, the City responded quickly, allocating $80 Million towards the training of 10,000 workers.
COPS/Metro knew this would not be enough to transform the city’s historical reputation of being a “cheap labor” city. With the IAF's flagship workforce development program (Project Quest) as a model, they set about writing a ballot initiative that would put before San Antonio taxpayers the proposal to use a sales tax to help residents get back to work. With the support of San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg, H-E-B and a passionate team of institutional leaders, the City approved the idea of putting the proposal on the ballot.
Parish ministers made pulpit announcements, organized phone banks and held socially distanced rallies at road intersections to urge voters to support long-term workforce development. When election returns were made public, leaders were vindicated by the proposal's passage with 77% support across the city, resulting in at least $230 million to support workers training for new jobs
COPS/Metro immediately called for full accountability in the implementation of "San Antonio Ready to Work", challenging the Mayor and partners to negotiate for living wage standards for employers poised to benefit from a newly trained workforce. Since then, SA Ready to Work has earned praise by US Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh for its "innovate and exemplary" collaboration with industry leaders. To this day, COPS/Metro continues to work with the Mayor and other industry partners to ensure its success.
Similar efforts have taken place across eight communities in four states, with IAF organizations leading the charge to support marginalized workers with a pathway to a more secure future.
Additional Information:
San Antonio Ready to Work Press Coverage, COPS/Metro
Labor Market Intermediaries, West/Southwest IAF
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